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CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE

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THREE TIMES THE CHARM!

River Daniels secured his third consecutive championship title today in Formula 1. A talented racer, Daniels has been a standout from the beginning. While it’s not exactly a shock for him to take the final prize, this season’s drama kept us guessing until the very last second. Now, can he go for four?

FORMULA WORLD NEWS

“I would have carried you down,” I murmured to Vanessa.

She smiled, unable to stop. “I wanted to see him on the podium.”

I growled softly. My Alpha wasn’t happy she’d been in pain at all. Being carried everywhere until her feet fully healed wasn’t practical. Didn’t mean I wouldn’t try.

After the press conference.

The five of us stood in a small, private space outside the press room. River’s energy electrified all of us. He was on top of the world and had every right to be.

I’d just come from speaking with the racing authorities, so things were already in play. No matter what happened now, even if we didn’t speak to the press, Lars was done. Likely Gendra too, though I’d advocated for a lesser penalty at Vanessa’s insistence. She wasn’t about to stop his punishment, but didn’t want someone so young ruined because he’d been taken in by a snake.

Beck cuddled Vanessa close. “Once we get you back to Monaque you’re not lifting a fucking finger.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Just setting the expectation.”

“Maybe one finger,” Elias grinned. “Once you get tired of us babying you, I can see you lifting one very specific finger.”

My Omega rolled her eyes while she smiled. This felt good. Natural. The five of us together just being ourselves. I looked forward to the next few months of uninterrupted time. I’d already made arrangements to do my work from our actual home.

“Are you ready for this?” I asked her.

Vanessa wrapped her arms around Elias, snuggling into him and seeking comfort. “Yes and no at the same time.”

I understood that. Lars was about to get everything coming to him and it would put more eyes on us when there were already so many. We would be pressing charges once this was out in the open. Sporting penalties were one thing. Criminal penalties were another. And Lars tried to have my Omega killed. He wouldn’t get away with that.

As far as James and the team were concerned, he was already gone. I’d had to hold the man back nearly as much as my own pack.

“I’m ready,” River said, crossing his arms. “More than.”

Vanessa smiled at that. “Yeah. Let’s do this so we can go home.”

The rowdy crowd of reporters quieted briefly when we entered and immediately started asking questions. Most of them went to River. He shot them a blinding smile. “Not all of you at once now. There’s only so much of me to go around.”

“How does the third win feel?” A reporter called.

“It feels incredible,” he said. “The team and I worked really hard, and it’s gratifying to see that work pay off for both championships. I plan on enjoying the win for at least three days before starting training for the next one.”

“Vanessa. How are you holding up? How’s the recovery?”

“With these four?” She laughed. “I’m well taken care of. I’ll be right as rain by the time I have to race again.”

The same as our last press conference, Vanessa sat between River and me with Beck and Elias flanking. There were a few more questions to River before he looked at me and I nodded.

“I appreciate all the questions,” River said. “And I’ll be happy to answer more later. But my winning isn’t actually why we called you all here.”

Whispers and sounds of confusion swirled around the room. Holly Buchanan focused on me, eyes shrewd. “Then why are we here? Grayson?”

I cleared my throat and leaned closer to the microphone in front of me. Not before I reached beneath the table and wove Vanessa’s fingers between mine. Her bond was calm and steady. Every time I tuned into it, I had to take a moment because it was so sweet and so right to have her in my chest.

“I wish the actual reason was as fun. Unfortunately, it isn’t.” The room sank into uncomfortable silence. “It’s been a long time since race four and Vanessa’s tyres being sabotaged. We now have more information about who was responsible for it, along with more information about last week’s crash.”

“Wait.” A reporter whose name was Perry spoke. “Are you saying the incidents are connected?”

No turning back from here. “They are connected, yes.”

Chaos broke loose.

Nessa squeezed my hand, and we did nothing but wait until the noise lessened. A phone chimed. Just like when the sabotage announcement had gone out, everyone’s phone started pinging at once. We’d scheduled the video to be leaked as soon as we started this conference. Now every news station was grabbing it and sending it to the people in this room. There was no need to worry if this would spread. It would.

“The messages you’re receiving are likely about this video. Which I fear speaks for itself.”

Behind us, a screen lowered, and the video began to play. Watching the horror and anger appear on the reporters’ faces filled me with a gratifying sense of satisfaction. We didn’t know who had physically messed with Vanessa’s tyres, but we knew Bachman had paid for it. The brakes were harder to prove. We were still working on it.

When the video finished, not a single person spoke. In all my years in this sport I didn’t think I’d ever heard a press room this quiet. After a moment I took the opportunity.

“The FIA and team owner have already been informed. Paragon has done what we can, including vetting and clearing all existing team members, Mr. Bachman excepted. Paragon will not be renewing the contract with Mr. Bachman. As far as Formula 1, the stewards and the FIA must complete their own investigation, but I’m sure you’ll be hearing from them very soon.”

“Do you think he’ll be stripped of his points?”

I shook my head. “I can’t speculate on any sporting penalties. That’s not our decision.”

Perry cleared his throat and spoke again. “Will you be pressing charges?”

“Yes.” River’s voice was flat and cold.

More chaos. I felt Vanessa beginning to flinch away from the sounds. The more questions they asked, the more vulnerable she felt. Soon . I pushed the word to her, hoping she understood the feeling.

“How did you come by this video?”

Elias leaned forward. “A member of another team was passing by and heard a commotion. Once they heard the subject of conversation they began recording and then came to us.”

“Will we know who that person is?”

“That’s up to them.” Elias shrugged.

John Lockwood was ready and willing to speak to the FIA and give testimony in court. Dragging him into the middle of a media storm was different. If he wanted to involve himself, he would.

“Vanessa,” Holly said. “You’ve been very quiet. Do you have anything you’d like to say?”

A burst of unease came through our bond and her scent darkened. She winced. “It’s still very… raw. I don’t know that there’s anything I can say that addresses the depth of the situation. I’m just grateful the accidents weren’t worse and that I’m still here. There are no plans for me to change careers and no questions about my recovery. I’ll be here next season, and I plan to be here for a long time.”

“Will you?—”

I cut off the question. “There are limits to what we can say before the FIA completes their investigation and before any legal proceedings. Please be mindful of that.”

The reporter nodded and didn’t continue.

“How have you been holding yourselves back?”

Beck growled. “With great difficulty. And I’ll say this. You’re allowed to feel however you like. Your thoughts are your own. But taking those thoughts and extending them to violence? Aiming to cause physical harm? That is unacceptable. We will always react accordingly.”

My mouth lifted in a smirk. That might have been the most diplomatic threat I’d ever heard. Do what you like, but come for our Omega again and all bets are off .

“Thank you, everyone,” I said, ending things.

Questions filled the air again, cameras flashing as we exited the space and took a breath.

“Think he knows yet?” Elias asked.

“I don’t doubt it. I’d be shocked if he wasn’t in with the stewards right now. Either that, or he’s hiding out. The press are going for him next. Now we wait.”

“Now we wait,” Beck repeated.

Vanessa wrapped her arms around my waist and placed her chin on my chest so she looked straight up at me. “Do we have to stay here while we wait? Or can we go home?”

The hope leaking through her bond made me smile. “We can go home. Do you want to?”

She smiled, the caramel scent going painfully sweet. “Let’s go home.”