Page 107 of Hot Lap
His brows arch. “More than sparkly diamonds?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Wow. That’s huge.”
I nod and close my eyes. “Yeah. That’s how much I love you, Reece.”
He sighs and kisses my head again. His arms tighten around me. “Good. ’Cause I love you more than fast cars, Maiken.”
And, shiiiit, how easy and right was that?
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
QATAR TO ABU DHABI | MONDAY
Reece zips his suitcase closed,but nothing about this moment feels settled.
He glances across the room. Maiken is folded into one of the chairs by the window, barefoot and absently twisting her wedding ring like it might give her answers. She hasn’t said she’s coming with him. She hasn’t said she’s not. It’s unusual for her to be this quiet and still, and he doesn’t like it.
Reece crouches in front of her and rests his hands on her knees. “Talk to me, honeybee.”
Mai lifts her gaze slowly. “I want to come with you to Abu Dhabi. I do.”
“But?”
“But I have responsibilities. My bank account. My next gig. I’ve already rescheduled two bookings this month and if I cancel on the Oyster again, Yvette might never call me back. I’m a freelancer, Reece. When I don’t work, I don’t earn.”
He exhales through his nose, brushing his thumbs over the soft fabric of her pants. “Look, Mai, money's not going to be an issue anymore. Not for you, not for us."
She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “That’s not true.”
“Yes, it is.” He’s dead serious. “And you’d know this if you’d ever asked me about my income. The fact that you haven’t is unfathomable for me, but it’s time to have that talk. You need to understand my base salary alone is twenty-four million a year, yeah? That's before bonuses, endorsements, and appearance fees. Plus I have three more years on my contract. I’m not saying this to flex. I’m saying it because I want you to understand that if you want to stand with me for the final race of the season, you can. No worries. No guilt. Your bills are covered.”
She blinks once, then stares at him, eyes wide as if what he’s just said is incomprehensible gibberish.
“I didn’t marry you to bankroll your life, Maiken. I also didn’t marry you just to leave you out of mine. Unlike Peony, I miss you when we’re not together.”
Her lips part like she wants to argue — maybe say something about independence or pride or what people will say online — but then she closes them again and bites her lip. “You’re really okay with this? With me being there and the media making it a whole thing again?”
Reece scoffs. “They’ll make it a whole thing if you’re not there.” He stands and leans down to kiss her forehead. “I’d rather have you with me and let the media yap than not have you at all.”
She lets out a long breath and finally nods. “Okay. Let’s go to Abu Dhabi.”
They leave the hotel in midmorning, wearing dark-tinted glasses. A driver will take them to the airport and return Reece’s rented SUV. Ona joins them and she and Reece load their bags while Maiken watches and does a little head-tilt thing that means she’s impressed.
Ona rides upfront with the driver. Reece settles into the back beside Mai.
The drive is quick. When they arrive at the private terminal, Maiken’s eyes go wide as the Nitro jet taxies into view — deep green body, pink-accented livery, PNW mountain logo on the tail.
“No fucking way,” she breathes.
Reece can’t stop smiling. “Way.”
They’re barely out of the car before Coy, Petra, and Jacintha emerge from the FBO’s lounge to greet them. Coy offers Maiken a fist bump. Petra’s in sunglasses and a hoodie that saysFaster Than Your Boyfriend, but the grin she flashes is real.
Cin’s nose is buried in fitness data as they cross the tarmac and climb the stairs to board the plane. “Hey, Mai.” She doesn’t look up, and that’s perfect because it means she’s accepted Maiken as part of Reece’s team.
A Nitro media crew is already filming the boarding for behind-the-scenes coverage. Normally, Reece hates that, but Maiken’s delight is contagious.
