“After Abu Dhabi, I’m gone.” I pulled my phone from my pocket. “You’ve got four races left to explain to the board why your lead driver is leaving. Should be fun watching you scramble.”
Panic flickered across Julian’s face. The first real crack in his perfect control. “You can’t walk away mid-season. Your contract runs through December.”
“And I’ll honor every race until then. But the second Abu Dhabi ends, I’m done with you and this team for good.” I was already typing the message to Dominic.
Griffin
Ready to sign with Rekford. Today if possible.
Dominic
About bloody time. I’ll reach out now and set up the signing for tomorrow. Come by my suite after FP2 and we’ll finalize everything.
I shoved my phone in my pocket and looked at Julian. His face had gone pale.
“Who?” he demanded.
“You’ll find out soon enough.” I couldn’t help the grim satisfaction that flooded through me. “Feel free to start calling around. Maybe you’ll guess right.”
“Griffin—”
“You might’ve built the team, Julian, but you didn’t build me. You sure as hell didn’t win any of those races. Four more races. Then I’m gone.” I turned to Al. “Sorry you had to witness that. You’re a damn good engineer. These last four races won’t change that.”
Al nodded slowly, eyes still wide.
I walked toward the garage exit. The team parted around me. Nobody spoke. Nobody tried to stop me.
At the threshold, I paused and looked back at Julian.
“One more thing. Violet’s moving out as soon as we get back.”
Julian’s eyes flashed. “That’s not your decision to make.”
“Yeah, it’s hers. And I’m making damn sure she has the option.” I held his gaze. “Don’t call her. Don’t text her. Don’t show up trying to guilt her into staying. You go near her or Hazel, and I’ll make sure every journalist in the paddock knows exactly what kind of manipulative piece of shit you are. I’ve got forty witnesses who just heard you confess. Test me.”
Then I left.
I’d grovel. Properly. Get on my knees if I had to. Violet deserved that after how badly I’d fucked this up, dismissing every warning she’d given me, making her feel like she was the problem when it was Julian all along.
First though, I needed to find a florist in Mexico City who sold irises in October.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
VIOLET
Iscrolled through my phone without really seeing it while Hazel slept against my chest. Every time I put her down in her carrier, she woke up screaming.
The Aedris hospitality area buzzed with the usual post-session energy. Engineers clustered near the coffee station, voices low and urgent. I caught fragments through the white noise.
“Shouting match.”
“Garage.”
“Julian went ballistic.”
My thumb froze mid-scroll.
Whatever Dad had done this time must have been spectacular. The engineers looked equal parts horrified and fascinated. Like they’d witnessed a car crash they’d been expecting but somehow thought they’d avoid.
