“We’ve been over this, Henri.I can’t stir the pot, be the one driver who complains about some of our biggest sponsors.”
“I’m not asking you to hold a press conference.Just tell Georgia.Or your team principal.Someone who can actually help.”
Lily stopped walking.The streetlight caught the shadows under her eyes, the fatigue she’d been hiding all evening behind that polished mask.“Not yet.”
“Lily—”
“After summer break.”She held up a hand.“Let me get through Silverstone and the next few races without this hanging over everything.Then I’ll figure out the right way to handle it.”
I studied her face, searching for any sign she was stalling indefinitely.Her jaw was set, her eyes clear.This wasn’t avoidance.It was strategy.
“Fine.”I stepped closer, holding her gaze.“But I need you to promise me.By summer break, you’ll tell someone.Not just me.Someone with actual power to do something about it.”
She chewed the inside of her cheek for a long moment.“I promise.”
“I’ll keep your secret until then.”I extended my hand between us.“Deal?”
She looked at my outstretched hand and laughed softly, shaking it with a firm grip.“Deal.”
Her fingers lingered in mine a beat longer than necessary before she let go.
We reached the hotel entrance, the glass doors spilling warm light onto the sidewalk.Lily turned to face me, her bag sliding off her shoulder.
“Thanks for walking me back.And for the silly questions.That was—”
“Do you want to do something crazy?”I blurted out.
She blinked.Her mouth opened, closed, then opened again.A laugh escaped her, half-nervous, half-curious, the kind that came out when someone wasn’t sure if they were being pranked.
“Maybe?”The word pitched up at the end, a question wrapped inside an answer.
“Follow me.”
I turned and walked toward the parking garage across the street without waiting for a response.My car sat on the second level—a silver Audi, nothing flashy, just functional.I heard her footsteps behind me, quick and uncertain on the concrete, her bag bouncing against her hip.
“Henri, I have free practice tomorrow morning.”
I pulled open the driver’s door.“So do I.”
She stood on the passenger side, fingers resting on the handle, still unsure if this was a good idea.
“If this ends with me in a ditch somewhere—”
“Get in the car, Lily.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lily
The headlights of Henri’s Audi cut through the darkness as we turned off the highway and onto the service road that led to the back of Silverstone.I sat in the passenger seat, my feet tucked under me.
“I don’t think we should be here this late,” I said.“We’ll get caught.”
Henri glanced at me, the corner of his mouth twitching.“Ye of little faith.”
“I’m serious.There’ll still be mechanics working on the cars.And engineers.Night security.Someone will see us.”
“No one is going to see us.”
