“Why not?”
“Oh, please,” Bex says, “You’re the worst liar that’s ever lived. Even if this blackmail thing hadn’t come down around your ears, you absolutely would have given yourself away. You’re too sweet to lie well.”
“I’m in PR, Bex.”
“But even there, you don’t lie. You bend the truth a little. So, bend the truth a little with your family. I’m not saying you need to go and tell them every juicy detail about your and Harrison’s sexcapades. All they need to know is that you’ve become involved. Say that you met in Barcelona and have been...chatting, ever since. Say that you really like him, but wanted to tell them before pursing anything so that they weren’t blindsided. Sure, it’s not the whole truth, but it’s a lot closer than what they’ve got at the moment.”
“They’re still going to flip out,” I tell her.
“Maybe,” she says, “But you can’t help that. Their grudge against Harrison is their own damn fault. You know full well how these F1 guys get. It’s not your fault they decided to make Harrison public enemy number one just because he’s an amazing racer. Once you’ve told them the truth, they can’t stop you from making your own decisions. You’re a grown woman, Siena. This is not out of your control, even if it may feel that way.”
“You’re right,” I tell her, “It is in my control.”
“Are you going to do it, then?” she asks.
“I’ll...think about it,” I say.
“You should do more than think about it, Siena,” Bex cautions, “I’m telling you, this is your only option. And you’re running out of time. Sooner or later, this unknown asshole is going to pull the trigger and blow your cover wide open.”
“Thanks for the reassurance,” I drawl.
“You don’t need reassurance right now,” Bex tells me, “You need a kick in the ass. Talk to your dad and brother. Please.”
“Okay,” I say quickly, wanting to get off this particular subject as soon as possible, “Okay, I’ll tell them. When the time is right.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been going through this alone,” Bex says, “This past week must have been hell for you.”
“It was that,” I laugh sullenly, “Is is that.”
Bex comes around to my side of the table and wraps me up in her arms. I soften against her tiny body, giving her a tight squeeze. God, it feels good to talk about this. Especially to someone who isn’t afraid to give me a little tough love when I need it. Bex has always been in my corner, whatever it means in the moment.
“Come on,” she says, “Let’s get out of here and bring you back into the world of the living, shall we?”
“I really can’t go back out tonight, Bex,” I say, letting her pull me to standing all the same. “Running into Harrison at that club could have been catastrophic.”
“We’ll just hang out at the hotel then,” she says, “Let me buy you a drink. Pretty please?”
“Only because you asked so nicely,” I smile.
We leave the cafe together, hand in hand. It’s only been a week or so since the bottom fell out of my world, but it feels like forever that I’ve been guarding this secret from everyone but Harrison. Already, I feel ten pounds lighter. And Bex’s idea to let my dad and Enzo in on my relationship with Harrison...it’s terrifying, but intriguing. Could that be the way out of this mess after all?
Bex makes a beeline for the bar the second we arrive back at the swanky hotel. It’s still early in the evening, so the dining room isn’t terribly crowded. We sit together at the mostly-deserted bar, and Bex orders us a couple of vodka cranberries. I happily accept my drink and clink my glass against my best friend’s.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Bex,” I tell her.
“That makes two of us,” she winks.
I scan the elegant dining room, checking to make sure that there are no unsavory characters lurking around. That night at Zhelaniye was such a shit show that I’m nervous to see any of my racing contemporaries at all. I’m just about to turn back to Bex, my sweep completed, when my eyes alight on Enzo’s face, far across the room. He’s sitting facing us at a corner table, a wide grin splayed across his lips. And he isn’t alone, either. Opposite him sits a woman—I can’t see her face from where I’m sitting. But as she shakes out her blonde mane and lets a trill of laughter escape her throat, I know at once who Enzo is dining with. It’s Shelby.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I breathe.
“What?” Bex asks, whipping around to follow my gaze. “Oh dear...”
I’m on my feet before I have a moment to think, ready to storm over there and give them both hell.
“What are you doing?” Bex hisses.
“Just saying a friendly hello,” I reply, through gritted teeth.
“Siena, I don’t think that’s a good idea—”
But I’ve already plunked my drink down on the bar. I march across the space, Bex right on my heels. As we bear down on Enzo’s table, his eyes flick up toward us. His smile stays entirely intact, a fact that only serves to annoy me more.
“Hey, girls!” Enzo says happily, “Care to join us?”
Shelby glances over her shoulder and catches sight of us. A slow grin lifts the corners of her lips as she takes in my furious expression.
“Siena,” she says, her voice bright and cheerful, “I’m so happy to see you! You ran out of the club so quickly that we didn’t get a chance to catch up.”
“I know, it was really a low point of my life not getting to chat with you,” I say, “Can I please have a minute alone with my brother?”
“Siena, we were just about to order,” Enzo tells me.
“This is important,” I say, planting my feet, “If you’d be so kind, Shelby?”
“Well...” the blonde drawls, shooting Enzo a quizzical look.
“I’ve been meaning to quiz you about your hair care regimen,” Bex says to Shelby, “Come have a drink with me?”
“Fine,” the British bombshell sighs, rising up to join Bex, “I’ll be back in a minute, Enzo.”
I wait until Shelby and Bex are out of hearing range before I sink heavily into the now empty chair opposite Enzo.
“What the hell gives?” I demand.
“I could ask the same of you,” he says, “I was in the middle of a date!”
“No. False,” I say, “You are not on a date with that woman.”
“Actually...”
“She’s from McClain,” I tell him, “You know, the team you’ve had it out for this entire season?”
“I don’t have it out for McClain,” Enzo says, crossing his arms, “It’s just Davies who’s on my shit list.”
“Are you serious?” I ask, staring at my brother, “You’re seriously going to sit there and tell me that you have no qualms about taking someone from McClain out on a goddamn dinner date.”
“No qualms at all,” Enzo smiles.
“Despite the fact that Shelby happens to be a maniacal bitch who hates me?” I continue.
“What the...You two don’t even know each other!”
“We know each other well enough for my taste,” I mutter, “Enzo, you don’t understand. That woman is awful.”
“How is she awful, Siena?”
I bite my lip, stalling. I can’t exactly tell Enzo why it is that I can’t stand Shelby. I can’t tell him that she might be onto me and Harrison, might even be the person plotting my professional ruin. But if she really is the anonymous picture texter, what is she doing with my brother? Is she hunting for even more dirt on me, through him?
“I know you’re just being protective of me,” Enzo says, taking my hand on the table, “But I’m a big boy, Siena.”
“But a boy all the same,” I mutter, standing to go.
“Are you angry with me?” Enzo asks.
“You’re just becoming someone I don’t know anymore, Enzo,” I tell him, “Someone I’ve never even met.”
I stalk across the dining room, back toward Shelby and Bex.
The English beauty sees me coming and lowers herself down off my stool. We cross paths at the center of the room and pause, sizing each other up.
“I’m onto you,” I tell her, “I just want you to be perfectly clear about that.”
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about,” she says lightly.
“I don’t know why you’re dragging my brother into this mess,” I plow on, “But I swear to God, if you hurt Enzo or his career—”
“Oh relax,” she drawls, “Your brother is safe with me. Why so touchy, Siena? There are lots of other drivers on this season. Surely you of all people could learn to share Enzo?”
My blood runs hot as Shelby flashes me a quick smile and steps around me toward my brother. I watch her sway across the floor, my mind reeling madly. What the hell did she mean by that last jab? Did she just reveal to me that she’s my mystery spy, or am I just reading way too much into her cattiness?
One thing is for sure, though. Enzo taking a McClain woman out on a date changes the name of the game a bit. It’s clear to me now that the problem with me and Harrison being together isn’t an issue of McClain vs. Ferrelli, it’s all about Lazio vs. Davies. It’s my brother’s ego I have to worry about, plain and simple. But if he’s courting Shelby all of a sudden, how will he be able to make a case against me seeing Harrison? Maybe this is a blessing wrapped up in some strange, baffling disguise.
I sit down next to Bex once more and take a long sip of my drink.
“Well,” she says, “This just got a lot more interesting.”
“Tell me about it,” I say.
“Kind of pokes holes in the theory of her carrying a flame for Harrison,” Bex points out, “Maybe she’s not your blackmailer at all, huh?”
“I’m not so sure, Bex,” I say, eyeing my brother and Shelby across the room, “But whatever she is to me or Enzo, I’m going to find a way to use it to my advantage.”
“So you’re really going to do it? Tell your dad and Enzo the truth?”
“As soon as I work up the nerve,” I tell her, “There’s no reason my brother should get to do whatever he wants with whoever he wants while I sneak around. It’s time for this double standard nonsense to end.”
I may be talking tough, but the thought of coming clean still terrifies me. How can it be the right thing and yet feel so risky?
Chapter Six
Crushing News
Before I know it, the day before the Moscow Grand Prix has arrived. The preliminaries and qualifiers have all been raced, and tomorrow the race itself will go down. Tensions ran high on and off the track as the practice laps unfolded. There were no outright moments of confrontation, just a lot of icy silence. Usually, there’s an excited sort of camaraderie among drivers and teams. But for the past couple of days, things have felt very formal. Far too formal for what is, in the end, a great big sporting event.
I’ve been doing my best through the past few days not to drink in the sight of Harrison too obviously on the track. Who knows—my lovesick puppy eyes could be the final straw for our blackmailer. Anyway, we’re set to meet this evening in front of the State Museum. Then, I’ll be able to feast my eyes on him all I want. And my hands, and my mouth if we manage to find somewhere private enough...
I’m in my room, pulling together an outfit for my rendezvous with Harrison. Despite the high stakes, these illicit meet ups are sort of thrilling. It’s like one of those old movies...except of course that those always wrapped up with a happy ending. Who knows if Harrison and I will get that lucky?
Having pulled on my favorite pair of skinny jeans and loose cropped tee shirt, I weave my hair into a side braid and grab my coat. Just as I’m about to wrench my door open, it swings into my room. I jump back, surprised, as Enzo strides across the threshold. We haven’t said too much to each other since I found him schmoozing that Shelby woman, and a cool silence falls between us now.
“Where are you off to?”
“Nowhere,” I lie.
“You were heading out the door,” Enzo says.
“Did you need something?” I ask him, deflecting hard.
“I don’t,” he tells me, “But Dad wanted me to come find you. He said there’s something he wants to talk to us about.”
“Right now?” I ask, desperation gnawing at the edges of my mind.
“Yeah, right now,” Enzo says, “Seriously, Siena, where do you have to be?”
“I’m just...I was...”
“I think it might be serious,” Enzo says, shutting the door behind him, “Dad’s been acting weird as hell around me lately.”
“Actually...he’s kind of been odd to me too,” I say, crossing my arms.
“Well, we should go hear him out,” Enzo says, “If you can spare a moment, of course.”
“Don’t be an asshole,” I say, brushing past my brother and yanking open the door. Whatever Dad has to tell us, it probably won’t take too long. He’s a man of few words, that one. I’ll listen to whatever he has to say, then go and meet Harrison at long last. No problem at all.
Enzo and I step into the elevator together. I realize, as the doors slide shut, that this is the first time in weeks we’ve been truly alone together. The sudden closeness is a little startling. I glance Enzo’s way, saddened that my brother’s coming to feel more and more like a stranger to me these days.
“What’re you staring at me for?” he asks, cocking an eyebrow.
“I’m not staring,” I mutter, crossing my arms.
“You’re still mad at me, huh?” he sighs.
“Why would I be mad at you, Enzo?” I ask coolly.
“Oh, come on,” he says, “You’ve been giving me the silent treatment since you saw me with Shelby the other day.”
“Who you spend time with is your business,” I say, “I don’t presume to dictate who you sleep with, Enzo.”
“Who said anything about sleeping with her?” he grins.
“Please,” I say, rolling my eyes, “You’ve been on at least one date with her. And you’re you. So that means you’re sleeping together.”
“What a low opinion you have of me, Siena.”
“No lower of an opinion than you have of the women you date,” I shoot back.
“Rough,” Enzo says, the corners of his mouth turning down.
“I’m just a little sick of this double standard bullshit,” I say, “You go through women like Kleenex, but my love life has been policed since my first date in the eighth grade.”
“What do you want, Siena? You’re my little sister. Dad’s little girl. We’re just trying to take care of you.”
“By dictating who and what I should want?”
“By trying to keep you away from men who will hurt you.”
“Don’t you understand? When you do that, you are men who hurt me, Enzo.”
“Don’t say that,” he mutters.
“It’s the truth,” I say, “As much as it may hurt to hear it.”
“Why is this just coming up now?” Enzo asks.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’ve never had a problem with us being protective before. Why is it suddenly some big deal?”
“Because...Because I’m twenty-five years old, and I want to start—”
“Is there someone you have your eye on? Someone you don’t think we’d approve of?”
I stare blankly at my brother. This little meeting with my dad could be the perfect time to tell them that I’m seeing Harrison Davies. I can’t let on that I’ve already been his lover for weeks, that would ruin the timing of this little confession entirely.
Luckily, the elevator doors slide open just in time. I hurry out of the car with Enzo on my heels and turn down the hall toward Dad’s door. As we draw up in front of our father’s suite, the door swings open before us. Dad is standing there waiting, a brave smile twisting his otherwise grave expression. It’s the look he wore when he came to see me the other day, only more pronounced. What in the hell could possibly be going on he
re?
“Good. You’re here,” Dad says, stepping aside to let us into the room.
“Are you OK, Dad?” Enzo asks.
“Come in, have a seat,” our dad responds, evading the question entirely.
I make my way further into the room, a cold dread beginning to blossom in my gut. It’s hardly five o’clock in the afternoon, but a full bottle of whiskey stands open on the coffee table with three glasses flanking it. Whatever it is Dad wants to talk about, it’s clearly something that’s going to need liquid reinforcement. I wish I could stop time in its tracks, hold off whatever it is I’m about to hear forever.
“Breaking out the good stuff,” Enzo observes, trying to crack through the stifling tension that fills the room.
“Only the best for you two,” Dad replies, moving toward the table.
Enzo and I sit side by side on the couch as Dad pours out three generous whiskeys. He hands us each a glass and takes one for himself, raising it to us. I notice with alarm that this amber liquid sloshes slightly as his hand trembles.
“To family,” he says, his voice thick, “And mine, most of all.”
We raise our glasses to our lips in unison, and the burning warm liquid offers me a brief moment of comfort. I’m not usually one for straight liquor, but it sure hits the spot right about now. I wrap my hands around my glass, bracing myself for the worst as Dad settles into an arm chair opposite us.
“So?” Enzo says, “What is this all about, Dad?”
“I...Jesus,” Dad sighs, “You know, I had this whole speech planned out, and now it’s completely gone out of my head.”
“Did something happen with the team?” Enzo asks, “We’re all still gainfully employed and all, right?”
“Of course,” Dad laughs, “Ferrelli would never get rid of a Lazio, that’s for certain.”
A brief twinge of relief passes through me at that. For a moment, I was worried that Dad was about to call me out, tell me that he’s already learned of my affair.
Faster Deeper (Take Me...#2) (New Adult Bad Boy Racer Novel) Page 6
