‘Does anyone?’ Emiliano fully turned, then switched the screen off. ‘What’s wrong?’
Massimo swallowed but the tightness in his throat didn’t ease. ‘Lily’s gone.’
‘Yeah, Shane isn’t happy.’
‘She’s pregnant.’
‘Oh.’ Emiliano’s eyes widened. ‘Congratulations.’
‘I don’t know what to do.’ He didn’t want to admit that he’d let her go. That he’d let her down.
Emiliano fiddled with a tag on his racing suit. ‘Is it all that complicated?’
Yeah, it sure as hell was. ‘She thinks I only want to marry her because of the baby.’
Emiliano’s eyebrows shot up. ‘And is that true? Because if it’s not, then you need to tell her whatever the actual truth is.’
‘It’s not that easy.’
‘Because you’re afraid you won’t get the reaction you want?’ Emiliano pulled a face. ‘Talk to her so you don’t have to live with the eternal regret of not trying.’
Eternal regret? Massimo shook his head. Yeah, he had enough regret already. The terrible mistakes he’d made would always haunt him. He couldn’t make more. Which meant doing more—doingbetter. Because Lily was worthy, he had to try—andkeeptrying.
‘When did you get so smart?’ he grumbled. ‘You’ve only just turned nineteen.’
Emiliano puffed his chest playfully. ‘My psychologist is a genius.’
‘Yeah? I’m glad.’
‘Seriously, I have a really good team around me, thanks to you.’ Emiliano reached out and patted his shoulder. ‘I know you got this, bro.’
Bro?Massimo chuckled, but at the same time was suddenly overcome. He’d arranged Emiliano’s team but thought he was on the periphery of it. Heshouldbe closer to his cousin. He wanted his own personal team, too—with Lily as his co-pilot.
He rubbed his chest. He was so tired of being without her. ‘Would you mind very much if I miss this race? I think I need to go home.’
‘I don’t mind as long as you bring Lily to the next. I’d like her tyre expertise.’
Massimo almost smiled. ‘I’ll see what I can do.’
Emiliano was right;honestywas at the heart of it. Lily wouldn’t live a lie. She had integrity far beyond most people. She’d withstood enormous pressure from those closest to her—her family—and resisted. She was true to herself and she needed honesty from others if she were to let them close. No wonder she’d been furious with him for not being honest about who he was on the plane. But he’d done worse to her by not being honest about how he felt. He didn’t want to marry her because of the baby. Not for reputation or security or any other reason other than the plain fact that he wantedherin the very centre of his life. Whether she could forgive him, whether she still wanted him, didn’t matter. The very least she deserved was the truth.
Chapter Thirteen
LILY GRITTED HERteeth as yet another delivery van pulled up in front of the cottage. What on earth could it be now? She couldn’t think of a single thing she needed, but the man thought of every tiny unnecessary detail.
She’d been here almost a week, living in the gorgeous cottage Massimo’s assistant had brought her to when he’d picked her up from the private flight she’d endured all alone from Singapore. She’d wanted to hate it but she couldn’t. Tucked behind an enormous brick wall with wrought iron gates, with its two bedrooms and cosy living room, the picturesque country cottage was just a half hour drive from Hearnshawe HQ. It was no enormous soulless mansion in which she’d feel lost, but annoyingly was the perfect size forher. Though the grounds were big. The pretty front garden was filled with flowers while at the rear, there was a double garage, plus another large shed. Apparently, a small resistance swimming pool was being installed in there next week. Boxes of gym gear and crates of mechanics tools had been arriving all week. A builder had also appeared to ask endless questions about her setup preferences for both her workout and workshop spaces. Two days ago a gleaming car had been delivered—the one she’d told Massimo was her favourite in the Hearnshawe range, fresh off the factory floor in cornflower blue. It had to be a custom paint job. She’d tried not to look at it but lasted less than ten minutes before running her hand over the sleek design, then sitting inside and breathing in the beautiful interior fit. Massimo Hearnshawe created nothing but the absolute best. That was what he was doing for her now, too—setting her up with everything she could ever possibly need. She had to let him. This was the agreement she’d insisted upon. She would stay where he wanted, as long ashestayed away from her.
She took the parcel from the delivery driver with a weary smile and set it on the dining table with the three others that had arrived yesterday. She was too heartsore to open them and too reluctant to dare contact Massimo and tell him to stop it. She couldn’t risk any direct contact.
Instead, she turned back to the large screen in the lounge that had been installed on her second day. She couldn’t miss watching the next race. P1 Global had made it to Budapest—to a purpose-built track, high speed with lots of overtaking opportunities. Hopefully, Conrad and Emiliano would shine, but she also weakly wondered if she’d glimpse Massimo in the background. It was unlikely; he was too adept at avoiding cameras and controversy since toppling his grandfather those few years ago. Toocalculatingto be caught.
It was great he would do anything for his cousin. That he would do everything to protect his unborn child, too—even insist on marrying her. All his actions were rooted in protectiveness and a deeply held sense of duty. Obligation and responsibility was all he allowed into his life. There was no real fun or laughter or love. He stared at colour on a screen instead ofexperiencingit. He guarded his heart with deliberately impenetrable walls because he felt guilty.
His grandfather had hurt him so much he’d literally locked him out of his life. He’d locked Lily out, too, but that wasn’t because she’d hurt him—he’d never actually cared enough to be hurt. He’d just been annoyed because she wouldn’t agree. So he’d worked around her regardless with his high-handed, fix-it-all mentality that devastated her. In all their time together he’d had an ulterior motive to protect someone else. She’d never been his first consideration. She’d not been that for her parents, either. Their rejection had been bad enough, but Massimo’s actions stabbed even deeper. He’d slipped beneath her barriers so easily. He’d made her laugh, he’d made her relax, even made her begin totrustthat they were connecting on more than that physical level. But it hadn’t even been that. She could never get past knowing that he’d only been on that cargo plane to test her. He’d never actually wanted justherin any of the intimate moments they’d shared.
Then she’d been stupid enough to ask for that most vital part of him anyway—unable to stop herself fromhopingthat maybe there had been more for him in the way there was so much more to it for her. He’d frozen. He’d not argued. Not fought for her. He’d just let her go. Silently. So easily. Because she wasnotwhat he wanted and never really had been.
But being broken-hearted didn’t mean she was incapable. She would study, rebuild her career, eventually repay him for the cost. She’d started over completely before; she could do it again. Better this time—better for her baby.
