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“Yes, Theo, you still have a job,” he confirmed, “but you’re the one on the line for whatever fines get thrown our way.”

“I can do that.” I nodded firmly.

“Alright, I’ve got about a million people ready to yell at me. I’ll see you early Thursday morning in Austria.”

“Yes, Sir.”

I walked out of the room in a daze, following behind my brother who led us down a hallway and out of earshot from the conference room before pulling me into a random room.

“Holy fuck,” Sebastian let out, leaning against the wall.

“Holy fuck.” I nodded. Silence stretched around us as I began pacing the space. “How did you manage to trauma-dump on the team principal and get off with an apology from him?”

“He’s right about the whole ‘throwing yourself into work and ignoring the world’ thing not being very healthy though.”

“Yeah…”

“That’s all I get?”

“What?”

“You’ve been doing that for years, disappearing to parties. The only thing that mattered for you was racing and clubbing whenever you thought about her.”

“I know…” I ran a hand through my hair. “Fuck, I’m so sorry, Seb. I never really thought about how that all affected you. I think I stopped thinking about how anything affects anyone for a long time. It was the only way I didn’t have to feel—I don’t know—just everything all at once. Maisey feels everything so deeply, always sees the best in everyone, and is so damn aware of how everything affects everyone. I think I shut that off because then I didn’t have to think about it all, didn’t have to think about the biggest regret of my life.”

“You did what you thought you had to for me and mom,” Sebastian replied slowly, trying to keep his own emotions at bay.

“God, I’m so sorry. For everything. I’ll do better. I will be better.”

“I know.” Sebastian smiled. “But never disappear for 24 hours again, I swear to God.”

When I got back to Maisey’s room, I tapped my knuckles on the wood in a small pattern so she knew it was me. She opened the door, looking like the picture of perfection. Her hair was down, and she wore a white dress with one of those colorful sweaters she loved so much. Pink dusted her cheeks as she smiled at me, and I thought, This is my whole world right here.

“Hey, baby,” I said as I stepped into the room, letting the hotel door slam shut behind me while one hand reached for her waist, pulling her into me before she could even properly look up. My arms wrapped around her tightly as I pressed my mouth to hers in a kiss that tasted like relief and exhaustion and something dangerously close to desperation.

Maisey laughed softly against my lips, though it sounded tired around the edges.

“Are you still employed?” she asked once she pulled back enough to look at me, her brows pinching together with genuine concern.

“Shockingly, yes.” I smirked.

“Jesus Christ.” She blinked up at me. “You disappeared four hours before the race.”

“I know how clocks work, thanks,” I said, leaning in to kiss her again.

“Theo.”

“I’m still employed,” I repeated, grinning when she narrowed her eyes at me.

She shook her head slowly like she truly could not comprehend me. “You can get away with literally anything.”

“Perks of being charming.”

“I don’t think that’s the term used most often, actually.”

“Oh? And what do the people say?”

“Handsome, asshole, unfairly pretty with a terrible attitude, douche⁠—”