Carmen shifted her weight, her Dragon-branded jacket suddenly looking out of place in a tent full of mixed fans and teams. She caught his eye, something like an apology crossing her face.
“Can we grab a few minutes later?” she asked. “You and Bree both. Somewhere quieter.”
“Sure,” he said. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” she said quickly. “Just… time for some overdue conversations.”
He filed the phrasing away. Overdue conversations rarely meant anything simple.
“Come find us,” Bree said. “We’re hard to miss.”
Carmen’s phone buzzed; she glanced at it and groaned. “That’s Mom,” she said. “She's worried about the issues here.”
Bree slipped her hand into Hank’s. “You good?” she asked.
“Diaz gave me a status update,” he said. “Rental car, shell company, nothing she can move on yet. They’re watching, they’re making themselves visible around our places. She reminded me not to chase anyone into alleys.”
Bree’s mouth twitched. “You needed that reminder?”
“Apparently,” he said. “I have a history.”
Her gaze softened. “You’re not on a deployment anymore.”
“I know,” he said. “Sometimes my muscle memory forgets.”
She squeezed his fingers. “I’ll remind you. Awareness, not paranoia.”
“Exactly,” he said.
A staffer from the Cup organization appeared with a camera and a harried expression. “Hank James? Can I steal you for a second? We’re grabbing a few shots for the recap reel.”
“Sure,” he said. He kissed Bree’s temple. “Back in a minute.”
He posed for a handful of photos; the practiced half-smile came easy now. He signed a program for a kid whose hands shook with excitement. His real calculations remained tucked away, as he answered some innocuous questions.
When he made it back to the edge of the tent, Bree and Carmen were gone.
His chest tightened until he spotted them near the paddock exit, stepping into the cooler dark beyond the lights. Carmen caught his eye and lifted a hand; the invitation was clear.
He followed.
The night outside smelled like damp asphalt and salt. The rumble of voices faded as soon as the tent flap fell back into place behind him. Overhead, the sky was a deep navy bruise, streaked with faint clouds.
Carmen stood near the temporary fence, arms folded, Dragon jacket zipped to her throat. Bree leaned against a concrete barrier, her expression curious and open.
“Sorry to drag you away from your adoring public,” Carmen said. “I just… wanted to talk without an audience.”
“Sounds serious,” Hank said.
“It is,” she said.
Bree tilted her head. “What’s going on?”
Carmen drew in a breath. “I quit,” she said. “The Dragons. I told Heidi I’m done after this weekend.”
Bree’s brows climbed. “Wow. That’s… big.”
“Yeah.” Carmen gave a short, humorless laugh. “I'm only along to help Heidi, but as the evidence stacks up against the Red Dragons, I want no part of any of that. I love my sister, but if they're cheating, and it looks as though they are, I don't need that reflecting on me.”
