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Chapter Nineteen
Declan
Declan still hadn’t recoveredfrom the events of the gala and had shut himself away for days in the studio just pouring his heart and soul into his music, his lyrics. But Andi was never far from his mind and he had picked up his phone a dozen times to call her, staring at the screen for hours not having enough courage to call or text in case she wouldn’t answer him.
And then there was Rhys. He’d been a mess since the gala, horrified that he had caused his sister, who Declan knew he adored, so much pain that she had been MIA for days and they would have been worried if Charlie hadn’t called Rhys and told him that Andi just needed some time.
Today, they were all gathered in Sullivan's pub to watch the Australian Grand Prix live, the bar closed to all those but family and friends. The place was sombre even as everyone chatted and tried to pretend that nothing had happened. Hell, even Rhys lingered close to the bar, watching Luna with nothing but a coke in front of him.
Declan was so caught up in his own drama that he didn’t notice Luna spiraling until Jameson nudged him and inclined his head for her to go and talk to Luna. Her nails tapped against the bar as she worried on her lip and kept her green eyes on the tv screen and the rain that was coming down in torrents on the screen.
“Hey, you doing okay?” he asked Luna and she turned her gaze to his for a second before looking back at the TV.
“I have a bad feeling, Deco. I can’t shake the feeling that something is gonna happen to Luke.”
Declan reached over, pulled her up so that she was sat on top of the bar. and hugged her, telling her that it was just a feeling and Luke knew what he was doing. She smiled, nodding her head but he could see that she wasn’t reassured.
But Declan stayed beside her, Luke’s dad Mick behind the bar but the twin’s mam couldn’t bring herself to watch Luke’s race. The noise in the bar quietened down as the lights all flashed red and then blinked out and the race began.
Noah dove down the inside line, getting into second place before the cars had even come to the first corner because the other cars had been slow off the line. The bar cheered when Luke managed to get ahead by two places, everyone grinning when they played Luke’s whoop of joy coming down the radio as he got up to P5.
But the rain came down heavier and heavier with all the drivers complaining about visibility. Luke was driving his socks off, and for a while, it looked like both drivers might have a shot at a podium place. Declan glanced over at Luna, who was still watching with this look of apprehension on her face.
Now Declan didn’t know a great deal about driving a car at those kinds of speeds but he knew that the cars sliding and struggling to stay on the race track was never a good thing. Luna grabbed his arm, digging her nails into his flesh but he didn’t care.
Yesterday, during qualifications, Luke had been having issues with one of the other drivers who had been driving like an idiot and putting everyone on the race track in danger, and today, the stupid asshole was back at it.
Luke was about to lap the other driver, the blue lights flashing to make the driver let Luke by and they all watched in horror as Luke tried to overtake him and the driver cut across Luke unwilling to let Luke get by, clipping the wheel as Luke drove full speed in his attempt to overtake.
The action blew Luke’s tire and Luna was already screaming before Luke was struck again and then Declan hauled Luna over the counter, forcing her to not look at the screen and refusing to let her go as she continued to scream, the sounds muffled by his chest.
But Declan watched in absolute horror as Luke’s car flipped, rolling like it was in slowly before it smashed into the barrier, the wrong way around, upside down, with Luke still inside of it.
The TV camera moved from the crash site and everyone watching heard as Luke’s race manager Tony asked on the radio if Luke was okay and it chilled the blood in his veins when there came no response.
“I’d know if he was dead...I’d feel it, right...he’s my twin.”
Declan heard the heartbreak in her tone as the ads came on and he let Luna go, and she immediately pulled out her phone and called Quinn, the Rebel Racers reserve driver like a sister to Luke and Luna but she didn’t answer. Then she tried Charlie, who also didn’t answer.
Declan could do nothing but hold Luna as Mick excused himself to go and tell his wife what was happening as the bar stood in stunned silence and waited for any news on their friend.
The coverage went back to the presenters who gave them an update, their faces grim.
“If you are only just joining us, we have a brief update on the events that just happened. Luke Sullivan was involved in a collision and his crash crashed into a steel barrier. The race has been red-flagged and medical personnel have extracted Luke from his car. The other driver involved has sustained no injuries and the cause is being investigated. That is all the information we have available at his time but updates will be provided as we get them”.
The camera moved to one of the former F1 drivers who looked visibly upset as he spoke. “Noah Donovan was first on the scene and tried to get to his friend and teammate until the medical personnel arrived. I think the race should be stopped. If it was me, I wouldn’t want to go back on track after that but it’s easy for me to say standing here.”
They went to another break as Luna tried frantically to get in touch with Quinn, who refused to answer as Luna vented her frustration. “For fuck sake, Quinn...answer the goddamn phone and screw your stupid idiotic pact.”
What bloody pact was she on about?
Rhys came over and hugged Luna from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. “They have a pact; Luke, Noah, and Quinn that if any of them is in an accident, they do not answer to family or friends until they know what the story is. Quinn won’t answer her phone until she can tell Luna for certain how Luke is.”
They all looked back at the screen as the presenter started to speak. “Okay, so we do have an update with regards to the race. Luke Sullivan has been taken to a local trauma centre and emergency services are doing all they can at the moment. The race will restart in thirty minutes and the Rebel Racers team has made the decision not to continue as they will be going to the hospital to remain with Luke.”
The TV was shut off as Mick came out from the back, his eyes red and Luna started trembling as Mick held up his hand for silence. Declan made sure that he was standing beside Luna in case the news was as bad as that crash looked.
“I just got off the phone with Charlie and Tony. Luke is alive but in a critical condition and they have already had to use emergency measures to keep his heart going.” Mick’s voice broke and the man was visibly shaken. Declan admired his strength for even being able to stand there and speak. “But my boy is strong and a fighter. Now, I need to organize and get myself, the wife, and Luna to Oz so we can see for ourselves that Luke is okay.”
