My face heats. “Did I say that out loud?”
He smirks. “You did. Since you’re against PDA, I won’t give you a kiss good night.” His smirk widens. “And I won’t bother telling you to have sweet dreams of me, because we both know you will.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Asher
One thing I didn’t quite account for is how much dating Victoria would benefit our team work.
Or how much fantasizing about her would motivate me to do well on the track. I make it to Q2 on qualifying day, and finish out in P13. I still can’t manage to break into Q3 just yet, but I can only do so much in a ridiculouslymediocrecar.
Victoria still seems happy with my ranking, and I remind myself that I have three races to get to top 10. It doesn’tseemdoable in the piece of junk I’ve been allotted, but it has to be. Ithasto be.
With Victoria on my side, itwillbe.
Race day is much, much tougher. Everyone seems to be driving on steroids—I drop to P15 in the first ten laps, then P16 by the halfway point. It’s not because of Victoria’s directives; it’s because every other driver in the midfield has brought their A-game. Almost like they feel the need to step up now that I’ve stepped up, which is perfectly possible.
By the two-thirds mark, I’ve scraped my way back to P13… and that’s where I stay until I cross the finish line.
Ulrich finishes in P12 after pulling ahead of me at the last minute.
It’s not a bad rank, but there’s no improvement from my last race, whichpisses me off. Now, I only havetworaces to jump at least three places.
Considering the way competition on the midfield has ramped up, I need to prioritize breaking top 10 in the qualifiers. And I need to figure out how to do that with my shitty car.
Fuck.
“We have a press conference lined up with—"
“No.” I cut Ilya off when he accosts me in the garage, right after the race. “Not today.” I look around, trying to glimpse where Victoria went. Spending time with her right now sounds much better than dealing with the fuckingpress.
“Yes,” Ilya snaps. “Today.Ten minutes.”
“Why?”I growl. Where the hell is Victoria? And since when did she become the person I want to see when I’m stressed?
“Have you forgotten our deal? Or that I’m stillpissed offover the fact that you decided to start afightwith Elio inpublic?” Ilya steps forward, crowding my space. Anger winds me tight, and I feel a rumble of warning bubble up my chest, but I trap it. I can’t risk frustrating him more when I need an upgrade package from him.
And Idoneed it—badly. Even if I hold midfield for the rest of the season, my prior years’ performance will beconsidered when I get offers. I need a podium if I want to be taken seriously, and I can’t get to a podium with the fucking car I’m stuck with.
“Fine,” I hiss.
“And there’s a charity gala on Wednesday you’ll be attending.” Ilya’s glare is hard and unyielding. He won’t budge on this. If I want a better car, I have to be his show-horse.
“Do I have a plus-one?” Why thehellam I asking? There’s only one person I’d bring, and if Idobring her, it’d send a message to the public that she doesn’t want to send yet.
Personally, I’d be fine screaming that we’re together from the rooftops. I’ve never been serious about a woman before, so I thought that the depth of my certainty that Victoria and I will get and stay together would frighten me… but it feels like the most natural thing in the world.
Like a complete inevitability.
Now, I just have to getheron board with my line of thinking.
“No, but she’ll be there.”
I should be far more worried about Ilya knowing who I’m referring to without me having to clarify, but I’m more focused on the idea that Victoria will be attending with someone else. Someone who isn’t me.
Unacceptable.
“With who?”
