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CHAPTER FIFTEEN

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VANESSA VS. THE BOYS. HOW DOES SHE STACK UP?

There’s no question that Formula 1 drivers are athletes. There’s an enormous amount of strength needed both to control the car and to withstand the forces of such speed. Some people question if the strength gap is what has kept more women from making the jump from the junior categories. So how does Vanessa stack up against the veteran drivers, and can we predict how well she’ll do? Let’s talk about it.

The gym was amazing. I did work myself as hard as Annika would have. Not solely because I wanted to tell her I had, but also because I’d been left frustrated when Grayson went to work, both sexually and just worrying about the whole thing.

But if I worked out every bit of energy I had, it was hard to worry about anything.

I found my way back to Grayson’s room, showered, and then went hunting. He was taller than Elias, so his clothes practically drowned me, but considering I didn’t have any, I didn’t mind.

And I liked wearing their clothes.

My phone buzzed when I’d cuddled myself into a couch in the big television room from last night.

Grayson

Your flat looks clear.

Vanessa

Think it would be safe to have Annika bring me some things?

Grayson

Safe enough. Have her come in the back of the building and I’ll give the staff a heads up.

Sorry we even have to.

Vanessa

It’s not forever.

Grayson

No, it’s not.

I switched over to my texts with Annika.

Vanessa

I have officially beaten myself into the ground, per your orders.

Annika

Excellent.

Vanessa

Are you busy?

Annika

Considering my schedule was beating you into the ground, what do you think?

Vanessa

Grayson sent someone to drive by my place. Said it was clear. Any chance you’d want to pack me an overnight bag and sneak in the back of their building to bring it to me?

Annika

As long as I don’t have to get in the trunk of a car.

Vanessa

No, I think you’re good there.

Annika

Then any special requests?

Vanessa

No, just some clothes for today and tomorrow morning.

I’ll go back and finish packing in the morning before we fly.

I’d already started the packing process, since it was essentially trying to fit your whole life with you. All it needed was some final touches.

Annika

You owe me one.

Vanessa

I already owe you a million.

Outside the room there was some commotion, like people coming in and out. I stole a look around the corner and found Beck directing some men with boxes up the stairs. He saw me as soon as I looked, locking on me like a target. “No peeking.”

“Who are they?”

He didn’t say anything as he came to me, just kept watching me. I got the feeling Beck didn’t say much unless he had to, which made every word he said more impactful. And every look that much more intense.

“Just a delivery.”

“You can’t tell me what it’s for?”

Beck’s eyes roved over my borrowed sweats and the places where they slipped because they were so big. “I can tell you, but why ruin the surprise?”

I blinked. “It’s for me?”

“Hmm, I’d say it’s for all of us.” He crowded me back into the theater room, and I was suddenly aware of exactly how many couches and pillows there were here.

I swallowed. “Annika is bringing me my things so I can stay. I’ll have to go home in the morning to finish packing before my flight, but Grayson said you guys would be okay if I stayed again tonight. If she doesn’t bring me anything I’d have to keep cycling through all of your clothes and I don’t think?—”

Beck dropped his mouth to mine at the same time he gathered me up, my toes lifting off the floor. He hadn’t kissed me yet. Not really and not like this. A mind-blanking, heart-stopping, halt-me-in-my-tracks kind of kiss.

It wasn’t out of control, but measured. Slow and smooth and deep. Beck tasted like his scent—smoky and aromatic with a sharp touch of cooling cedar that had me craving everything . He pulled away and kissed me gently on each closed eyelid, then on my forehead.

I tried to catch my breath. “Did you kiss me to shut me up?”

His low laughter mixed with the rumble of his purr. “No, love. I kissed you because I wanted to. Stopping what seemed to be a thought spiral was a bonus.”

“Oh.”

Beck released me enough to tilt my chin up with a knuckle. Fuck. Was I melting? Pretty sure I was melting from that single gesture. Nothing would be left but a puddle. “Do you need sim time?”

“What?”

He grinned and his purr grew stronger, amused at how out of sorts the kiss had made me. “Do you need any simulation time?”

“Probably.”

“Do it now,” he said. “So you don’t have to worry about it with the surprise.”

“You won’t give me any hints?”

“Nope.”

“But—”

Using that same finger, he flicked me gently on the nose. It wasn’t a reprimand, it was playful. The sparkle in his eyes told me that. “No.”

I went limp in his arms with an exaggerated sigh. “ Fine . I guess I’ll do my actual job instead of getting dicked down. And here I thought you’d brought me in here to have your way with me.”

Grayson’s words about a ‘workout’ on my schedule still lingered, but Beck didn’t know that.

Leaning in, he brushed his lips to my ear like he had last night. “Don’t worry, Omega. You’ll get your wish.”

Perfume exploded outward. I wanted that. I wanted them. I wanted so much I didn’t even know how to want it. No matter what they thought, Johnny and I had been young, and in this career, no matter the stage, it was busy. So it wasn’t like I was sitting on a wealth of experience.

Still, I wanted these men so badly I ached, a whine slipping out.

“Go do your sim time,” he murmured. “Unless you want to be practicing while you’re impaled on my cock.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

The low growl skittered across my skin. Now I wasn’t just melting, I was wet .

“I’m going to remember that for next time.”

“Why not now?”

He kissed me again, softly. This time I felt how much he held back. “This is new. And starting tomorrow it will be even harder. We’ll each need to take the time we have with you when we can get it. But we’re still a pack. So this first time we want to be together.”

A buzzing unease so subtle I’d barely noticed it disappeared from my chest. I did want all of them, and I didn’t want anyone left behind. This would fix that. “This morning, Grayson, we almost?—”

Beck grinned. “He told us, because he was fighting a boner on the way to the office. That’s when we talked about it and decided.”

“So it was his idea?”

“No, it was mine.”

I swallowed. “And if something had happened this morning?”

“Then it did.”

“And you wouldn’t have been upset?”

“Of course not.” Slowly, the hand holding me loosened and drifted over the bare skin beneath Grayson’s sweatshirt. “We’re your pack.”

We both stopped and smiled for a moment at that.

“None of us own you, Nessa. You don’t need permission to be with any of us. You don’t need permission for anything. We’ll find our way through it. I’m glad it worked out this way, but none of us would ever be disappointed you were with one of the others. Jealous, maybe. But never disappointed.”

“Mr. Huxley?” A voice called from the hallway.

“Do your sim time,” Beck whispered, squeezing me close and releasing me. “And don’t come out. No one but us can see you like this.”

I raised an eyebrow and cocked my hip. “Thought I never needed permission for anything.”

“You don’t.” He smirked. “But know that I won’t be able to control what happens if another Alpha sees you like this. And,” a pause. “They can’t know you’re here.”

Cursing filled my brain. “Right.”

He left me with a look that sizzled under my skin. How on earth was I supposed to race when I felt like this?

I shook my head. This was something I needed to get used to. Because on race day I was going to be around Grayson, Beck, and Elias. I needed to focus. Maybe this would be good practice.

A text from Annika told me she was on her way with my bag, so I settled into the sim chair and booted it up. Here went nothing.