Page 32 of Knot So Fast (Speedverse #1)
MORNING REVELATIONS
~ A UREN~
I stir slowly from the depths of sleep, my body deliciously sore in ways that make memories of last night flood back in vivid detail.
The silk sheets against my bare skin feel impossibly luxurious, and I'm surrounded by a scent that's uniquely Lachlan— that intoxicating mixture of expensive cologne, motor oil, and something indefinably male that makes my Omega purr with satisfaction.
I’m ensure if I’m sleeping on a bed or the comfiest couch on earth, remembering the cloud couch that was present in this inviting home catered to my perfect Pinterest board, but either way, she’s nested in, making her wish she had an actual nest that was as comfy as this.
I don’t have a nest period, but it would be nice to enjoy the little luxuries as an Omega that she knows those with packs enjoy…
The sound of frustrated cursing from somewhere nearby pulls me more fully into consciousness, though I keep my eyes closed and my breathing steady.
Years of living with overprotective parents have taught me the value of playing possum when you want to gather information without anyone knowing you're listening.
"For fuck's sake," Lachlan's voice carries from what sounds like the kitchen area, tight with irritation. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
There's a pause, presumably while whoever's on the other end of the phone call responds.
I hear footsteps pacing across hardwood floors, the sound sharp and agitated.
"Fine. Fine! Just... put it on speaker and stop talking so damn loudly. Some of us are trying to have a peaceful morning without dealing with crisis management."
The click of the speakerphone button is followed by a voice I don't recognize—male, older, with the kind of aggressive energy that screams high-powered business dealings and too much caffeine.
"This new rule requiring an Omega is absolute insanity!" the voice explodes through the speaker, frustration evident in every syllable. "How the hell are we supposed to find one in time for the race? We have less than a week, Lachlan. Less than a fucking week!"
I keep my breathing steady despite my heart rate picking up at the mention of the race.
Through my lashes, I can see Lachlan standing at the kitchen island, one hand braced against the marble surface while the other runs through his already disheveled hair.
He's wearing low-slung sweatpants and nothing else, the morning light from the massive windows highlighting the defined muscles of his back and the various small scars that tell the story of a life spent pushing physical limits.
"It's obviously a ploy to eliminate teams from the competition," Lachlan responds, his voice carrying a weariness that suggests this isn't the first time he's had this conversation.
"There are only so many Omegas to begin with, but to find one who can actually drive?
And drive fast enough to be competitive? The odds are slim to none."
"Exactly my point!" The man on the phone— who I'm starting to suspect is either Lachlan's manager or someone high up in the team hierarchy—s ounds like he's on the verge of a breakdown. "So tell me, how's the search been going on your end? Any leads at all?"
Lachlan sighs deeply, and I watch the tension ripple across his shoulders.
"How do you think it's going? We're scraping the bottom of the barrel here."
"We've been reduced to scouring online gaming platforms," the manager admits with audible defeat.
"Looking through Steam leaderboards and sim racing competitions for female gamers who score high enough to suggest actual driving capability.
It's pathetic. We're one of the top teams in Formula One, and we're recruiting from fucking Twitch streams."
"Oh," Lachlan says, and there's something odd about his tone—like he's trying very hard to sound casual. "Well, surely you'll find someone soon. The gaming community has some seriously talented people."
I have to bite my lip to keep from reacting.
He knows exactly who tops those leaderboards. He's raced against me countless times online, knows my times and techniques better than anyone. But he's not mentioning it, not even hinting at the possibility.
The boss clears his throat, the sound crackling through the speaker.
"Actually, I've been thinking... What about asking your brother's girlfriend?"
The silence that follows is so complete I'm afraid to even breathe. I can see Lachlan's knuckles turning white where he grips the counter, the muscles in his jaw working as he clenches his teeth.
When he doesn't respond, his boss continues, apparently taking the silence as permission to elaborate.
"I've heard rumors that she used to be a driver.
Something about an accident, though the details are fuzzy.
When I tried to research it, I couldn't find anything online.
It's like the whole incident was scrubbed from the internet, which is odd as hell.
An accident involving a promising female driver in our sport?
That should have been major news, but I can't even remember her name. "
My heart is pounding so hard I'm surprised they can't hear it through the phone.
Someone deliberately erased my racing history? But why? And on whose authority?
Then again…my parents wouldn’t mind going the extra mile in that department…
"I was in Russia at the time," the manager continues, oblivious to the tension radiating from Lachlan.
"Training some underground racers for a private client.
Missed whatever drama went down. But surely if she was good enough to be noticed before, she might be worth considering now?
Though I'd never ask Lucius directly—that boy's a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. "
"And I'm not?" Lachlan's voice is dangerously quiet, the kind of calm that comes before a storm.
The boss laughs nervously, the sound grating even through the phone speaker.
"No, no! Not trying to insult you, champ. It's just... well, everyone knows how troublesome Lucius can be. Surprising that you're twins when you're polar opposites. He doesn't seem to be taking these new stakes seriously, just assuming we'll magic an Omega out of thin air in time."
"Well, we have no choice if we want to participate," Lachlan says, but there's a resignation in his voice that makes my chest tight.
"About that..." The boss's tone shifts to something more cautious. "You do realize that whatever Omega we choose, we'll have to create a temporary bond, right?"
The silence that follows is deafening.
I can feel the tension ratcheting up in the room like a physical presence, pressing against my skin and making it hard to breathe normally. I focus all my energy on keeping my breathing steady, on not giving away that I'm awake and listening to every word.
"What did you just say?" Lachlan's voice has dropped even lower, carrying a dangerous edge that makes my skin prickle with awareness.
"It's in the fine print," his boss explains, sounding increasingly uncomfortable.
"I just finished reading through all the regulations.
Regardless of whether it's a real relationship or a business arrangement, any Omega joining a team has to undergo a temporary bonding.
It has to be documented and acknowledged officially, or the team won't be allowed to move forward, even if we qualify. "
"Then I'm out."
The words are delivered so flatly, so finally, that it takes a moment for them to register. His boss clearly has the same problem because there's a beat of silence before he explodes.
"You can't be serious! You can't just drop out! You're the four-time consecutive champion! The face of our team! The face of the entire fucking sport!"
"Watch me."
"So you're just going to throw away your career because you have to endure a temporary bond with some random Omega? It's not like you have to fuck her! It's just paperwork, a formality to satisfy the new regulations?—"
"Stop." The command in Lachlan's voice is absolute, cutting through his manager's rant like a blade. "Just stop talking before you say something that makes me reach through this phone and throttle you."
There's a pause, and when Lachlan continues, his voice carries a pain so raw it makes my chest ache.
"Do you know what it feels like to pull the woman you love from a burning car?
To feel her lifeless body in your arms and know that seconds are the difference between saving her and losing her forever?
To perform CPR while her blood mixes with rain on the asphalt, begging any god that will listen to just let her breathe again? "
The manager stutters, tries to form words, but Lachlan isn't finished.
"Or how about watching her wake up in that hospital bed, seeing the relief in her eyes turn to confusion and then fear as she stares at you like you're a complete stranger?
When just hours before, you were planning your future together, talking about the house you'd build, the races you'd win, the life you'd share?
Can you imagine having an entire year of intense, passionate history—on and off the track—erased like it never existed? "
"I... no, I can't?—"
"Then you can't possibly understand what it would feel like to betray that woman. To form a bond, even a temporary one, with another Omega just for money and glory and to prove to the world that I've still 'got it.' As if trophies and championships mean anything compared to what I've lost."
My eyes burn with unshed tears, and I have to focus every ounce of control on not letting them fall, on not giving away that I'm hearing this confession.
The raw emotion in his voice, the pain and loyalty and love—it's overwhelming in ways I don't have the context to fully understand but that resonate in my bones nonetheless.
"Lachlan, I didn't realize?—"