Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
I glance back at the door, only briefly wondering where Nash will be when I finish this meeting. We have unfinished business.
But for now, I’m stepping into my role as the chief race strategist for Titans Racing, and I’m ready to give it my all.
CHAPTER 25
Nash
I focus on the center of the Batak metal frame, letting my vision haze just a bit so I’m not staring at any particular light. They’re spaced out at intervals—twelve in all, each about six inches in diameter. Spreading my legs, I start the program and wait for the countdown to begin.
A pattern begins, random and unknown. Lights come on and it’s my job to tap it with my hand before it goes out. I get between half a second and a full second to get my hand to the light, then I’m looking for the next one.
It’s one of the best ways to improve a driver’s hand-eye coordination and I practice it nearly every day. Formula drivers have some of the fastest reaction times in the world, launching our cars off the grid on average just 0.2 seconds after the lights go out. The training also helps to improve peripheral awareness and depth perception.
It’s also a good way to kill time and disconnect my brain from wondering what’s going on in that conference room.
The drivers’ recreation room is quiet—most of the crew has cleared out for the day—and I’ve been tapping lights for the last half hour. I’m starting to get tired though and consequently, my mind drifts.
The past week has been nothing short of chaos. Finding out that Bex had resigned felt like g-forces pulling my guts out through my belly button. Showing up at her empty apartment and hearing from her neighbor that she’d moved out nearly crushed me.
Desperate times called for desperate measures. Reaching out to Brienne was a gamble—one of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken. But it was necessary. I wasn’t about to let Bex walk away, not from her career, and certainly not from me.
In all my life, I’ll probably never know another person as commanding as Ms. Norcross. She showed up, cool as ice and fierce as hell, turning everything upside down in her way. I know she talked to Luca a few times on the trip over, and there’s no doubt they both had a solid game plan going into that meeting. I can’t even imagine what Bex was thinking when Brienne showed up at her doorstep, essentially ordering her to get back on the job.
Watching her confront Hendrik and Matthieu was like a master class in power and authority. Hendrik never saw it coming, and Matthieu? Well, let’s just say I hope he takes his new role seriously and learns from it. They both deserved what they got, but honestly, I didn’t give a damn about them. I care about only one person—Bex. Seeing her walk into that conference room… I felt like I could breathe again.
As for who will take Matthieu’s seat? That’s up to the team now. I trust Brienne, Luca and Bex to make the right decision. They’re already talking about Francesca Accardi, and I know whoever they choose will bring fresh energy to the team. Titans Racing is in good hands.
But none of that compares to what’s been eating at me since Bex resigned. The moment she walked away, it hit me with a clarity I’ve never experienced before. I simply can’t lose her. Not just as my strategist, but as my partner. It’s taken me far too long to admit it, but I’m done hiding. Done letting fear hold me back. It’s time to take a page from her book and play the odds, risk and reward.
The door creaks open, and my pulse spikes when I turn to see her standing there. Bex looks tired but beautiful, her blond hair pulled into a loose braid over her shoulder, a hesitant smile on her lips. Her presence fills the room, and I turn off the Batak.
“Hey,” she says softly, stepping inside.
“Hey,” I reply, my voice rough with the weight of everything I’ve been holding in. “How did the meeting go?”
“Good,” she says with a smile. “Francesca is the first pick and they’re going to make her an offer.”
“I think that’s a great decision.” And secretly, I hope that rubs Hendrik raw when he hears the news. He’s a misogynist through and through, believing there is no room on the team for women. No telling what Matthieu will think about it, but I imagine it will be a devastating blow. No sympathy here though.
Bex walks closer, fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. “I wanted to thank you.”
“For what?”
“For everything,” she says, her voice trembling slightly. “For calling Brienne. For fighting for me. For… risking everything when you didn’t have to.”
I take two steps and meet her. “I did have to, Bex. I couldn’t sit back and let you walk away. Not from your career, not from me.”