“Tess!” I shout. “Tell me.”
She sighs loudly in my ear. “Oh my god, you are impossible! Beau is cutting the corners much quicker than I thought possible. That’s it. Now focus!”
It’s like repeating a fucking nightmare, only I’m not at the center of it anymore. I’m on the outside looking in.
I focus up ahead and move closer without caring about the dirty air affecting my car. I look past the blur of teal from Noah’s car and focus on Beau.
My pulse flies, and I wait for the exact moment he should brake.
Only he doesn’t. His lights flare too late, and my stomach drops.
Too late.He’s braking too late, just like I’d done when driving that exact car.
My fucking father has done it again.
“Where is your dad?” I ask Tessa in a panic.
“What?” she exclaims. “I don’t know. I’ve been focusing on the race!”
I’m out of breath.
This could be my chance.
If the FIA would just take a second look at the way Beau is braking around those corners, and how it’s practically impossible to do so, they’d have enough for an investigation. They’d have enough to deliver the consequences my dad deserves for dangerously cheating his way to the top and risking everyone’s life on this fucking circuit.
The next corner comes into view, and it’s the same damn thing.
He brakes late.
“How is he doing that?” Tessa mutters more to herself than me.
I bite down on my tongue to keep the truth there.
“It’s not skill, Princess.”So don’t get that twisted.
A barrier comes into sight, and my gut churns.
“Tell Noah to back off,” I stress.
To my surprise, Tessa doesn’t question me. There’s a subtle shuffle in my ear, and my exact words leave her mouth.
Good girl.
I fly around the barrier and lift off immediately.
No.
“Crash! Crash!” I shout.
I’m instantly hyper-focused. I search for a way to avoid an impact, quickly whipping my car over to the outside line, only to turn quickly to the inside to move around a chunk of debris.
The smoke is too thick to see, but with the scattered debris and Tessa’s gasp inside my helmet, I know it’s bad.
“I’m coming.”
My view stays obstructed until I get closer to the pits, and I can’t help but notice how quiet the other end of the radio is. I race into my spot and climb out of my car within five seconds, unlike the rest of the drivers, who remain in their cars, idling. My helmet drops to the ground quickly, and I anxiously search around for Tessa.
I spot my pit crew on the wall and jog over.
