Page 49 of Overtake
“That was racing.”
“Uh-huh.”
I head for the showers, pretending I don’t hear her quiet laughter behind me. I’ve got sprint strategy to focus on, setup changes to discuss with Bowie. I don’t have time to think about karting sessions or almost-moments orwhatnot.
Racing. Strategy. Speed. Those are your focus, Petra.
Everything else is just noise.
CHAPTER TWELVE
In his driver’s room,Nico runs through his preparations with Esteban, doing reflex exercises and stretching. The familiar routine grounds him and helps him focus before he heads into qualifying.
The sprint format changes everything about this particular Friday. Three qualifying rounds with each round dropping the bottom five drivers and the final round setting the top ten grid positions. Every hundredth of a second matters more than usual.
“¿Listo?”Esteban asks if he’s ready and hands Nico his water bottle.
“Sí.”Nico follows him from the room to the front doors. The weather is warm and dry. The paddock is crowded.
“Darling, surely you understand how this looks...”
Kelley Hayter-Morrison’s voice carries as she trails Petra and Jacintha like an expensive standard poodle. Nico’s focus slips. The look on Petra’s face says she’s close to back-handing her mother, and the only thing stopping her is Rodrigo’s massive frame. Everyone knows KHM only appears when there are cameras to catch her “maternal concern.” Everyone also knows why she’s banned from the PNW Nitro garage.
“Focus, Conejo.” Esteban’s voice at his shoulder cuts through his thoughts.
“Dios mío ¿por qué eres tan lento?”
Nico turns at the familiar voice and taunting Spanish. Nicolina stands to the side of the entrance, Sebastian towering protectively behind her. The sight of his sister safe, happy, and loved hits him right in the chest.
“¡Tortuga!”He sweeps her into a hug, lifting her clear off the ground. Her laugh is bright and real, and it’s better than any qualifying result.
“Put me down, you giant child.” But she’s hugging him back just as fiercely.
When he releases her, Sebastian steps forward for their usual back-slapping embrace.
Nico tries not to wince at the check mark-shaped scar pulling his sister’s smile askew. He doesn’t miss how Sebastian’s gaze follows her, how his massive frame orbits her smaller one. The beach volleyball champion looks exactly like what he is, a man who could snap someone in half, and has.
“Well, isn’t this touching.”
Junior’s voice oozes something ugly as he emerges from the crowded paddock and heads for WolfBett´s team building. There’s no reason for him to comment, except he’s a prick. Before Nico can decide how to react, Sebastian steps between Nia and Baby Betterton, all six feet four inches of muscled professional athlete shifting toward the threat. His movement is casual, calculated, and absolutely terrifying if you know what those hands did to the last man who hurt Nicolina.
Junior’s smirk falters.
“Problem?” Sebastian makes that single word into a threat.
“No, I...” Junior backpedals. “Just heading inside.” Suddenly, he’s found other business to shove his nose into.
Nicolina hides a smile against Sebastian’s arm. They all know exactly what happened to the man who stalked her. His face looked much worse than Nia’s when Seb was pulled off him.
“You didn’t tell me you were coming.” Nico gives Nia another quick hug after she hugs Esteban. His sister dislikes attending his races. She has some idiotic idea that her presence jinxes him. Also his sport terrifies her as much as it thrills him.
“Wouldn’t be a surprise then, would it?”
Roxana appears at the door to the garage, sets of headphones dangling from her arm. She waves to Nico and he leads their group over. More hugs follow as Rox hands the ear protection to Nicolina, Sebastian, and Esteban. The roar of F1 car engines means they’ll be on radio coms once they enter the garage. “Time to focus, Conejo.”
Vale. Sprint qualifying. Championship points.
With a wicked smile, Nia kisses his cheek. “Now go be faster than Petra Hayter. If you can.”
