The voice in the earpiece.
I scribbled the words into my notes, then glanced back at Volkov. Still silent. Still guarded. But his jaw was clenched hard enough to crack stone.
Richard glanced at his tablet, then addressed the room. “All right, folks. That’ll wrap us up for today. Gentlemen, thank you for your time.”
Heidi was already moving, ushering both drivers off-stage with brisk professionalism. The second they disappeared through the door, the atmosphere relaxed.
“Nice one” Caroline said. “That rattled a few cages.”
“Thanks. I can’t believe you did that. Won’t your producer be pissed off?”
She shrugged. “He’ll be more bothered about Moretti’s double entendres earlier, to be honest. Don’t worry about it.” She began packing her things and I followed suit.
We headed out into the cool, late afternoon air. The sky was heavy with clouds, but so far it was staying dry.
“You owe me a fiver.” I hitched my bag higher on my shoulder and grinned at Caroline. “Haversham never called Volkov ‘enigmatic’.”
“Damn. I’ll give it to you later.”
“Sure.” I smirked.
A group of F1 Academy drivers walked past us, laughing and pointing at something over my shoulder. I turned and caught sight of Luca strolling down the paddock, hands in his pockets. The Academy drivers broke into giggles when he granted them with a dimpled grin. I would not be an eighteen year old girl again for the world. I rolled my eyes and hitched my bag up onto my shoulder.
“Hey, Archer,” Luca said as he drew near. Caroline looked my way and pressed her lips together, biting back whatever she was thinking. I glowered at her before turning my attention to the sexy Italian.
“Hey yourself.”
“I caught the end of the Obsidian panel. Blistering question. I enjoyed watching Volkov squirm.”
“I’m sure you aren’t the only one,” Caroline said, smirk fixed on her round face.
“I like to keep you guys on your toes.” I put in.
“Oh, don’t group me together with them, my ego can’t take it.” He placed a hand on his heart in mock offence.
“As if your ego isn’t big enough for plenty of bruises,” I chided back, grinning. OK, I admit it, I was flirting. Sue me.
The smile withered on my face when the Obsidian team filed out of their hospitality suite—both drivers, PR people, Norton Ross, and a few engineers—like the New Zealand All-Blacks, moving in sync in their black uniforms. They swept past us and I felt myself shrinking under the watchful gaze of Ross and several others. Volkov shot daggers at Moretti, and then me, and something unpleasant happened to my insides. They seemed to turn to jelly.
I tucked my hair behind my ear, pulse stuttering, and clutched my bag tighter. Guilt, fear, something else—I couldn’t name it, but it burned.
Luca watched the Obsidian team pass then returned his attention to me, shaking his head slightly.
“Yeah, they’re rattled. Keep it up, Archer.” He gave my shoulder a playful nudge and swept off in the opposite direction to the black-uniformed unit still moving down the middle of the paddock.
“Oh God.” I groaned and looked up at the sky.
“That was interesting,” Caroline said, her voice soft and contained.
“Fascinating, sure.” I said, no energy left in my body.
A single drop of rain landed on my cheek. I straightened my head and swiped it away.
“Quick dinner before the event tonight?” Caroline asked, smiling. The events of the last half hour were nothing to her. Nothing personal. Nothing critical. As easily dismissed as that rain drop. But to me, I was right in the middle of a storm.
Chapter Fifteen – Shanghai Pre-Race Social
Elena Archer – Shanghai Sponsor Event
