Delilah’s smile comes on slow and terrifically menacing. “The world is my courtroom, and every day is a trial.”
“What a fascinating way to live,” Sterling murmurs, breaking his studious silence.
“Nobody’s in trouble, and there’s no burden of anything.” Soren looks tired. “We would like to assign you a publicist. Asher’s image could use some reform, and it would be good to keep any speculation around the two of you to a minimum.”
Asher yawns. “My manager will have someone within a day.”
“Wonderful. Next order of business.” Soren looks at me. “I believe we have a deal to sign.”
Delilah smiles again. “Soglad you brought it up.” She withdraws a thick stack of papers housed in three separate folders from her purse, and reaches forward to drop them on the desk with a pointedthump. “There’s the contract we’re offering. Minor changes should be alright, but the framework is non-negotiable. I’ve brought three copies, just in case more than one person wanted to read.”
Soren slides the papers towards himself and distributes them to Declan and Ilya. A tense silence descends as the three men read. Asher turns his neck to gaze at me, support written into every line of his features.God, I love this man. So much ithurts.
“This isnotwhat we agreed on.” Soren looks up, glaring at me. “You agreed to give us the algorithm—”
“And she is. Exclusive use, until the end of the season,” Delilah interjects calmly.
“That isn’t—this is not acceptable!” Soren sputters. “Onlyyoubeing allowed to use it is ridiculous!”
“Why?” I tilt my head to the side. “It’s early stages. It’s a bit glitchy, even if very effective. It still requires a lot of work. What’s the problem with me being its sole user, unless you were hoping to get a glimpse at the source code so you could replicate it?”
Asher hides a smile behind his hand. Soren blanches. Delan rolls his eyes, and Ilya sighs.
“That’snotwhat I was implying,” Soren grits out. “But this isn’t what weagreed on—”
“It’s well within the parameters of our agreement.” I lean forward. “I could sell this right now for money. Alotof money. Instead, I’m giving sole use to Gaston. Me being the one to use it wouldwork in your favor. I don’t understand what the issue is.”
“Soren has a difficult time trusting newcomers.” Ilya gives Delilah a long, lazy glance. “Can a clause for mutual penalties be written in? Consequences should Victoria break her word?”
Delilah shrugs. “I don’t see why not. I’ll make the change tonight.”
Sterling pushes away from the window, and plucks the file right from Soren’s hands. I feel my eyebrows rise as he returns to his previous position and starts reading.
How much money does he give the team to be afforded such liberties? He shouldn’t even be in this office, let alone taking confidential legal documents from theTeam Principle’s hands.
“Have you ever considered a career in F1?” he asks Delilah after several minutes of tense silence.
She doesn’t show it, but I can feel Delilah’s intrigue filling the room. Still, she keeps her tone bored and distant. “Sweaty drivers aren’t my thing.”
“But managing contracts and licenses clearly are.” He walks over to her, dropping the stack of papers on the table as he goes, and draws a business card from his jacket pocket. He holds it between two fingers and offers it to her. “Give me a call. I know some people in need of new in-house council. You might be an excellent fit.”
“I get bored quite easily.”
Sterling chuckles. “Then youmusttake a look at a few teams. There are many drivers in F1 who are occasionally…problematic.”
I share a look with Asher. This surreal meeting just turned even more surreal.
“Can we get back to the matter at hand?” Soren asks sourly.
“Of course.” Sterling turns around. “Contract looks reasonable enough to me.”
“If you’re not happy with it, I can see who else is interested in my program,” I say calmly.
“Then we can find a reason to remove the recent upgrades to Asher’s car,” Soren says seriously.
“Go for it.” Asheryawns. “I’m going for the podium with or without that upgrade this season. But, let me be clear; threaten Victoria again, and I will not evenconsiderGaston’s offer to renew my contract.”
“Bold of you to assume you’ll receive an offer,” Ilya murmurs.
