Chapter 39

Nix

Three months later

Livid was finishing talking to the group of fifty-three girls when she caught my eye from the small platform. She glanced down at her watchmidsentencein question.

I shrugged. We were in no hurry. I could listen to her for days.

It didn’t matter if we were a little late. What were they going to do, start without me?

Fat chance.

And she hardly needed any time to get ready. She was perfect as she was.

So she rolled her eyes, shrugged back, and groaned dramatically, “ Boys .”

All of the girls giggled. Some turned and raised their eyebrows at me. One even poked out their tongue. I laughed along, enjoying just how bloody adorable they all were.

I couldn’t wait for her to gang up on me with our own little girl.

We’d been labelled a ‘power couple’, which had made her cringe, wrinkling that adorable button nose.

But she was powerful. She’d struggled, she’d wobbled, she’d tripped, steadied herself and now she was on the climb. A serious fucking climb.LivieQuinn was unstoppable.

There were still bad days.

Days when she needed me and days when she didn’t.

But she got out of bed. She slept every night. She ate three meals a day. She sang in the car again. She posted on social media. She wasn’t scared of the apps on her phone.

It took time, but we had that. We had an eternity.

And now, she was talking to the group of girls who were a part of theArmasWomen’s Racing League. I’d invited them all to the first race of the season forStormSprintyesterday, and they had tickets to the awards ceremony tonight, where they were getting a mention for being the most determined future racers. We’d filled today with time at the track and a couple of workshops back at our hotel this afternoon. Livid had given a small speech after mine introducing her job and the other jobs that they could aspire to have in the racing world.

Last year, they’d been in awe at the sight of me. Now, they couldn’t care less. She was the one they wanted to see and hear from.

Her presentation had ended half an hour ago. But the questions the little kids had just kept on coming.

Luca’svoice interrupted the show she put on. “God, these kids are going to eat me alive.”

I laughed once, not taking my eyes off my future wife.

Lucawas going to be helping me withArmasWomen’s Racing League this year. He’d been a maniac on the track yesterday, nearly taking out a couple of bikes but managed to get third place. Though that would have made last season’s Lucaecstatic, he had been in quite the mood since he unveiled the new name of the French circuit on Saturday. It was now named afterAlv, his cousin.

The speech hadn’t been received particularly well and… well, their new publicist was noLivie.

“We’ve got to go,”Lucasaid, jerking his head at the clock above my head.

This room had been where they held the press conference afterAlv’saccident. The atmosphere here was electric, a quiet buzz in the room. Of excitement this time.

Not the tension I’d felt a year ago.

Looking back down, I noticedCris’ daughter, Everly, next toLuca. She had her makeup done and her hair in a fancyupdoof twists, ready for the awards ceremony.

“Sooner rather than later,” she joined in.

“She’s in her element,” I argued and gestured towards the platform.

The little kids were laughing at something else she’d said and I wished I’d caught it instead of listening to these two nitwits.

“And has she not stopped you multiple times while you were in yours?”

He stopped, face serious, then a grin took over the whole of his stupid face at the innuendo.Lucahad a very dirty mind. I didn’t even know how that was sexual, but Ever lightly slapped his arm.

“Not funny,” I muttered just as the girls all applauded and Livid did an awful, clumsy bow. The parents around the sides of the room collected their children asLiviecame over to us.

She said hi toLucaand Ever and then stood, shoes touching mine with a huge, secretive smile before closing her eyes as she tilted her chin upwards. A silent instruction to kiss her on the forehead. I did one better, taking her mouth with mine.

It wasn’t like this would be the last time I’d follow the team. Though I’d be followingPrixtonmore thanCiclati, which meant Frank, but…

She’d just have to try and keep me away. I had nine races — the first starting in two months — and they mostly aligned with her schedule.

Either way, I was only needed to race on Saturdays and Sundays. The rest of the time, I’d follow her around the world, like she had done for me the last year.

In our hotel room, we changed into our formal attire. As Livid put on her makeup, I pottered around, reading through my speech again and again.

I had already won Sportsman of the Year, and writing the speech had been one of the hardest things I’d ever done. Especially keeping it a secret fromLivie.

“What’s wrong?” she said, voice tight as she applied her lipstick at the same time.

I straightened my tie and leaned over her, gesturing for her to smell me again. I was sweating.

“You smell fine,” she laughed and glanced at me through the mirror. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

“Armas,” she warned and pressed her lips together, separating them with a pop. “You’re going to be fine. Better than fine. You’ll be amazing.”

“Yeah,” I said, but it was so flat it held no conviction. She would see right through me anyway.

She turned on the stool. “Nix,” she said and gestured for me to come back to her. I did dutifully, looking at her.

And all worry, nerves, and concern was gone.

I was hard as shit.

“God, you are beautiful.”

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “It’s just a speech. A little speech. Thirty seconds is all you need to be up there for. And what you’ve allowed me to see of your speech is great. Though, as your ex-publicist, I must stress I definitely should be able to read it all.”

“I hadNazminlook it over,” I hedged.

“You’re not telling Frank to fuck off in it, are you?” she teased with a raised brow.

I mean, that wasn’t a bad idea.

I bent to do up her shoes and when I looked up, tears were pricking her eyes. She blinked them away, not wanting them to ruin her makeup.

“Livie—”

“Nope, not that,” she said, blinking more. “I’m just proud of you, is all.”

I helped her up and we got into the car with ourCiclatifriends, Georges joining us withLiha.

Crislooked over when I ran my hand up the split in her dress, up and down her thigh and rolled his eyes.

“I don’t think you can sit at our table tonight,Livia,” he said. “I don’t care who your boyfriend is.”

I laughed and pressed a kiss into her hair.

“And the fact you’re wearing green.” He shook his head andtsked.

Her dress was a deep emerald, supportingCiclatisubtly. She knew it was a risky move, but she didn’t care.

Fearless.

She knew her goddamn worth .

“Should be wearing orange,” Georges said with a wink.

She wouldn’t be Prixton’s for long.

Criswas already trying to steal her back for the following year. He’d sent three different contracts, deleting that certain clause about relationships within the team.

Livid and I had come into contact withpapsmultiple times since going official. In the work environment, she had put them in their place, refusing to answer questions about our relationship orVinnyGarvs. But walking the steps, she held my hand tight and smiled at them as they snapped pictures of us.

A complete natural.

We sat and ate, listened to the awards and speeches.Lucawon Best Newcomer, and then, before we knew it, they announced the Sportsman of the Year.

I couldn’t tell if my hand was sweaty in hers or if her hand was sweaty in mine.

When they read out my name, I breathed in deeply. She reached to kiss my cheek and I was off with a flinch of a nervous smile.

I took the golden award of a bike with a smile and raised it high, standing at the podium. The crowd had gone wild.Lihaand Livid were screaming,Lucaand others were standing and applauding.

I steadied myself with another deep breath.

“Thank you, thank you so much,” I said and gestured around me as the applause quietened. “I am absolutely honoured to be here. Honoured to have been put forward for this, let alone win. A year ago, that wouldn’t have been possible.” I pursed my lips, trying to contain the emotions. “Alvwon this award seven times,” I laughed. “And I never… I ne ver put myself on his level. I could only aspire to be half the man he was. Miss you,Alv.” I looked up at the ceiling. “He inspired me every single day. Family man, ambitious, speed machine ,” I laughed, as did the others in the crowd. “He took me under his wing when I first joinedStormSprintand I was a complete asshole. Didn’t deserve a second of his time. But it was he who toldCristo take me on, to joinCiclati. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be who I am.” I let out a deep sigh and then my eyes foundLiviein the crowd. “And if it wasn’t forLivieQuinn, I wouldn’t be where I am.” I lifted the award slightly higher, a fist to my chest. “Livie, I adore you. I am so proud of you. And we both know you inspire me to be a better man every day. Every hour.Alvwas the gasoline, you were the match. You ignited the man I am today. Thank you.”

There had been more I intended to say, but I knew I was about to get emotional. I was whisked away to the back to go down a small corridor to get back to my seat.

And I pulled out my phone to textLivie, unable to cope with the thirty seconds it would take me to see her.

LIVIE: You smashed it!!!!

But that wasn’t the only text.

JULES: I’m cashing in that favour.

Merde.