Page 123 of Hot Lap
That gets a smile. “Damn right you are.”
I heft my bag and check my reflection one last time. Victory rolls. Winged liner. Blood-red lipstick. I look like a woman who knows exactly who she is and that the line in the sand was crossed over a week ago.
He offers his hand. “Ready?”
“Yup.” I lace my fingers through his. “Let’s go make some tongues wag.”
When the elevator doors open into the lobby, Petra’s waiting dressed in Nitro team gear, arms crossed. She scans my outfit, pausing on my hair. “Aggressive. I approve.”
Ona appears beside her, ever calm. “United front. Let’s go.”
The four of us pile into Petra’s rental car. On the short drive to the track, Reece holds my hand the entire way. No words, just that quiet, grounding pressure that says he’s with me. Whatever the world chucks at us today, we face it together.
Yesterday I was hiding. Today I'm arriving. There's a difference, and everyone will see it.
THE SLIPSTREAM
@F1Fanatic_Sarah:HOLY SHIT! Did you see Golden Oyster footage?! Junior B is DONE. Reece literally told him he'd "bloody well find out exactly what the fuck" if he touched Maiken again. PROTECTIVE MAN ENERGY #JusticeForMaiken
?@PaddockGossipQueen:THE WAY REECE APPEARED LIKE A GUARDIAN ANGEL THO. Junior grabbing her wrist, her trying to pull away, then BOOM — RP11 to the rescue. This is how you handle a creep
@NitroSupporter99:Totally proves Jr faked AetherX clip ... Dude literally YANKED her toward him after she said no. And then had the balls to edit QGP vid to make HER look unstable??? Absolute scumbag behavior.
?@CircuitChaos:Right?? In the real footage you can literally READ her lips saying, "Please let go of me," and this man STILL held on. Then RP stepped in with that deadly calm voice. Chef's kiss
@WolfBettWarrior:Okay I'm usually team WolfBett but even I can admit Reece was 100% in the right here. Junior's been a liability for YEARS & this proves it. Grabbing women who've clearly said no? Disgusting.
@VegasGirl4Ever:AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN VEGAS CLUBS — what Junior did is assault. Period. Bouncers kick guys out for exactly this behavior.
@F1TechTalk:The way Reece reacted to what was happening... That's not media training, that's protective instinct. And Maiken handled herself like a BOSS before he even got there #PowerCouple
?@PaddockPrincess:THIS. She wasn't waiting to be rescued, she was handling her biz. But having backup when someone won't listen? That's what a real partnership looks like #TeamPritchard
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
We pullup at the paddock entrance, and the fan chaos is already pegging an eight out of ten. Coy's waiting near the gate, flanked by Misho, Claudia, and Bowie. The shouting starts the moment Reece and Petra step out.
"Reece! Reece! Over here!"
"Petra, you're amazing!"
"Sign my hat!"
Then I hear my name cutting through the noise: "Maiken! We love you!"
Ona and Jacintha slip into position like seasoned security. A cluster of fans are pressed against the barriers waving frantically. One holds a glitteryTEAM PETRA/TEAM MAIKENsign.
Reece and Petra peel off to sign autographs. Petra spies the glittery poster and laughs. She signs it, then brings it to me and offers her pen. “Go on, Mai. It’ll make their day.”
“You sure it’s okay?” I haven’t forgotten the order not to outshine my husband.
“Yeah, of course.”
I sign it and the fans squeal when she delivers it back to them.
Meanwhile, Reece crouches down to a little girl in a Nitro cap.
"Are you really married?" she asks, wide-eyed.
