Page 29 of All That Glitters (Endurance #1)

The lobby was covered in dust and plastic sheeting. There were pieces of furniture wrapped tightly and a central desk that looked to be the only functioning part of the operation.

I’d been in enough race shops over the course of my career that I was no longer impressed by gloss and shine.

Glitterati Racing was the glossiest, the shiniest. The front of the house was constructed and designed to impress, but also to intimidate competitors and potential drivers. It did its job well.

From the looks of things, this shop, if that’s what it was meant to be, would be just as impressive and imposing.

Amber led us toward an elevator which opened immediately and whisked us up to the second floor.

“Excuse the mess. We only closed on this property a few weeks ago. Mr. Cross hopes to have it finished within the next six months.”

“That’s ambitious.”

“That’s what I told him, but one thing I know about my boss is that once he sets his mind to something, he’ll get it done.”

“Ashton Glitterati.” A man not much younger than my father stood from his seat on one side of a conference table. He offered me his hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m Darien Cross.”

“Thank you, Mr. Cross.”

“Darien, please.”

I nodded. “Darien.”

His eyes shifted. “And you’re…?”

“Helen Troye.”

I watched Darien’s eyes widened as he also shook her hand. “Helen Troye? You were next on my list to call.” He smiled. “What are the odds?” He ushered us in. “Please. Have a seat. Both of you. Can we get anything? Coffee? Water? Soda?”

“A couple bottles of water would be great,” Helen said. “Thanks.”

Amber rushed out and returned a few moments later with four bottles. She handed two over to Helen who slid one in front of me. The anxiety attacks took a lot out of me and the water would help. It would also give me something to hold onto.

This wasn’t me. Not the real me.

Would that man ever come back?

I uncapped the bottle and took a couple of small swallows, then sat up straight and looked toward our host. Time to get down to business.

“Pardon my frankness, but what can I do for you, Darien?”

“Frankness is appreciated and I imagine you’re curious about all of this. I’d like you to come drive for me.”

That caught me off guard. My brow dipped and my eyes narrowed in confusion.

“Drive for you?”

“Yes. I’m putting together a team to race the 24hrs of Daytona next season. I have two drivers already and am looking to fill out the rest of the slots. I need an anchor.”

Was he serious?

The way my knee bounced under the table and sweat broke out on my scalp, my body certainly thought he was.

Helen gently touched my arm and my heart rate immediately began to slow.

“Mr…” I shook my head. “Darien… I haven’t been behind the wheel of a car since the wreck last season.

I couldn’t even drive myself over here. Not to mention, I’m still under contract with Glitterati Racing through the next two seasons.

I can’t commit to anything else. I shouldn’t even be talking to you about something like this. ”

“I’m aware. In pretty much all respects, you’ve kind of dropped out of sight. I respect that after what you’ve been through. So, let’s take this one step at a time. Do you plan to quit?”

Helen’s hand tightened on my arm, just enough that only I would know. No one had come out and asked me that question point blank. She’d challenged me last night about being afraid and about letting Hale win, but she hadn’t asked what Darien just had.

And the words just hung in the air.

Darien was the picture of patience. And masking. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Maybe I didn’t want to know. But before I could form an answer at all, he slid a folder across the table.

“Before you answer, maybe I’ll take it a step further and address something else you mentioned. Your contract. I bought your remaining years with Glitterati Racing .”

That snapped me out of my head. I snatched the folder and flipped it open. “You what?” But there in black and white were two signatures, Darien Cross and Leonardo Glitterati. “That son of a bitch. He really did it.”

“Ash…” Helen’s voice was so soft, like she was across the building instead of right beside me.

There was a rushing sound in my ears, in my head. My heartbeat echoed, pounded until it drowned out everything.

Would this sensation ever not be part of me?

My father sold my contract, sold my talent, sold his son to the highest bidder because I wasn’t ready yet? I knew he was impatient and I knew he was thinking to replace me, he was just short of giving me an ultimatum, but I didn’t think he’d do it. I didn’t think he’d break up the family legacy.

Behind my back.

A Glitterati heir had never driven for any other team. What did that mean now? What would happen to me, to our relationship?

Helen gently took the folder so she could look through it. I watched from the side of my eye as she flipped page after page. Her face was somber as when I met her gaze.

“I’m sorry,” Darien said. “It never occurred to me that he wouldn’t have talked to you.”

“He… He never said a word. I guess he felt I wouldn’t be an asset of any kind to the team anymore. What makes you think any different?”

“For one thing, you’re here. For another thing, I don’t think you’ll be out of a car for too much longer, but if you are, that’s fine. There are other things you can do, other assets you have that can be leveraged.”

“Do tell.” I couldn’t keep the skepticism out of my voice and I didn’t even try. A stranger had just told me something that my father didn’t have the guts to say.

“You’re a fighter. You’re angry that I challenged you and I think you’re angry that it seems your father gave up on you.

If you can’t drive yet, fine. You know these cars better than almost anyone else in the field.

You’ve grown up watching them being built, being tested, being tuned, being raced, and then racing them yourself.

You’ve built cars. Your knowledge is immeasurable and I want it.

If you can’t race, you can be on the box, you can work in the garage, you can train drivers, coach them, teach them.

You can do anything you want at Crossline Racing until you’re ready to get into a car again yourself. ”

For the longest moment all I could do was stare across the conference room table at Darien Cross.

Had I heard him right? I think I had. He’d just offered me whatever job with his team I wanted.

What I couldn’t figure out was why. I heard what he said, but it couldn’t be as simple as him thinking I was more than qualified to handle it. “Are you serious?”

It was an amateur question, but it was no less valid to my mind.

“I don’t joke about business matters, Ashton.”

“Why aren’t you driving your own car?”

“What do you know about my journey from racing to owning a team?”

“Not much.” Which was both true and not true. I didn’t know anything more than what Helen and I had talked about on the way over.

“You didn’t look me up on your way over?”

“I’d rather hear it from you.”

“Fair enough. I decided that I could do way more damage owning a team than driving for my own or anyone else’s.

And yes, I mean revenge. It’s petty and unbecoming of a man like me, but when I’ve jumped through all the hoops and was still overlooked, denied, rejected.

I wanted more hours, more experience, to get better and was turned away there are only so many open spots for gentleman drivers and I…

I decided to take my destiny into my own hands as I always have and bought a defunct team complete with two cars.

Then I bought this place with the idea of transforming it into a shop, a garage, and taking the land and building a test track.

I’m taking that from what your father did.

I started putting together a long list of drivers, then a short list of drivers that I want to put in the driver’s seat immediately. ”

“Who are you looking at?”

“I have another Italian driver from the European Le Mans series, Enzo Ricci. And a former stock car champion, Jake Curtis.”

I’d heard of both. I’d even seen Jake Curtis race a few times. He used to be really good. “I thought Jake retired.”

“He didn’t go out the way he wanted from what I understand. I heard he’s planning to race this season. Not many races, but maybe to clear the bad taste left in his mouth.”

I could understand that. “Is he a lock?”

“I haven’t talk to him yet. I’m headed to Charlotte in a few days to see what he has to say.”

Helen shifted in her seat and I glanced over. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking, not even when her eyes met mine.

We stared at each other for a few minutes. My mind was firing on all cylinders in a way it hadn’t in months. Energy flowed through my veins. Ideas took shape in my head and then, one of them, won out and it was going to piss her off.

“And the fourth driver?” I asked, turning my attention back to Darien.

“If I can’t find anyone, I’ll take the fourth spot myself. Why? Do you have someone in mind?”

“What about a woman?”