AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Look at them.” I lifted an eyebrow and nodded toward the pictures. Only then did his gaze drop.
Righteous fury grew inside me while he flipped from one to the next to the next. His face reddened, his breathed speeding up. His hands shook as he stared at the evidence in his hands. Snapshots of him with Marta, looking all the happy couple.
“That’swhat’s wrong,” I said through gritted teeth.
Twenty
Axel
“These aren’t real,” I growled, anger surging through me hotter than any I’d ever experienced. I stared at the images in disbelief. I recognized every single picture but didn’t.
“I know.” Bristol took them from my nerveless fingers, flipped through the stack then handed them back. Her fury was evident in her eyes, but otherwise, she seemed collected. Calm. Not at all like a woman how’d just been confronted by evidence of me cheating. Clearly, she didn’t believe these for some reason. Thank fuck. Oh, she was outraged. Knowing her, reading it on her, had frozen me a few minutes ago while I’d signed autographs.
“These aren’t me,” I insisted. “I mean they are, but…”
Fuck. How could I explain? It seemed as if I’d been making this claim over and over for the past few days—the past few months if you counted all the times I’d said it to my uncle and fucking Marta. At some point, that claim would cease to carry any weight.
Bristol tapped the top pic while I looked at her, helpless to explain this. “They look genuine, and Iwouldbelieve them, but lucky for you, I’ve seen this one. The original one, complete with the parasailer in the background and no Marta, is on your mom and dad’s wall. Your mom and I even talked about it the other night when she told me about the trip.”
“And you got these from Marta?” I asked.
Bristol nodded. “Guess you know who faked the pictures—and probably the video. The snake was in your own camp, Ax.”
“I don’t think she’d know how to do this.” I shook my head, but I was already resolved to end this charade. Damn it! All those times we’d talked about the media smear. All the times she said she’d take care of it… She’d taken care of it, alright! “Doesn’t matter if she has the skill to do this or not. She must have hired someone. Just having these and trying to pass them off as real proves she’s involved. She’s gone.”
I shook my head, fighting an intense urge to storm out of here and deal with this matter, but I couldn’t. I had to maintain a demeanor of professional calm and finish the task at hand.
“Can you stay with me while I finish signing?”
I didn’t want Bristol far from me. Knowing Marta was behind this and that she was somewhere in this building, I…just worried. I didn’t think Marta was dangerous, that she’d hurt Bristol, but then again, I never would have believed she’d undermine me like this. I clearly didn’t know her and what she was capable of.
“Yeah,” Bristol answered, taking the hand I offered her. “Sadie’s covering things, and I had Oak send Barke over to help her. She’s been trying to make me come over here all morning.”
I kissed Bristol’s temple, squeezing her fingers, then guided her back to the head of the line where the young boy waited for me. I shoved the pictures from Marta into my back pocket, just the feeling of them burning into me. Now, I knew how the photog had known where to find me yesterday. I’d deal with this the second I was free.
“Hi, Kory,” Bristol greeted the boy as I clicked open my pen to sign the book he thrust out at me. Leaning to the table behind me, she picked up a sharpie and the pile of glossies my team had provided, so I could sign one of those for the child, too.
“Hi, Ms. Bristol,” he gushed. “Is Mr. Axel your boyfriend? I saw him kiss you.”
“I…” she started.
“She is,” I answered for her, leaning over and brushing my lips to her temple again. “Don’t deny it; you are,” I whispered to her. “My one andonly.”
And Marta was trying to fuck with that?
Not on my watch.
I’d put up with enough over the past six years. As I answered Kory’s questions about driving, I wondered if my uncle had any clue about her underhanded actions. Was he in on it? For what purpose? Dragging my further under his thumb? The very idea twisted up my guts and made me a ill.
Beside me, Bristol smiled and answered the questions posed to her. It struck me she’d be the perfect companion to be at my side on the circuit, the consummate, poised NASCAR wife. Fuck what my uncle thought. Just as we’d always planned, Bristol belonged beside me while I waited through the opening ceremonies of each race, when I celebrated on victory lane, as I made appearances at sponsor functions and charity events, and everything in between.
Watching her calmed my agitation yet, at the same time, turned me on, rousing parts of me I had to keep under control with so many kids and cameras around. As soon as I could, I planned to drag her out of here, find the first private space, and show her just what she did to me in her cute little blouse and pleated skirt with flying books all over it. I was pretty sure it was a Harry Potter thing, but I wasn’t sure. All I knew was, I desperately wanted to get my hands under it, skim my palms up her smooth thighs and rediscover the treasure I’d craved for six years.
As the meet-and-greet wore down, my hand trailed down her back while my gaze scanned the near-empty gymnasium. I hadn’t seen Marta since I’d arrived, and thankfully, she hadn’t shown her face since Bristol had stormed in here. My guess was she knew the gig was up, and I wouldn’t see her anytime soon.Neverwould be just fine.
Now, as the fundraiser’s volunteers cleared the gymnasium, someone rolled in a couple carts of folding chairs from a side room to set up for the next event in here—a Q&A panel after the break.
I tugged Bristol closer to my side, my fingers splaying on her hip while I brushed my lips over her ear. “I need you alone.”
