Page 6

CHAPTER FIVE

_____________

WHAT DOES VANESSA LENNON’S HIRING MEAN FOR RACING?

Team Principal Grayson de Clare rightfully pointed out that Formula 1 is not a male sport by regulation. But many still believe the glass ceiling that she shattered was in place for a reason. No doubt teams all over the grid will be watching Paragon racing to see if this will be a cautionary tale or signal heralding change. If things go well, could we see more female drivers in the future?

What do I do?

What do I do?

The strange mixture of panic, awe, lust, and desire made the lights feel too bright and my racing suit far too tight. Grayson’s smile made me want to ditch everyone in this room, forget about everything, and take him back to the dressing room.

He had a pack. Did that mean I was their match too? Matched with River Daniels? Oh shit. This was so good and so bad and I wasn’t sure my knees would continue to hold me when all I could smell was that tangy, sweet, citrus and wanting to know if his skin tasted the same.

People were congratulating me, and though reporters asked questions, they were being herded toward the press room by the wranglers and security. Grayson held out a hand, gesturing in the same direction. He wasn’t reaching out to touch me, but I wanted to touch him again.

But before I could even move, Grayson turned. “Tracy? Sean?” The two members of the PR staff came closer. “Let’s go with the split conference.”

Sean winced. “He’s not going to like that.”

“He doesn’t have to like it, and I’m sure he’ll have plenty to say when he doesn’t have to share the stage with anyone but me.”

“You’ll be there too? That’ll smooth the feathers. Thanks.” He beelined back across the room toward Lars.

I swallowed. “So we’re not doing it together.”

Grayson put his hand on my lower back and guided me toward the room’s exit. “I think it’s probably better if we don’t.” His face told me he wasn’t happy about the way Lars reacted. It took me a second to realize that this was the same man I knew and had talked to at length over the last few months, despite this new revelation. We’d gone over the possible reactions and plans, and splitting the press conference was one of them. I couldn’t seem to think when the lights were so bright and he was so fucking close to me smelling like that with those forearms on display and I knew he was mine .

“Okay,” I breathed.

We paused in the entrance to the press room, everyone getting settled. More quickly than at any other press conference I’d seen. Here in the semi-dark, I couldn’t breathe. His hand was still on my lower back, and all I could think about was sinking into that touch.

Just like before, his purr rumbled into existence, and he had to cut it off. Like he couldn’t help it. I loved that even as my body melted at the sound, making me dizzy.

“Grayson.”

“I know,” he whispered. “I know. Can you make it?”

He sounded just as desperate as I was. That scent wrapped around me and made my head spin. Could I make it through everything scheduled today? I wasn’t sure. I swallowed and watched his gaze drop down to my throat.

Fuck, I wanted to know what he was thinking.

“I’ll try.”

That same ghost of a smile as he took an intentional step away from me. Though both our bodies leaned toward each other like magnets. “Me too.”

Tracy appeared at our side. “Looks like they’re ready, if you are.”

I was very much not ready. But the sooner we did this, the sooner it was over and I could wrap my head around this.

Still, a thrill went through me. This was real. I was a driver. The world knew about me. And I was scent matched. I needed to try to enjoy this, even with my head spinning.

Grayson walked out first, and I put on my smile as I followed him. The whole room went quiet. We sat down and Grayson chuckled, his light accent making it sound even more charming. “So glad you could join us. I’m sure none of you have any questions.”

Laughter fluttered through the room.

“Try not to act like feral animals,” he said as he pointed at a man sitting down to the right.

The reporter smirked. “With that kind of announcement, I thought you might want us turning feral, but I’ll do my best. Vanessa, how long has this been in the works and can you tell us about the process?”

We’d talked about this too. Other than the contract details, we could be honest. “A few months,” I said. “And yes, we did everything in our power to mislead you. Other than that, I’d say it was a pretty normal contract negotiation.”

I pointed to one of the female reporters in the room and we smiled at each other before she spoke. “It’s safe to say this is a historic moment, so congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Even still feeling dizzy, dazed, and high, I couldn’t stop my smile.

“You became the first woman to drive a Formula 1 car in a race last season, and now you’re the first woman to be on the grid. How does that feel?”

“Incredible,” I said. “This is everything I’ve worked for, and to have a team like Paragon put their trust in me is a huge honor. I’m excited to show them, and everyone else, what I can do this season.”

The next reporter looked at Grayson. “Mr. De Clare, as previously stated, this announcement is historic and I’m sure it’s already making waves.”

We all laughed.

“Are you worried about the commentary to come? There will, of course, be people who aren’t pleased. What about the sponsors? Are you concerned about any of them dropping away now that you have a woman in the lineup?”

I looked over at Grayson and watched the thunder grow on his face. He managed to keep it contained, though I could practically feel the anger dripping off him. “No, I’m not concerned about that. Nor am I concerned about any commentary.” He shifted in his seat, settling his arms on the table in front of him and staring down the room. “Formula 1 is not a male sport. There are plenty of women who love racing, and also women who race. If our sponsors don’t want to participate in a team that supports women, they don’t have to. I’m more than confident there are plenty of sponsors who would rush to take their place.”

Someone stood up in the back. “Vanessa, does your grandfather know about this? How did he take the news?”

Whispers swept through the crowd and I laughed. “In case anyone doesn’t know, my grandfather is Vance Lennon. Yes, I’m named after him, and I have him to thank for all of this. I’ve been around racing since I was about three days old. But to answer your question, yes, he knows, and he was over the moon. I’d tell you what he said, but you’d have to censor it anyway.”

More laughter.

There were definitely some people who hadn’t known that. There would probably be some talk about his influence and whether I’d only gotten this position because of him. Grandpa would happily set them straight on that if they asked him.

“How will you deal with it if you go into heat?”

I locked eyes with the man. “I’ll answer that question if I see you ask all the Alpha drivers how they’ll deal with a potential rut.”

Questions started to fly faster as the energy in the room rose. “Grayson, what if Vanessa can’t cut it?”

The rest of the reporters erupted and it was suddenly a wave of sound. I kept myself from flinching. Grayson held up a hand before Tracy could even step in and calm everyone down, and the wash of Alpha energy he pushed forward had a whine building in my throat.

It wasn’t the same as the Alpha energy I resisted from Lars earlier. I wanted to surrender to this. Already it made me feel safe and soft and everything I couldn’t be as a driver. Swallowing, I waited until the room quieted.

“I’ll take a cue from her,” Grayson said. “If you’re going to ask the team principals of the other four male rookies this season that question, then I will answer it. But that question has no place here. Paragon Racing does not choose its drivers on a whim. We looked at the available talent, along with Miss Lennon’s incredible performance at the end of the last season, and chose her. End of story.”

Then Grayson stood. “Thanks to the surprise announcement for all of you, Miss Lennon has a packed schedule today. You’ll get more of her soon enough.”

I winked at the reporters, and they started shouting questions as we left the room. Lars waited just outside, and he was furious. Everything about him spoke of anger, including the way he glared at me.

“They’re definitely ready for you,” Grayson told Lars.

His mouth tipped into a smile that made my stomach drop. “Good. I have plenty to say.”

Tilting his head, Grayson watched him. “Careful.”

Lars growled.

“We can speak after we’re finished with the press, but I expect you to be professional.”

He scoffed. “I’m always professional.”

I suddenly had the urge to laugh. Even without meeting the man, everyone in racing knew Lars Bachman was rarely professional. He would say some shit, and we would deal with it, but I couldn’t right now. Now that I was offstage my knees wobbled again. Every time Grayson moved, a new waft of scent curled through the air. Flares of sweet, sharp sugar, meringue, and the zing of fresh limes.

“Five minutes,” Grayson told Lars. “Then I’ll be there to start your conference.”

“I don’t need a babysitter. I’ll talk to them on my own.”

Lars strode into the press room with a final glare at me. I blew out a breath as soon as he was gone. Already, his anger was intense. I could handle it, but it wasn’t going to be easy.

Grayson sighed and shook his head, but didn’t go after Lars. He stayed with me as a group of people approached.

A flurry of introductions later brought me more than just Tracy. Other members of the team, including those who were going to take me to the studio for the film and video shoots. The promo shoots with all the drivers were in a few days, before the actual testing of the cars.

Annika stood to the side, ready if I needed her. She was my trainer, but more than that, my friend. She functioned as an assistant half the time even though I’d made it clear she never had to.

Dizzy pleasure made me sway on my feet. New scents swirling through the air. Some kind of berry I couldn’t place. Light but sweet with layers I wanted to pull apart and examine. Rich, dark incense, blended with cedar. The kind when you stepped into a sauna or opened a handmade wooden chest. Smooth and easy and so many sparkling elements of scent I couldn’t trace them all.

“Can you give us a moment?” Grayson asked the small crowd around us. The words were soft, but he didn’t need to be loud to command attention. Everyone backed off. Even Annika.

“What’s happening?” I asked. “I?—”

I spotted them at the other entrance to the room. The two men who were a part of Grayson’s pack but were also a part of the team. Those were their scents. And they were just as good.

My eyes flashed to Grayson in a panic. I wanted to dive into the three of them and drown, but if I did that, I wouldn’t make it through the day. I’d heard about this—how a scent match could send an Omega into an almost catatonic euphoric state. Fuck, I wanted to.

Grayson’s hand reached for me like he wanted to pull me against his body and stopped. “If you’re not ready…”

“I’m more than ready,” I said quickly. “You have no idea. But if I do, I don’t know if I’ll make it through the day.”

Across the room, Beck, the one I knew to be an Alpha, stared at me with the same kind of hunger I’d seen with Grayson in those first few moments. This was mutual. They were my scent matches.

“We’ll disappear while you do what you have to,” Grayson whispered.

I couldn’t stop my whine and the dread and fear at that statement. I didn’t want them to go away. His hand twitched again. “We won’t be far,” he said quickly. “But I’m the same. Once this starts?—”

“Mr. De Clare? Sorry, we need to get moving.”

“Of course.” He smiled, but his eyes burned . “We’ll see you soon, Vanessa.”

“Just Nessa,” I told him. “You guys can call me Nessa.”

“Nessa.” His voice grew soft. “We’ll see you soon, Nessa. I promise.”

It was the second promise he’d given to me today, and I wholeheartedly believed him.