Gridlock: Full Velocity Series - Book 2

by Delaney, Tracie

  I arrived at the track and spent the next few hours making sure I had my setup exactly how I liked it. After grabbing a quick bite to eat, I headed off in search of Tate. When I reached his garage in the pit lane, he wasn’t there. I spotted Jared, deep in conversation with Devon, his race engineer. I hung around, waiting for a suitable pause in their discussion.

  “Hi, Jared,” I said when they’d finished chatting. “Have you seen Tate?”

  “Hey, Madison. Yeah, he’s over in the sponsors’ area. He muttered something about an unexpected announcement, then took off.”

  I frowned. “What kind of an announcement?”

  “Dunno,” Jared said, shrugging. “You know Tate. Keeps his cards close to his chest.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  I set off for the sponsors’ area, stopping to talk to one or two people along the way. During my short tenure in Formula One, I’d come to realize it was like a big family. There were fights and arguments, but also enormous love and friendship. I’d be sad when Kaz decided to come back, not least because I’d see a lot less of Tate when I returned to my job at the hospital and he continued to travel the world, with us only snatching free time here and there.

  I tried not to think about it. We still had a few weeks left.

  The sponsors’ area buzzed with more press than usual. Actually, yeah, there were a hell of a lot more press than normal for a Thursday. Oftentimes, they didn’t descend in their hordes until Friday practice. The Thursday before a race focused on strategy meetings for the drivers, engineers, and team principals, and provided a chance for the drivers to spend time with their sponsors, both personal and team-related.

  How strange for it to be so busy.

  Journalists jostled for position, cameramen hoisted heavy equipment over their heads to ensure the best shot, and sound engineers waved around enormous booms. I stood on tiptoes to try to see over the tops of heads. At the far end of the room, a table had been set up with a white cloth, three chairs tucked underneath, and microphones from several international TV stations were clustered around the middle. I shouldered my way through the crowds, but when I got halfway to the front, it became so tightly packed, I couldn’t get any closer.

  Tate walked in flanked by a couple of men in suits, and a hush settled over the room. His expression was somber, his jaw tight, and his back stiff. My skin prickled as my body fired a shot of adrenaline into my bloodstream.

  I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

  Oh God, what if he was quitting?

  No, surely he’d have spoken to me about that, not to mention his team, but Jared hadn’t said a word. It couldn’t be that. Besides, such an announcement wouldn’t be made in the sponsors’ area. Regardless, whatever was going on, Tate didn’t seem ecstatic about it.

  “Ladies and gentleman, thank you for coming,” Suit Number One said. He adjusted the microphone in front of him, angling it upward. “I’m Frank Burrows, CEO of Power Source Inc., and this is our Marketing Director, Joe Martin. Of course, the man to my left here needs no introduction. Four, soon-to-be five-time World Champion, Tate Flynn.”

  A hum reverberated around the room. I shuffled from my left foot to my right, my attention fixed on Tate.

  “Don’t jinx it, Frank,” Tate said with a wry smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

  A few of the journalists sniggered.

  Frank clapped Tate on the shoulder. “Faith, my boy.”

  I ground my teeth at Frank’s condescending manner. Already I disliked this guy, even before I understood Tate’s connection to him.

  Frank cleared his throat. “For some years now, my company has been working on a way to extend the performance of the standard road engine, but with an emphasis on consumer choice. Although we wish to further our relationships with some of the most successful engine manufacturers in the world, we also want to make superior performance available to the man in the street.

  “I am thrilled to announce that we have successfully achieved our aim. We have developed the next generation in chip tuning, a chip that can not only be fitted to almost any road car in existence today, but is a step change in boosting engine performance. In layman’s terms, this means anyone will be able to purchase this part, for a very reasonable price, and significantly improve the acceleration and speed of their own vehicles.”

  A hum reverberated around the room with the crowds talking in hushed whispers. Frank tapped the microphone, drawing attention back to him.

  “And on that note, I’m delighted to share with you all that Tate Flynn has agreed to come on board as consultant and spokesman for this very exciting product launch, as well as lend his support and his name to our entire product range. Tate’s fan base is exactly the market we’re targeting with this groundbreaking product. Young men who seek the adrenaline rush that going fast brings. We’ve all been there, folks.” Frank guffawed loudly.

  It took about three seconds for his words to sink in. My heart plummeted, and I swayed on my feet as I realized what this meant. Anyone would be able to modify their engine and make their car go faster, quicker. Any young kid. Impressionable boys like Dean.

  I tuned out the remainder of Frank’s speech, my attention fixed on Tate. The betrayal was all-encompassing. I wanted to be sick, to scream and shout, to release the anger fizzing in my gut, charring my insides.

  How could he?

  Of all the things he could have chosen to lend his name to, this was the most heinous, the most treacherous and disloyal. To me, and to Dean.

  I thought he loved me. I’d mistakenly believed he was coming around to my point of view, but he’d played me for a fool. The man he’d pretended to be in Majorca was a chameleon, a charlatan. This was the real Tate. The money-grabbing bastard who’d do anything for a quick buck.

  Nausea churned my insides, and bile burned my throat. I shoved my way through the mass of people, ignoring the complaints of those I jostled and pushed to get out of my way. I stumbled outside, gulping in huge mouthfuls of air, and doubled over, my hands braced on my knees. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t think properly. I wanted to run, to escape this place, to curl up in my dad’s arms and have him cuddle me and tell me everything would be okay.

  Except I couldn’t do any of those things. I had a job to do. People relied on me, and I was nothing if not supremely professional.

  But I knew one thing: my relationship with Tate was done.

  I couldn’t be with a man who put money above integrity. I thought he was different. I’d believed him when he’d told me he wasn’t motivated by the mighty dollar. More fool me, because it seemed that was all that drove him, otherwise, why choose this particular deal? He must be inundated with more appropriate opportunities.

  For the next couple of hours, I tried to keep busy, but my mind wasn’t on the job. Fortunately, no one called upon me for medical assistance. Just as well, because I was in no fit state to tend to injuries today.

  Tate would know something was wrong. Over the last couple of race weekends, we’d developed a routine where, each day, after I finished work, I waited for him to complete his obligations, and then we traveled back to the hotel together where we’d usually spend several hours in each other’s arms, making love and sharing snippets from our day.

  Not today, though. No, today, I would return to the hotel alone where I’d wait for him to arrive…

  And then I’d tell him it was over.

  Tate

  It took far longer to get through the press conference than I’d anticipated, and by the time I’d gone over the race strategy with Jack and Rob, my engineer, night had drawn in. I hadn’t had a second to myself all day, but now, I couldn’t wait to find Madison, drive her back to the hotel, and fuck her as many times as she’d let me. And once we were both sated, I planned to tell her about the facility and the sponsorship deal I’d secured that meant sufficient funding would be in place for at least the next ten years.

  I had planned to take her to the facility as soon as we’d got
back from Majorca, but I’d been caught up in a whirlwind of demands on my time, and then Frank had sprung it on me today about the press conference to announce our partnership, leaving me with no choice but to try to explain what we did at the facility rather than show her, and promise to take her on Sunday night after the race.

  She wouldn’t be happy about the products Frank’s company sold, but I hoped she could see that dancing with the Devil could sometimes be worth it for the payoff. And while Frank had tried to sell himself as a pioneer, the only unique part of his so-called groundbreaking chip was the ability to retrofit it to every road car, regardless of make or model. There were plenty of retailers selling similar products—not as high quality as Frank’s—but they were specific to the make of car, meaning they weren’t as flexible.

  She wasn’t waiting for me as normal, but considering the lateness of the hour, I couldn’t blame her for heading back alone. I called her several times on the way to the hotel, but she didn’t answer. She was probably taking a bath or a shower, or even a nap. Traveling to Spa was a pain in the arse, unless you flew in by helicopter as I always did. Madison had, as expected, refused my offer to fly with me, choosing instead to fly commercial, then travel by car to the track.

  Full of trepidation as my driver pulled up outside reception, I trudged inside, my stomach in knots. Madison and I had come a long way, but it didn’t take a genius to know she wasn’t going to approve of me signing this deal. I could only hope that once I fully explained my rationale, she’d at least understand, even if she couldn’t give her blessing.

  I headed over to reception. Zoey had already checked me in, but I’d left instructions to add Madison to my reservation, and I wanted to make sure she’d arrived okay.

  “Hi, I’m in suite seven-oh-two. I’m expecting a Madison Brady to be joining me. Can you tell me whether she’s arrived yet?”

  “One moment, Mr. Flynn,” the receptionist said, her addressing me personally the only indication she knew my name.

  I liked that. All too often, I was met with sycophantic receptionists fawning all over me. I hated that part of my life, the ‘famous’ part, a side effect I’d gladly swap in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, it came with the territory.

  “Ah, yes, Dr. Brady arrived a few hours ago.” She frowned. “But I can see she’s in room six-thirty-three.”

  I bit back a sharp retort. “I specifically asked for her to be added to my reservation,” I said, working hard to keep my voice even.

  “Yes, I can see that note here. I didn’t check her in, I’m afraid, so I’m not sure what’s happened. Would you like me to speak with my colleague who saw to Ms. Brady?”

  “No, it’s fine,” I said. “Has my luggage arrived?”

  She nodded. “It’s in your suite, Mr. Flynn.”

  “Thanks.”

  I marched over to the bank of lifts and pressed the button for floor six instead of seven. I’d fetch Madison, take her up to my suite, then get her luggage moved later.

  My heart thundered as I strode down the hallway toward her room. I couldn’t wait to see her. It had only been two days since we’d been together in London, but it might as well have been two years.

  Yup, she’d hooked me—and I couldn’t be happier about it.

  I knocked on her door. “Madison, it’s me.”

  A rustling came from inside the room. The locks turned, the chain slid along its track, and then there she was. If I’d bothered to take a second to look at her, to really look at her, I’d have known something was off. But I didn’t. Instead, I swept her up into my arms and bent to kiss her neck.

  “God, I fucking missed you,” I said, nibbling on her earlobe. “Sorry they screwed up the reservations. I’m on the next floor up. I’ll have them move your luggage later.”

  When Madison didn’t say a word, I drew back. I cut my eyes to hers, and an uncomfortable sensation stirred in my chest.

  I frowned. “What’s the matter?”

  “I saw your press conference,” she said, her tone stiff and flat. “When were you planning to tell me?”

  Fuck.

  How?

  Wrong question, dickhead. What did the how matter?

  I briefly closed my eyes and swiped a hand over my face. “Tonight.”

  “Of course you were,” she scoffed, her accompanying laugh devoid of mirth.

  “I was,” I insisted. “Frank sprung it on me at the last minute. I would have told you as soon as I knew about the announcement, but it all happened so fast.”

  “How long have you been talking to them?”

  I realized her door was still open and we were having this conversation half in the hallway. I took a step inside so I could close the door. She shoved me hard in the chest.

  “Stay where you are. Answer my question.”

  “Come on, Mads. Let’s not do this out here.” I glanced up and down the hallway.

  “How long, Tate?” she gritted out, her jaw buttoned up tight.

  I took a deep breath through my nose. “A couple of weeks.”

  She flashed me a look of utter loathing. “While we were in Majorca?”

  “Yes.” I refused to lie to her.

  “Why them? Why choose a company who is going to make it easier for young boys like Dean to modify their cars to go faster? More people will die because of this product, Tate. I cannot believe you would do this.” She snorted. “I can’t fucking believe it’s even legal.”

  “It’s perfectly legal,” I said.

  Yeah, so not the right response if her flaring nostrils are anything to go by.

  “Oh, that’s all right then,” she said, her tone bitter. “You disgust me. You told me on that mountainside that you’re not interested in money, and yet you go and sign this deal. How much, Tate? How much are they paying you to betray me?”

  “I’m not betraying you.”

  “Yes, you are! Don’t you see?”

  “Let me explain.”

  Her hand flew in the air. “I don’t want you to explain. I’m not interested in anything you have to say.”

  “The money isn’t for me. Please, just listen to me.”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore. Your reasons don’t matter because you went behind my back and signed this deal. You knew I’d have a problem with it, and that’s why you didn’t talk to me first.”

  “It’s for charity,” I blurted. “I don’t see a penny of it.”

  She hesitated, and for the briefest moment, I dared to hope that I’d broken through her armor, but then her cold mask dropped back into place.

  “Then I hope this charity doesn’t have a problem with the blood that is on its hands, and yours. Goodbye, Tate.”

  She slammed the door in my face, leaving me on the wrong side of the hotel room.

  “Madison, please open up,” I called through the block of wood separating us. Except there was not only wood between us, but rather a whole belief system, and I feared the distance could be a chasm too far.

  She greeted me with silence. My fears had come to fruition.

  I’d lost her.

  I took the stairs up to my floor and flopped onto the bed. The saying that hindsight gave you twenty-twenty vision never felt truer.

  I should have taken Madison to the facility as soon as we’d arrived home from Majorca.

  I should have carved out the time to sit her down and explain my desperate need to find a cure for the disease that had killed Cam and continued to destroy the lives of thousands of families every single week.

  I should have impressed upon her the importance of creating a long-term funding plan that would exist far beyond my career in motor racing.

  That was what this deal with Frank’s company provided. My manager had driven a hard bargain, so hard that Frank had almost walked away, but my name attached to his company and the amount of revenue that would generate had swung the deal in my favor in the end.

  I disagreed with Madison. Neither me nor my charity had blood on their hands over my arrangement
with Frank, but plenty of blood was spilled by those whose bodies were ravaged on a daily basis by an evil disease consuming them from the inside. My only regret was the way I’d handled this with Madison, but the deal itself?

  Yeah, I wouldn’t change a damned thing.

  It still hurt, though, like a motherfucking bitch. I hung on to the hope that, in time, she might come to forgive me.

  I’d wait. As long as it took.

  Madison

  I rested my forehead against the steel fridge where I kept the temperature-cooled medicines, the pain behind my eyes a constant reminder of the sleepless night I’d suffered. My first intention this morning had been to run, to cite the good old-fashioned family emergency as my reasoning. But I’d immediately dismissed the idea. I wasn’t the kind of person who pushed my problems onto someone else, because they then became their problems.

  Even so, getting through this weekend wouldn’t be easy. I needed time to get my head around losing Tate, to try to find a way of filling the gaping hole he’d created in my life. I’d half expected to find him waiting for me when I’d arrived for work this morning, especially after he’d inundated me with phone calls and text messages, each one remaining unanswered.

  I struggled to comprehend how he’d managed to burrow so deeply into my heart in such a short amount of time. Still, I was a strong woman. I’d survived worse. I would not allow a man to define me, or to push me into a pointless depression.

  But, God, it hurt. Physically, not just mentally. I’d never been in love before, and if it felt like this, I hoped to hell this was my first and last experience.

  I went through my morning routine on autopilot, my heart jolting every time the door opened, then plummeting when the visitor wasn’t Tate. At lunchtime, I locked the door and called home. At times like these, a girl needed her parents. I really wanted a hug, but I’d have to make do with FaceTime.

  Mum answered my call.

  “Madison,” she said, her smile broad and welcoming. Then she frowned as she looked at me properly. “What’s wrong, darling?”