Page 105 of Rear View
“Then I’d like you to leave.”
His huffed his exhale as he rose, as if I’d disappointed him. But he could shove it up his useless ass ’cause he’d been disappointing me for years. The whole system had.
“If you think of anything else, you know how to reach me.”
I fought the bitter laugh that wanted to break free when I followed him to the door, then closed it with a crack and locked it behind him.
My phone vibrated from across the room. My legs were weak when I made my way toward it, my stomach rolling as I peered at the screen.
Christian: I came by to talk but the cops wouldn’t let me in. Are you alright?
Me: I’m fine.
I wasn’t, but that didn’t seem to matter.
Me: What’d you need to talk about?
Christian: Xavier.
Was he serious with that crap?
Me: Please, Christian. I’ve had a bad day and cannot deal right now.
Christian: R.J. wait. Just, do me a favor and check his social media.
My lungs constricted.
Me: What?
Christian: I’m not trying to cause shit, I swear. Just, check it. Please.
I inhaled slow and steady as I clicked on a web browser. Searching Xavier’s name, I scrolled through until the link to his Instagram came up. The account was open, no limited access or required friend request necessary to see his posts. And when I did…
I froze, my body turning to stone. Oh, God!Hadheseen it? Is that why he’d come for me? Had he…had he thought we were taunting him?
No. No.No!
My hands flew to my mouth, my pulse pounding through my head as my breaths turned short and shallow. Too heavy. I couldn’t get enough air because Xavier had shared a photo. One of us—ofme! One that stood front and center as his fucking profile picture.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Xavier
I shrugged into my racing suit, then sealed myself in.
The scrutineer walked around our car in the Parc Ferme, doing her final pre-race inspection. She’d done her engine checks before, eyeing the safety gear, tugging the harnesses and scanning the roll bar.
The gravel car finished its lap, reporting back on the stages and the ground conditions. All was clear. With the seeding based on lead stats, it meant Alec and I went first. The zero car headed out next, letting everyone know the race was getting set to start.
Being on home turf hit different. It felt good. Not just ’cause we knew it inside and out, but the fans, all of them, were there forus. And my girl would be one of ’em.
The Scrutineer gave a thumbs-up, then signed off on her forms, giving us the all clear—for that segment, anyway.
My phone buzzed against the car roof and my girl’s name flashed over the screen. I grinned. “Hey, darlin’.”Goddamn, I’d missed her. I eyed the crowd outside, curious where she and Miles would be watching from.
“Take it down!” she snapped.
My head jerked back. “What?”
