Page 65 of Double Apex

“Stop,” he interrupts with a glower. His voice softens. “Look at the glove biometrics.”

I inspect the monitor, and of course he’s right: the biometric reading from sensors in Cosmin’s glove shows his heart is beating. When I look back at Klaus, he makes the gesture I know so well: chest tap, palm raise, forehead tap.Your head is above your heart.

The pit wall team unblinkingly watch the feed from the crash site as cars return to the pits. Things are oddly quiet, aside from the ever-present ambient crowd sound and the chuckling bawl of a helicopter.

Then I hear him.

“I’m… I’m all right.” Cosmin’s shaken voice in my ears makes me light up inside like New Year’s fireworks.

Oh fucking thankyouthankyouthankyou, my brain blathers.

“Copy. Good to know, Legs,” I reply, businesslike.

There are a hundred other things I want to say. His living, breathing voice is like water, and I needed it so desperately that I now sag onto my seat with relief as I’m quenched. I watch as track marshals move the car enough for Cosmin to climb from the wreckage. He’s a little unsteady as the medical coordinator walks him to the medical car for assessment.

I dig at my irritated eyes, focused on what’s happening, wondering if an ambulance will be called. They decide he’s stable enough to ride to the circuit medical center in the car he’s sitting in and take off.

Finally, I breathe.

I look up at Klaus and remove my headset. “I’m gonna head over.”

There’s a pause before he nods, and I jog to an Aprilia scooter we have nearby and hop on, latching the helmet and then wending my way toward the medical center. When I pull up, Reece is arriving, riding on the back of a scooter driven by a garage mechanic. She jumps off as I set my helmet aside, and we converge at the doors.

“We’ll talk later about your public outburst,” she says stiffly, holding the door open for me.

I trip to a halt. “We have bigger things to worry about. Let’s focus on Cosmin.”

“I wonder what Mo thought when he got an eyeful of your little display.”

“He’d think I’m a human being! Why are you losing your mind over my business?” I demand.

“You and Cosmin clearlylied to me,” she snaps. “I had no desire to be saddled with your tawdry secret, but you two made it my concern. And here we are! No one bloody listened to me, and now you’recompromised.”

A bitter shred of laughter escapes. “‘Compromised’? What is this, a Cold War spy movie?” I stride away, headed to where I hear voices.

Cosmin sits on an exam table and is being attended by a doctor and nurse. His race suit is peeled down to the waist, draped behind him. He sees me and lifts a hand. His eyes are tired, but he’s wearing a faint smile.

“Draga mea,” he sighs out. “Vino aici si saruta-ma.”

This one I know—come here and kiss me—and I suspect it’s freely rolling off his tongue because he doesn’t think anyone else in the room will understand. Which is why his eyebrows jerk high when Reece walks in after me.

Ignoring her, I open my arms and go to Cosmin, hugging him hard.

“Holy shit am I glad to see you,” I say against his neck.

When I pull back, he cradles my cheek with one hand, feathering the thumb under my lashes. His eyes move from my face to a point behind me where I know Reece is standing. With obvious reluctance his hand drops, forgoing the kiss.

She knows, I mouth at him.

Reece’s phone chimes and she swipes it open. “Track is nearly clear—restart in a few minutes. Valle got a ten-second penalty for causing a collision.”

“Ten seconds?” I snarl, suddenly furious as I’m remindedof Valle’s existence. “I’ve got a ‘penalty’ for that incompetent pipsqueak—how about ten seconds in a room with me and a baseball bat?”

“Control yourself.” The words carry a subtext, and Reece’s eyes narrow as she delivers them. She addresses the tall man with a thick walrus mustache. “Doctor, might I get a video of Cos to post for fans?”

He steps back with a wave of one arm, and poor Cosmin ruffles a weary hand through his hair like the twenty-four-seven show pony he is. His expression is resignation, clearly knowing he’s a product that needs to appear undamaged.

“Can we give him a fucking minute?” I ask Reece as she’s lifting her phone.

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