I hold the stems tight, embarrassed by how happy I am.
The crowd cheers as he makes his way to the car. Before he gets in, he looks up to the stands, right at me, and smiles adoringly. It’s all for show, of course, and the crowd eats it up. My cheeks must be as red as the rose.
I lower my eyes to the flowers so that I don’t have to see my flushed face on the screen.
Leave it to Antonio to present a roseanda camellia.Always bucking tradition unless it suits him.
Pinned to the rose, securing it to a lovely grosgrain ribbon, is a gold crown. The Huntsman logo.
I’m captivated by how the crown pierces the rose, right where it buds. I swallow hard. Thankfully, the race begins before I can overthink the connection between the rose and the crown, and what it all means. Because it means something. Antonio does nothing without purpose.
As I watch the cars circle faster, and faster, I hold my breath and clench the padded armrests on the seat. What kind of fool would risk his life for this?One who won’t be cowed.
Cristiano leans over, whispering so that only I can hear. “You don’t have to worry about him. The problem with the car has been resolved. He’ll be fine.”
I want the details, but I know better than to ask about them here. I look up at him. “I wasn’t worried.”
A small smile plays on his lips, but he has the good grace not to call me a liar.
Before the afternoon is over, there’s a small crash, a flat tire, and countless other harmless mishaps, but none of them involve Antonio’s car.
At the end of the long race, my attention is on the large screen as the trophy is presented to the winner. I see the boy I used to dream about. The one who would give his kisses only to me. The joy on his handsome face is palpable, even from where I sit.
And for now, I give myself permission to revel in his happiness.
62
Antonio
As soon as I step off the winner’s platform, I hand the trophy to Roberto. “Add it to your collection. You’ve more than earned it this year.”
Two hours before the race, he discovered that the steering mechanism had been tampered with. It was a slight modification, hard to spot, but it had the potential to cause serious damage.Maybe death.
“Last race?” he asks, like he does every year. One day he’s going to be surprised by my answer. But not today.
“Pfft.I’m just getting started.”
He grins and shakes his head before lifting the trophy so the entire crew can get a good look.
“Congratulations,” Lucas says from behind me. “Even though no one in their right mind would have gotten behind that wheel today.”
“I never claimed to be sane. Anything on the break-in?” I ask when we’re far enough away from the crowd not to be overheard.
“Plenty.”
I look into the stands, searching for Daniela, but the Huntsman box is empty. “Before you start, did the helicopter take off?”
“Momentarily. Cristiano’s with her,” he says, as if he can read my mind. “Do you want me to tell them to wait?”
As much as I’d like to taste that silky mouth right now, she’s safer at the house. “Nah.”I’ll see her tonight.“Tell me what you found.”
“We located the woman on the feed, but someone got to her before we did. It wasn’t a happy ending for her.”
I stop and turn to face him. “They killed her and left the body for us to find?” That’s not sloppiness. It’s a message.
“They left the body forsomeoneto find. I don’t think we’re prepared to conclude that it was left for us.”
“What are we prepared to conclude? That our hands are cramping from holding our dicks for so long?”