Page 124 of Hot Lap
"Yeah, I really am." He signs her cap. "My wife is right over there."
The girl waves at me. I wave back, and she squeals to her mom, "She waved at me!"
An older fan calls out, "Maiken, that black dress in Lusail was incredible!"
Another shouts, "Don't let the haters get you down!"
I smile and mouth, “Thank you.”
I follow Claudia away from the crowds, and we join the rest of the Nitro folks by the entrance.
Misho jerks his chin toward the fans. "They're here for you too."
I nod. “I feel very fortunate today.”
PNW Nitro isn't just protecting me. The team is including me, and so are the fans. This isn't tolerance or obligation. Reece’s people are showing the world that they’ve made space for me in their circle.
Petra and Reece join us. We enter the paddock and pass through a gauntlet of photographers and videographers, then make it to the hospitality unit where the sound dims, the cameras are left outside, and I can finally breathe.
Coy touches my arm. "You're part of our family, Mai."
I smile, because Coy Hayter isn’t a bullshitter. I can believe him.
An hour later, I’m settled into one of the corner banquettes with my sewing kit and the blue velvet gown when Claudia finds me. She’s brisk as ever, but there’s fatigue under her polish. I think she’s been fighting fires all morning.
She sits. “Got a minute?”
“Of course.” I set the needle down.
“Junior’s little creative edit is dead. The team issued a cease and desist last night. We knew it wouldn’t erase it, but most outlets have pulled the clip in favor of the leaked Oyster footage. No one wants to risk legal heat.”
“Even though pulling it is performative?” There’s no undoing the spread of his lies. The internet is a Pandora’s box of misinformation.
“Especiallybecause it’s performative. It looks good for us and bad for him. People are still sharing his lie, but it’s not front-page anymore and they’re looking at it with a more jaundiced eye.”
“So he’s not getting away with it entirely, right?”
Her expression softens. “No. The Golden Oyster video is burying it. Plus we’ve got backup.”
“Backup?”
“Eddie Saldana reached out to us.”
My brain stutters. “Eddie?Really?Was he the source of the Oyster video?”
“No, we still don’t know who leaked that, but Eddie came forward this morning and swore out a statement confirming what’s seen in it is factual. Junior Betterton was the original aggressor when he grabbed you that night. Reece intervened, which is how the two of you met. Eddie says he kicked Junior out of the club. His story is being quietly circulated to press contacts. And no, we didn’t put him up to it or pay him.”
I exhale. “God, that’s amazing. I didn’t think he’d get involved.”
“Apparently, he saw the doctored AetherX video and got angry. He said it didn’t sit right with him to stay quiet, knowing how Junior treated you in The Golden Oyster.”
I press a hand to my chest. “Claudia, that’s fantastic news.”
“Indeed.” She smiles, the first real one I’ve seen from her today. “You’ve got people in your corner, Maiken. Never forget that.”
I nod, swallowing hard. “Thanks for fighting for me.”
She stands. “Always. Now I’m going to find Reece and give him this news.”
