“You looked good out there,” Dario said, slapping him on the back. “Third fastest time. Clarke came in second.”
“Who came in first?”
“That would be me.” Rocco heard a voice behind him.
Up walked Ian Anker, his blonde hair gleaming and those hard, cobalt-blue eyes of his flashing.
“So, a rookie American team,” he said. “Not to mention your teammate, who shall remain dick-less.”
“Like you,” Rocco said.
“Yeah, but unlike you,” Dario added, “she has a set of balls.”
Anker grinned, displaying his gleaming white teeth. Rocco could almost swear he saw fangs.
He placed his hand on Rocco’s shoulder. “Whatever it takes to make you feel better, ladies.”
Before Rocco could respond, Anker dropped his hand and walked away.
Dario shook his head. “That guy definitely looks to rattle drivers off the track.”
“On it too,” Rocco said.
Anker was notorious for not giving way and making dangerous moves to stop a driver from passing him. He intimidated drivers so that even if they had a path to pass him, they hesitated to do so.
Rocco had experienced this firsthand. While he’d never allowed Anker to intimidate him on the track, the outcome between their duels had never gone well for Rocco. At best, they’d kept him from winning or earning even second or third place on the podium. And at worst, they’d resulted in him crashing and unable to finish the race at all.
Dario stiffened looking at something over Rocco’s shoulder. When Rocco turned around, he understood why.
Carolyn.
She smiled and placed a manicured hand lightly on his chest. “It’s good to see you back in the saddle, Rocco.”
He took a measured step back, which left her hand hanging until she dropped it to her side.
She glanced behind him. “Dario,” she said in a tone that made it clear she wanted him to leave.
Dario didn’t respond. He also didn’t move until Rocco gave him a look, telling him it was okay.
“I met your teammate,” Carolyn said after Dario had left. “This is new territory for you, having a woman as a teammate.”
He shrugged, though his heartbeat quickened. “It’s new territory for everyone. There hasn’t been talk about the possibility of a woman racing F1 since Ceci.” He shot Carolyn a pointed look. “And we both know what happened in that case.”
What had happened was that Carolyn had made damn sure it didn’t happen when Rocco had suggested it to Blue Jet’s team principal.
Carolyn tossed her head. “Ceci seems perfectly happy where she is now.”
Ceci was hired by the team a few years later and was now technical director. Rocco had always wondered why Carolyn hadn’t put a stop to that too. Maybe she’d tried and failed. Or maybe it no longer mattered to Carolyn, given Rocco no longer drove for the team.
Even Carolyn had to admit it was a good move. Ceci Rivers had proven herself outside the car as well as in it.
It hit Rocco then.
I know what’s bugging her.
It’s the fact that Nico is a woman.
He narrowed his eyes, and his tone was icy cold. “Be careful, Carolyn. Green has never been a good look on you. We both know what happened with Ceci, and the two of us weren’t even involved—in that way.”
