Page 2 of All That Glitters
“There’s a track test set for later this week.”
I continued to stare out at the wall of water beyond his shoulders. Did he think I didn’t know that? It was written on every calendar I owned.
I nodded, more to myself than to him. “Yeah.”
“Are you ready?”
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
What did he want me to say? I did my best to keep my tone even and devoid of…anything. Impatience or attitude pissed him off. I’d seen it ruin careers. “Really.”
His eyes met mine across the expanse of wood. It was like looking into an aged mirror.
“Huh. You haven’t even driven yourself anywhere in a street car. You haven’t taken any of the test cars out. You haven’t even sat inside one or had the specs set for you seat. You can’t say you’re ready to race and expect me to believe you.”
I couldn’t, but I would. “I’m ready. The rain messed with my plans today.” Even I heard the excuse for what it was. We raced in the rain all the time. Hard, or slow and steady, it didn’t matter for us the way it did in some other racing series.
“What about yesterday? And the day before that? Last week? Brax is ready. He can take the first few races for you and we have other drivers we can pull in at the last minute if we need to.”
Red clouded the edges of my vision. “I don’t need Brax to take my seat. I told you I’m ready.”
“What about Hale?”
The red darkened, filled in. “What about him?”
“Have you talked to him?”
“I don’t have anything to say to him.”
“No?”
“No.”
“You can’t start this season without settling things.”
“What do you want me to do? Call him? Go on a date? Kiss and make up?”
“The sarcasm isn’t helpful.”
I knew that before the words ever came out of my mouth, but fuck…
“You need to talk to him. Hear his side of the story. Bury your anger and forgive.”
“Dad…”
“There will be no retaliation in a Glitterati car.” He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t show any sign that this was more than a business meeting with an employee. The only change he allowed me to see was the shift in his eyes. They hardened, the color lightening to that of watered-down whiskey. “Do I make myself clear?”
“I wasn’t planning to retaliate.” We both knew the statement for the lie that it was, but I wouldn’t take it back.
“Talk to him or Brax will be in your seat for as many starts as it takes for you to get yourself under control.”
The threat was real. It was more than that, though. It was a promise. Leonardo Glitterati didn’t make idle threats and he didn’t say anything he didn’t mean. He’d take everything from me without blinking until he was satisfied that I’d learned my lesson.
I couldn’t let that happen. I’d worked too fucking hard to lose it now.
“Fine.”
