Page 24 of Prove Me Wrong (The Sunburnt Hearts #5)

Chapter Seventeen

NOAH

M y foot slams on the brake pedal for the sharp turn, fumes slowly filling the inside of the car. Three cars are in front of me, and the rest of the pack are right behind. One wrong move and I’ll be knocked off the track and lose everything for the team.

Daniels is sitting in second place with seven laps to go. It’s tight, and I have to keep on Carmichael in third. My bumper is inches from his, and I feel sweat rolling down my temples as I wait for his brake lights.

They flick on, and my foot jams the brakes to turn swiftly before shifting gears and stamping the clutch to climb as fast as I can.

“Hearst in fifth. Overtaken by Grimaldi.” I hear Julian in my ear as I race towards the tight chicane.

“How close?” I shout before braking, gliding through the twisting bends right behind Carmichael.

Julian responds instantly, “Point eight seconds.”

I bite out a curse, my armpits dripping with sweat. Gloves gripping the steering wheel, I pull the car to the left, right, then left again before coming to a straight.

“Point six to Carmichael.”

“No room,” I hiss as I try to find a gap to pass. “He’s too close to Daniels.”

“Next straight you’ll get him with a slipstream.”

“Behind?”

“Stevens at point nine.”

I grit out a curse as I glide around a corner and onto the main straight. My car flies through the slipstream and I edge closer to Carmichael.

“Point four.”

Growling, I jam the brakes again for the corner, angry that I didn’t get the overtake. “Laps?”

“Six.”

“Fuel?”

“Enough. Just focus on getting third. Daniels can hold off Carmichael, but you need to overtake, Sterling.”

“Got it.”

Passing through chicanes and turns, I come back to the main straight to try another overtake. I edge closer, almost neck and neck to Carmichael when he brakes first and pulls behind me. Diving around the tight bend, I take third place.

“Yes, Sterling. Keep it up.”

“Daniels?”

“One point two. Hold off Carmichael. Five laps to go.”

I keep up with Daniels ahead of me, droplets of perspiration dripping down my skin. My throat is on fire as I try swallowing. My water ran out seven laps ago, and I can’t wait to guzzle down a litre when I’m done.

“Behind?”

“Carmichael point nine. Losing time.”

I pass over the line again, holding third position with three laps to go. Daniels is driving even more skillfully in front as I follow behind him. We come to the chicane when Lowell in first nicks the wall and spins .

Daniels pulls away first, missing his car, and I do the same. I steer towards the barrier and pull away at the last second to avoid being hit.

“Close one.”

“Daniels is first. You’re second, Sterling,” Julian says through my headset.

“Carmichael?”

There’s a beat of silence before Julian answers, “Taken out by Lowell. One point six between you and third. You’ve got a breather.”

“Thank God,” I murmur, trailing behind Daniels towards the finish line.

“Two laps,” Julian reminds me.

I downshift into the corner before accelerating up the straight.

The chicane is flooded with cars and yellow flags being waved on the side as four cars idle on the sides.

“Yellow. Drop to sixty and hold position. No overtakes.”

“Got it.” Daniels and I pass through the chaos. “Yellow finish?”

“Yeah. Too much debris on the track. Team’s won first and second. Congratulations, Sterling.”

“Pfft,” I breathe out. My skin is heated with sweat. “Piece of cake.”

The podium ran faster than usual, and I luckily avoided having to stay for multiple interviews after explaining to Julian about Jade being sick. I was grateful for the second placing, but all I could think about afterwards was getting in my car and driving home to see my baby girl .

And Mia.

It’s almost ten at night when I pull into my driveway and turn off the engine to my trusted Maverick. Grabbing my bag, I slide out and see the front door open. My gaze locks on the dark outline of Mia’s body as she walks out onto the porch and down the few steps, coming to greet me.

I can’t stop the smile spreading in my cheeks when I reach her. “Hi, Grey.”

“Hi, thirty-four,” she murmurs.

My eyes skim over her long shirt and shorts tucked underneath before reaching the fluffy socks on her feet. They’re bright pink. “Cute socks,” I mutter and look back up to see her blushing. “How is Jade feeling?”

She lets out a breath. “She’s sleeping. Her temperature is still at thirty-eight.”

Nodding, I sling my bag over my shoulder and step towards my house. Pausing, I look at her.

“Are you coming in or going home?”

Biting her lip, she looks at her gran’s house before nodding towards mine. “I can stay for a little bit. I can help look after Jade.”

“All right. I'm dying to eat something.”

“You didn’t have dinner?”

I shake my head as I lead her back into my house and shut the door behind us. “I wanted to get home as quick as I could in case Jade’s sickness worsened.”

“She seemed the same all day,” Mia counters, and I flick her a quick smile. “And I kept taking her temperature to make sure that it didn’t go any higher.”

“I know, but if it goes above thirty-nine degrees, then I have to take her to the hospital in Rafters Falls, and I didn’t want to put that sort of pressure onto you. ”

Her dark brows pull together, not understanding why, and my tongue runs across my lip before I explain the heavy subject that I barely talk about with people.

“Jade was born six weeks premature. There’s a lot of health complications that can happen when a baby is born preterm, and Jade’s lungs aren't fully developed, so even now when she’s sick, I have to take her there immediately in case something happens.

She can get infections, pneumonia or lung disease if I’m not careful, and I don’t want any of those things to happen to her.

” My voice is hoarse as I drop my bag on the floor, the heavy feeling pressing on my shoulders.

I watch as Grey’s eyes search mine. They’re brimmed with unshed tears.

She slowly blinks as if fighting them away.

My throat is burning, swallowing the pain I feel whenever I remember how little she was in the SCN.

I hated seeing her in there, wired up and being supported by machines, but I knew it was the only way to make sure that she was protected and growing.

Mia’s lips pursed when she leans into me, wrapping her leaner arms around my waist. My body stiffens instinctively, not because I don’t want her touch, but because I wasn’t expecting it.

It’s been a while since I’ve allowed someone to comfort me in this way, but I instantly feel the warmth of her surrounding me, firing up my senses.

Melting against her, my arms slide around her neck, and I pull her closer, tucking Mia’s head underneath my chin.

Closing my eyes, I inhale her jasmine aroma.

She's hugging me. It’s such a small thing to people, but to me, it means a lot.

I know for her it’s a step forward, and that makes my blood tingle.

I feel like after the accidental forehead kiss yesterday morning, to the call last night where her words of encouragement left me speechless, to this…

Mia is finally beginning to trust me, or at least see me as someone good .

Relief pours over me like a waterfall as my pulse steadily beats, echoing through my entire body.

“Thank you, Grey,” I murmur, not wanting to let her go.

Reluctantly, Mia’s head pulls back, her chin rising to look into my eyes. “Why do you call me that?” she asks in an almost whisper, as if she’s terrified of the answer, but also needs to know.

My eyes hold hers for a long beat, studying the silver and blue tones mixing together to make an unusual shade.

They’re stunning, shaped by her dark, dainty features that are beginning to win me over.

“Because your grey eyes are the first thing I saw on you,” I admit tenderly.

Her arms fall from my sides, and I hate the feeling of her body leaving mine.

“And they’re one of my favourite things about you. ”

Her throat works silently, pupils shimmering and dilated as we stand so close that I feel the vibrations emitting from her smaller body like a magnetic current connecting with my own.

My chest constricts, air thickening between as my hands slide up to her jaw, cupping her neck gently.

Widened eyes stare back into mine, unblinking.

I glance down at her pink lips, bare and slightly chaffed, wanting to taste them for myself. Silence fills my ears along with the thumping of my heart.

With flared eyes, Mia moves her face closer, her breath warm against my lips. Her lips press against my cheek. Slowly, she slides back, her face flustered. Her teeth sink into her bottom lip, trying to cover her invisible nerves shooting through her beneath the surface.

Hands moving from her skin, my pulse settles a little as I realise she’s still not ready for anything more. It does pain my heart to know that kissing her will have to wait, but I am a patient man, and I’d never push her. I’m not that type of person .

Smiling kindly, I pick my bag up off the floor and sling it over my shoulder. “I should go check on Jade.” My brain yells at me to not let her go. To not let her out of my sight. To not lose her like I lost Em.

“Do you want me to stay? I can make you something?” she asks quietly, stepping away towards the kitchen.

I shake my head, letting out a slow exhale. “It’s fine. I’ll just heat something up and pass out. You can go if you want. I'm sure June will be expecting you.”

“All right, but please call me if she gets worse?” Her tone is questioning rather than requesting.

Nodding with a faint smile, I open the front door for her. “I will. Thank you for staying with her, Grey. It means a lot to me.”

“Of course,” she murmurs before stepping onto the porch. “And second place was awesome.”

“Yeah?” My grin widens.

“Yeah,” Mia echoes. “I left you something on the bench. A little celebration present.” My eyebrow arches in question, and Mia shakes her head, hiding her beautiful smile from me. I wish I could see it. “You’ll have to go see for yourself.” And with that, she walks down the steps.

I wait for her to get into her house before wandering into the kitchen to see a plate of lemon squares waiting for me on the bench, just like her gran’s. Sniffing a laugh, I walk closer to see the note beside them.

You’re the best driver in my eyes, #34.

I murmur out a low curse, running my fingers through my hair as my pulse continues to thump away.

Grey has definitely stolen a part of my heart. I know she’s keeping hers guarded and believes she’s not ready to hand it over to me, but I am going to prove to her that she’s wrong.