12

LUCIA

T he last two weeks had been a blur of roaring engines, pit stops, and hotel rooms. Life on the road with Matteo—and by extension, Alexander—was a whirlwind, but I was starting to find my rhythm.

Mornings started early, with Gia demanding breakfast long before I’d had my first sip of coffee. Afternoons were a mix of Matteo’s training sessions, team meetings, and the occasional trackside stroll to stretch our legs. Evenings were quieter, spent in hotel suites or at low-key team dinners where Gia was quickly becoming everyone’s favorite distraction.

It was…nice.

The one thing I couldn’t quite get used to was the media attention. Matteo had warned me. Alexander had also, but I hadn’t understood the scope of it until now. Cameras were always there, just out of sight but somehow always present. Paparazzi weren’t the worst of it; no, it was the fans. The diehards. The ones who lived and breathed Formula One and wanted to dissect every second of every interaction their idols had.

And apparently, that now included me.

It started small. A few casual glances as I walked with Gia through the paddock. A couple of harmless photos snapped as I stood beside Matteo’s car. But it escalated after someone posted a photo online—one of those grainy, zoomed-in shots taken from across the paddock.

The caption read: Alexander Wright seen chatting with a mystery woman! Could this be a new romance brewing?

The “mystery woman” was me. Or, more accurately, the back of my head as I stood next to Alexander while he played peekaboo with Gianna. There had been some rumors, some gossip websites and articles about us dating only because we were around each other. But the media spun the narrative in ways that seemed unfathomable. It all felt so out of our control. My phone buzzed incessantly after that. Matteo forwarded me the post, laughing about how the fans were already spiraling into conspiracy theories. Alexander apologized for the attention, promising to shut it down if it got out of hand.

But it wasn’t the post itself that bothered me. It was the comments.

Some were harmless, speculating about whether Alexander had a secret girlfriend. Some speculating it was me, others not. Others were…less kind. The usual mix of online toxicity: calling me a nobody, questioning why Alexander would even bother with someone like me. Then the personal ones, the truly mean ones.

I told myself it didn’t matter. I wasn’t dating Alexander. There was nothing to feed the rumors. And yet, as I scrolled through the comments late at night in my hotel room, I couldn’t help but feel…exposed.

I was jolted out of my thoughts by a soft knock on the door.

“It’s open,” I called, setting my phone down as Matteo strolled in, dressed in his team’s branded hoodie and sweatpants, his hair still damp from his post-training shower.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said, plopping down on the couch beside me. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” I said too quickly, which of course made Matteo narrow his eyes suspiciously.

“Lucia,” he said, drawing my name out like he used to when we were kids and I was caught sneaking extra cookies from the jar. “What’s going on?”

I hesitated, then sighed, flipping my phone around to show him the post. “This.”

Matteo stared at the screen for a second, then burst out laughing. “This is what’s got you all worked up? Lucia, you can barely even tell it’s you!”

“It doesn’t matter,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “People are…saying things.”

Matteo’s laughter faded, his expression softening. “Look, I get it. The attention sucks. But you’ve gotta let it roll off your back. They don’t know you. And anyone who knows you wouldn’t say a damn thing like that. It’s hard to remember, but it’s not real, what they say…none of it is real.”

I bit my lip, his words offering some comfort but not enough to shake off the unease entirely. I knew he had gone through his own media scrutiny, all the drivers had.

“And for what it’s worth,” Matteo added, leaning back against the couch, “if anyone messes with you, they’re messing with me. And you know I don’t take that lightly.”

I smiled despite myself. “Thanks, Teo.”

“Anytime,” he said, ruffling my hair like he used to when we were kids. “Now, c’mon. Gia’s got Alexander wrapped around her little finger again, and you’re gonna miss it if you stay cooped up in here.”

I followed him out, letting the door click shut behind us.

Matteo and I made our way down to the hotel lounge, where the team had set up a makeshift family area. The soft hum of conversation mingled with the occasional burst of laughter, and I spotted Gia right away. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, holding court like a tiny queen, her stuffed bunny tucked under one arm as she talked animatedly to Alexander and Anna.

Alexander sat with his legs stretched out, an easy smile on his face as he nodded along to whatever Gia was telling him. Anna stood nearby, her phone in hand, though she glanced up every so often with a fond smile at Gia’s antics.

“Zio!” Gia squealed, spotting Matteo. She scrambled to her feet, running over to him with her arms outstretched.

“Principessa!” Matteo scooped her up, spinning her around dramatically before planting a loud kiss on her cheek. She giggled, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

Alexander’s gaze flicked to me as I approached, and his easy smile faltered just slightly. He stood, brushing off his hands, and motioned for Anna to give us a moment. She nodded, slipping out of the room with a knowing look.

“You okay?” he asked quietly, stepping closer.

I hesitated, glancing at Gia, who was now thoroughly engrossed in Matteo’s silly stories. “I’m fine,” I said, though the tightness in my chest betrayed me.

Alexander’s brow furrowed, and he stepped closer, lowering his voice. “I saw the post, it’s down now, but I know comments can be awful, I’m sorry you had to experience that side of the fans.”

“It’s not a big deal,” I said, trying to wave it off.

“It is to me.” His voice was firm but gentle. “I don’t like the idea of you being dragged into this mess because of me.”

I blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone. “It’s not your fault, Alexander. I knew what I was walking into when I came on this trip, you guys did so much to make me feel safe here, having anyone inside the circuits not take pictures of us, it’s helped a ton. And I knew there would be photos here and there, you guys are all famous and handsome and rich, so…”

He smirked. “You calling me handsome?” I rolled my eyes. “That doesn’t mean you should have to deal with it though, I know how much it can be and how they control the narrative.” He sighed, running a hand through his short hair. We sat in silence for a moment, I felt the cloud coming back, the overwhelmingness of it all. I had worked hard to feel like myself again, to gain confidence again, but the comments felt like they were flashing before my eyes.

“What if we use it to our advantage?” he mused.

“What do you mean?” I asked, narrowing my eyes slightly.

He rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. “I have an idea. Hear me out before you say no, okay?”

I crossed my arms, tilting my head. “I’m listening.”

Alexander glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot, then leaned in. “Anna and I were talking…and we thought maybe we could spin this. So the pitch is, we date.”

I blinked again. “Excuse me?”

“Look,” he said, speaking quickly now, “the media’s already speculating, right? If we lean into it, it could take the heat off you. They’ll lose interest once they see we’re not sneaking around or giving them drama to chew on, we can control the narrative instead of letting them run with rumors. And for me…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening.

“What about you?” I pressed.

His gaze flicked away briefly before meeting mine again. “Belen’s been on my case about my image. They think I’m too much of a playboy, not serious enough. It’s bad PR for the team. Anna’s been working overtime to fix it, but…” he hesitated, then added, “a ‘committed relationship’ would go a long way in shutting them up.”

I stared at him, my mind racing. “You want us to pretend to date?”

“Yes.” His tone was steady, his expression earnest. “It doesn’t have to be complicated. We set some ground rules, keep it simple. Just for the cameras, Lucia. Nothing more.”

I bit my lip, glancing back at Gianna, who was now attempting to put a stuffed crown on Matteo’s head. It would take the pressure off me, sure. And if it helped Alexander with his PR…

But fake dating Alexander Wright? That felt like walking a tightrope with no safety net.

“I don’t know.” My heart was racing. “Gianna…” I trailed off.

“I think if we feed them enough, give into the beast, they’ll leave us alone more,” he said softly, drawing my attention back to him. “You’d be doing me a favor. I swear, I’ll make sure this doesn’t come back to bite you. Gia included. Also means more for your yes year, I’ll take you wherever you want to go. Movie premiers, fancy parties, fashion shows.”

I studied his face, searching for any hint of hesitation or ulterior motive, but all I saw was sincerity.

“I don’t know, Alexander,” I said finally, my voice uncertain. “This feels…risky.”

“It’s just for a while,” he promised. “Until the hype dies down or Belen backs off. Then we go back to normal.”

Normal. Like anything about this situation had been normal since the moment I stepped into it.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Okay,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “But we need to set some serious ground rules.”

His smile was soft but triumphant. “Of course. Whatever you need.”

* * *

The moment we sat Matteo down in Alexander’s suite to explain the plan, I regretted agreeing to it. My brother leaned back in one of the oversized chairs, arms crossed, a skeptical scowl plastered across his face as he listened.

Alexander was calm, composed, like he was briefing a teammate on strategy. Me? I was squirming in my seat, dreading Matteo’s reaction.

“So let me get this straight,” Matteo said, his tone dripping with disbelief. “You two are going to pretend to date. To throw the media off, control the narrative or whatever, and help Alex’s PR image?”

“Exactly,” Alexander said smoothly, his voice steady and confident. “It’s temporary. Just until the noise dies down.”

Matteo snorted, shaking his head. “And you think this is a good idea?” His gaze darted to me, and I could see the mix of concern and protectiveness bubbling just beneath the surface.

“It’s not like we’re getting married,” I said, attempting to inject a little humor to lighten the mood. “It’s just for the cameras. Nothing more.”

Matteo’s eyes narrowed, his scowl deepening. “Nothing more, huh?”

“Nothing,” Alexander confirmed. His voice was resolute, but there was a subtle edge to it, a seriousness that even Matteo couldn’t dismiss. “I would never hurt her, Matteo.”

My brother’s gaze locked onto Alexander, the moment felt like it lasted forever. “Good,” Matteo said finally, leaning forward with a sharp edge in his voice. “Because if you do, I don’t care how many championships you’ve won or how good of a friend you’ve been—I’ll make you regret it.”

Alexander didn’t flinch. “Understood.”

“Matteo,” I interjected, my voice firm. “This isn’t some grand scheme. It’s practical. We control the narrative, and Alex gets to clean up his image, which will help with management. It’s a win-win.”

“Yeah, sure, win-win,” Matteo muttered, slumping back into the chair. “Except for the part where my baby sister is fake dating one of the most gossiped-about athletes on the planet. That part feels like a loss.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m a year younger than you.”

“Not the point,” he shot back. “You’re my sister. My little sister. And Alex…” He glanced at his best friend, sighing heavily. “You’re…Alex.”

Alexander raised an eyebrow. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Don’t.” Matteo pointed a glare at him, but there was less heat behind it now. “Look, I get it. It’s not the worst idea. I mean, the media’s been circling like vultures since you got here, Lucia, and Alex’s playboy reputation could use a break.”

“Gee, thanks,” Alexander said dryly.

“You know it’s true.” A smirk tugged at the corner of Matteo’s lips.

I glanced between the two of them, the tension in my chest easing slightly. Matteo might not love the idea, but he wasn’t completely against it either.

“So, you’re okay with this?” I asked hesitantly.

Matteo sighed again, scrubbing a hand through his hair. “I’m okay with it as long as you are. But,” he added, pointing at Alexander again, “if this goes sideways in any way, I’m holding you responsible.”

“Fair enough,” Alexander said with a nod, his expression serious.

Matteo leaned back, finally cracking a small smile. “Well, this should be fun to watch.”

“Oh, shut up,” I muttered, but I couldn’t help the smile creeping onto my own face.

Matteo might be a protective pain, but at least he was on board.

Sort of.