“That worries you?” she asks, and I check to make sure the cameras aren’t rolling.
“I’ve raced against men like Orson before.” Shaking my head, I glance at Mackie and Skylar, who look happy and not worried at all. “They find a way, every time, to undermine you, test you, and push you until you forget all your training and instincts. It’s how they win. I’m worried they aren’t prepared for that.”
“You’ve trained them well,” she assures me, patting my arm. “You have to trust them.”
“I’m trying. I’m just?—”
“Just what?” she prompts when I don’t finish.
“I’m worried they won’t be able to handle a loss. They’ve never had one. I’m worried that when it finally happens, their confidence will shatter.”
“Then I guess you’ll have to make sure it doesn’t. Everyone loses eventually, Noah. It’s how they handle it that matters. Do they give up and blame themselves or try again? Trust them, guide them. They might surprise you.”
“I think you have too much faith in me,” I mutter as I cross my arms, my eyes finding Mackie. He catches my gaze for a moment and winks, letting me know he’s okay, and I can’t stop my smile.
“I did my research on you. I know you professionally, Noah, and I think you underestimate yourself,” Clarke responds, drawing my attention again. A throat clears at my side.
“Sorry, am I interrupting?” Marina eyes Clarke next to me.
“Not at all. It’s nice to see you again.” I respect her a lot. She came into this profession knowing she would face criticism and blowback, but she handles it with silent grace and a strong work ethic. “Marina, this is Clarke. She’s shooting a documentary on us. Clarke, this is?—”
“Blizzard’s new manager, Marina Baron. Nice to formally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from the other teams,” Clarke says, running her eyes over Marina.
“All terrible things, I bet,” she replies tightly.
“Why do you say that?” Clarke asks curiously.
“I’m a woman in a male-dominated sport. Moreover, I took over one of the top teams. They hate me. It’s fine. I don’t need to be liked. I just need to win. Speaking of, Noah, what’s your take on them?” She nods at Amanda and her drivers.
“They are going to be trouble,” I admit.
“That’s what I thought.” She sighs. “I’ve heard things from friends abroad. I think our guys should watch each other’s backs.”
That only increases my worry, my body tenses, trying to stop myself from going over there and making the first move. “You think they’ll try something dirty?” I snap.
“I’m not sure, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Nobody wants an accident, not even for the cost of a title,” she murmurs, her voice low.
I nod, completely agreeing. “I’ll let them know. Thanks for the heads-up.”
“You’ve got it. It was nice to meet you.” She nods at me and then Clarke and turns and walks away.
“Jesus, she’s even hotter in person.” My eyebrows rise, and Clarke chuckles. “What, you can check out Mackie, but I can’t check her out? That woman is sexy as hell. She’s wearing a suit, Noah. Do you know how hot that is? And that attitude? I want her to chastise me while she does me.”
“Fuck, I think you’ve been spending too much time with Sky,” I complain as I push away. “Leave me out of your fantasies.”
“Will do. I’ll leave yours to Mackie,” she teases as I walk away.
I wait for the interview to finish, then I pull Skylar and Mackie aside. “I want you to be careful today. No risks. I mean it.”
“Don’t worry, old man, we’ve got this,” Skylar replies flippantly.
“I mean it. At the smallest sign of something going wrong, pull back, even if it costs you the lead. I’d rather you be alive and down in rankings.”
“What’s going on?” Mackie asks.
“Amanda’s drivers, I’ve heard things about them. Blizzard is doing the same, just trust me, okay, and play it safe. One race won’t matter until I figure out what’s going on,” I implore.
Skylar and Mackie share a look but reluctantly agree, and when it’s time to head to the track, I have this horrible gut feeling. It doesn’t go away as my guys get in their cars and prepare. I watch Orson particularly, who seems to be eyeing Mackie and Skylar with vicious intensity, and I know Marina was right. He’s planning something. Before I know it, though, the race is starting, and all I can do is watch.
