“I wonder how your sister would feel when she walks over here and sees you’ve been stalkingboth of us,” I point out calmly.
Hunter merely smiles, and the sight is deeply unnerving. It’s like the smile of a wolf—or a shark, just before it goes in for the kill.
“She’s quite well occupied,” he replies calmly. “Sterling and she were getting along splendidly. I suggested she update him on her algorithm. Once she starts talking about it, she won’t stop.” His smile drops. “Don’t interrupt me again. What was I saying? Yes, Victoria’s phone bill. This user ID belongs to her good friend Delilah. Oftentimes, Victoria calls Delilah for a pep talk when she has a problem. If you look at the timestamp here,” he points to a date and time beside an unintelligible line of numbers and letters, “you’ll find that they had athirty minute conversationdirectly after Victoria was spending time with you. This is indicative of her being upset.” He smiles again, a perfectly polite gesture that’s somehowmore menacing than a death threat. “I do not like it when my sister is upset.”
“Is there a point to this?” I bite out.
“In all ofthesepictures—after that phone call—she’s looking very happy.” He points to the pictures of us together, several candid photos that raise the hairs on the back of my neck. “I’m hoping that you’ll be able to grasp this quickly, which is why I’m using small, simple words. I want Victoria happy, and I do not want her upset. She has had far too much sadness in her life and not enough comfort. And I’m sure you’re aware that I know everything that happens on, around, and outside of every paddock in the fuckingworld. Do you understand?”
This shit is unreal. “I think you’ll need to spell it out for me. Are you threatening me?”
“I don’t make threats; they’re useless and time-consuming. Instead, whenI’mupset, I work my network of contacts which spans every single industry in the world. I call in favors.” He leans forward. “Everyoneowes me a favor.”
“I get it,” I clip. I’ve been done with this conversation since before it started; I just want it to fuckingend.
“Excellent, then we won’t have any…misunderstandings.”His tone conveys that any misunderstanding could end up with me disappearing off the face of the earth.
“Now that we’ve had a nice chat, here is my proposal.” He snaps his fingers, a sound that manages to be piercing despite the noise of many people speaking to each other, and the same security guy who handed him the folder clears up all the contents and replaces it with another.
“Since Victoria seems to smile quite a bit when you’re around, and your background check came out surprisingly clean—seems the only item on your rap sheet is the remarkable ability to piss people off, and that sealed record of your arrest when you got drunk and started a barfight in college—I’ve had my team painstakingly compile an up-to-date file on Victoria’s preferred activities—”
“Stop.” I’ve held my tongue for as long as I can for the sake of letting Hunter Aster get this shit out of his system, but enough is fucking enough. “I will find my way around planning dates on my own and with Victoria’s input, thank you. While I appreciate your desire to…protect her,” ifthisis what he calls protection, “invading her privacy is a stone too far. I understand you want to check up on me, but to send people afterher?To comb through herphone bills?” I shake my head. “I won’t put up with it. Stalk me however much you want, but do your sister the favor of backing thefuck off.”
“Or?” Hunter’s word is an unveiled challenge wrapped in a threat.
“Or,I’ll inform her that the brother she loves very much has been infringing on her privacy in a way thatwill not stand. I don’t care what calls you make, Aster. I have a shiny last name too.I’ll make some calls of my own.”
Hunter’s jaw works as he considers me, but I think I detect the faintest glimmer of respect in his cutting gaze. “If you hurt her, they will never find your body. There won’tbea body to find. You’ll disappear, and the story the press will tell is that the pressure of F1 got to be too much for you.”
That sort of threat I can deal with. The thought of hurting Victoria makes me nauseous—I have no intention of doing it.
“If you pull some shit like this again withher, I’ll tell her the truth.”
“Careful. Grandstanding like that will get you killed.”
“At least I’ll have done right by the woman I—”
I cut off before my mouth can run away from me. “—care about,” I finish.
I won’t dwell on what Ialmostsaid.
“Very well. We have an agreement.”
“Oh, and you might want to call off whatever watchdogs you have stalking me.”
Hunter frowns. “Why?”
“Because if they watch for too long, they’ll see me balls-deep in your sister.” I slap his shoulder, stand, and stalk away.
The situation with Hunter aside—I will need to keep a close eye on him,andon myself if I don’t want to end updisappearing—I consider the evening a resounding success. By the end of it, I’m ready to lock myself in my apartment and not emerge for the next week or so, but I’m farmoreeager about getting to spend time with Victoria. I see it as my treat after an endless four hoursof sheer bullshit.
We don’t leave the gala together, since too many people are already suspicious of us, but we meet up several blocks away at a gourmet ice cream parlor and bakery. If anyone photographs us here, it could be explained as an accidental run-in after an event.
The storefront is sleek, with a black-framed façade and the name in minimalist gold lettering above the door. Inside, it’s warm and softly lit with clean white marble counters, pale wood tables, and a long glass case displaying rows of artisan gelato in muted, jewel-toned colors alongside trays of pastries. The menu is printed on a backlit panel, and the air smells like browned butter, fresh waffle cones, and espresso. It’s quieter than the gala, more intimate, and no one here gives a shit who I am. The knot in my shoulders loosens the second I walk in.
“Hey.” Victoria greets me near the counter with a tired smile.
“Hey, yourself.” I want to kiss her, but we’re not alone here. Nearly every table is occupied, save for one tucked in the back, right by the bathroom.Brings back some pleasant memories. “What are you in the mood for?”
