Page 86 of All That Glitters
“A couple bottles of water would be great,” Helen said. “Thanks.”
Amber rushed out and returned a few moments later with four bottles. She handed two over to Helen who slid one in front of me. The anxiety attacks took a lot out of me and the water would help. It would also give me something to hold onto.
This wasn’t me. Not the real me.
Would that man ever come back?
I uncapped the bottle and took a couple of small swallows, then sat up straight and looked toward our host. Time to get down to business.
“Pardon my frankness, but what can I do for you, Darien?”
“Frankness is appreciated and I imagine you’re curious about all of this. I’d like you to come drive for me.”
That caught me off guard. My brow dipped and my eyes narrowed in confusion.
“Drive for you?”
“Yes. I’m putting together a team to race the 24hrs of Daytona next season. I have two drivers already and am looking to fill out the rest of the slots. I need an anchor.”
Was he serious?
The way my knee bounced under the table and sweat broke out on my scalp, my body certainly thought he was.
Helen gently touched my arm and my heart rate immediately began to slow.
“Mr…” I shook my head. “Darien… I haven’t been behind the wheel of a car since the wreck last season. I couldn’t even drive myself over here. Not to mention, I’m still under contract with Glitterati Racing through the next two seasons. I can’t commit to anything else. I shouldn’t even be talking to you about something like this.”
“I’m aware. In pretty much all respects, you’ve kind of dropped out of sight. I respect that after what you’ve been through. So, let’s take this one step at a time. Do you plan to quit?”
Helen’s hand tightened on my arm, just enough that only I would know. No one had come out and asked me that question point blank. She’d challenged me last night about being afraid and about letting Hale win, but she hadn’t asked what Darien just had.
And the words just hung in the air.
Darien was the picture of patience. And masking. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Maybe I didn’t want to know. But before I could form an answer at all, he slid a folder across the table.
“Before you answer, maybe I’ll take it a step further and address something else you mentioned. Your contract. I bought your remaining years with Glitterati Racing.”
That snapped me out of my head. I snatched the folder and flipped it open. “You what?” But there in black and white were two signatures, Darien Cross and Leonardo Glitterati. “That son of a bitch. He really did it.”
“Ash…” Helen’s voice was so soft, like she was across the building instead of right beside me.
There was a rushing sound in my ears, in my head. My heartbeat echoed, pounded until it drowned out everything.
Would this sensation ever not be part of me?
My father sold my contract, sold my talent, sold his son to the highest bidder because I wasn’t ready yet? I knew he was impatient and I knew he was thinking to replace me, he was just short of giving me an ultimatum, but I didn’t think he’d do it. I didn’t think he’d break up the family legacy.
Behind my back.
A Glitterati heir had never driven for any other team. What did that mean now? What would happen to me, to our relationship?
Helen gently took the folder so she could look through it. I watched from the side of my eye as she flipped page after page. Her face was somber as when I met her gaze.
“I’m sorry,” Darien said. “It never occurred to me that he wouldn’t have talked to you.”
“He… He never said a word. I guess he felt I wouldn’t be an asset of any kind to the team anymore. What makes you think any different?”
“For one thing, you’re here. For another thing, I don’t think you’ll be out of a car for too much longer, but if you are, that’s fine. There are other things you can do, other assets you have that can be leveraged.”
