Page 118 of Overtake
“Oh!” I nearly stop walking. “Please thank her for me. She’s a miracle worker.”
“I will. She’ll be pleased.” His grin turns wicked. “I think she plans to arm all the WAGs with Dior and Manolos and launch a revolution.”
Cin laughs.
I say, “I love your wife, Reece Pritchard. Have I mentioned that?”
“Yeah, once or twice.” He holds the door for us. “She’s got opinions about dictatorial team owners and their mediamanipulation. Did you know her mum’s a prison nurse? Raised Mai to take no crap.”
I smile. “And yet she took you.”
Cin cracks up and Reece chuckles.
“Mrs. Pritchard likes to live dangerously.” He lowers his voice. “Did you know she takes her clothes off for strangers?” We ascend the stairs, heading for the upper level where Nitro hosts F1 guests.
I fake gasp. “Noo.Outrageous. A woman having agency over her own body?”
Jacintha smirks and tsk’s like the fucking Queen Mum.
It’s well-known that Maiken Lange Pritchard is an extremely talented burlesque performer in Las Vegas.
“I know, right? Shameful.” Reece grins. “Which is exactly how I like her.”
At the top of the stairs, my cousin stops. “I’ll be in your driver’s room prepping for post-meeting damage control. I’m sure you’ll need it.”
“Doubtless. Thanks, Cin.”
She nods and heads back down while Reece and I continue to the meeting.
The room is filled with team principals, chief engineers, and media directors from WolfBett, Nitro, Telco Italia, and JMR. Nico, Wyn, Reece, and I are the only drivers. But other than Marcus and Richard, there are no owners, which means Graham Pritchard and Junior Betterton aren’t included. Thank fucking God. I can only take so much bullshit in one day, and I most certainly would’ve introduced my fist to Graham’s face if he were here.
Nico catches my eye from where he stands with Carlos. Warning, warmth, and about six other emotions cross his face.
Right then. Time to deal with whatever fresh hell this is.
Marcus starts as soon as the door closes behind Reece.
“By now you’ve all seen the photos.”
Technical images appear on a wall screen behind him. There are carefully angled shots showing proprietary data from multiple teams. Some are the ones Pippa showed me, but there are a lot more.
He continues, “Someone’s using fan access to gather technical data from multiple teams.”
Heinrich adds. “They’re disguised as random social media posts, but they’re anything but innocent.”
“The angles are too perfect,” Richard says. “And the timing is too convenient.”
“And certain media groups are already spinning bullshit narratives about compromised integrity and technical espionage.” Dad sounds way too calm, so I know his blood is boiling. Cin must’ve texted him about the interview I cut short. Graham’s producers probably called to complain while I was still in the building. The whiny little wankers.
“They tried that angle,” I confirm. “It didn’t go well for them.”
“No?” Carlos nods. “Good. Suggesting that a driver, whose skills and technical knowledge are obvious needs to steal information to advance her career is...” He pauses deliberately. “How do you English say it? Taking the piss?”
Several engineers hide smiles. Even Marcus’s lips twitch.
Richard says, “The real question is who benefits from both the information gathering and the attempted character assassination?”
“Not Petra and Nico.” Reece speaks up beside me. “They’ve got nothing to gain and everything to lose from this.”
