A girl chasing her dream. A boy looking for the light.
When Florence Nyx started her internship at a Formula 1 paddock, she expected a lot. Fast cars. Exclusive impressions most people could only dream of. An entire array of skills she'd acquire...
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Generic pop music vibrated through the mostly empty bar. Its lack of visitors wasn't surprising, considering this was a Tuesday afternoon; It astonished me that they even opened at this time.
Unfortunately, the lack of people also meant I'd have to endure Connor's presence with a lot more focus, his ginger-blond hair practically screaming at me in the dim light.
"So, what do you want to know?" he asked, fiddling with the straw of his pineapple margarita. I couldn't help but watch the way his other hand clung to the glass, condensation dripping off his fingers from how tightly he held onto it.
Keeping in mind that it was only four thirty in the afternoon, I would've commented on his choice of alcoholic beverage, but when Amara had ordered Tequila ten minutes ago, I'd realized this was just Los Angeles. People operated under different time standards here, apparently.
"I need you to tell me what Cem has found out about my father's accident." Florence's voice was sharp and clean, like a knife running through butter. She was back in business mode.
Connor opened his mouth to argue, but she shot him down in a second. "And don't try to fight it — Rafael has filled me in. I'm not suing anyone as long as I am involved in every step of the investigation."
Amara leaned back in her chair, holding on to the Cuba Libre in her hands as she watched her best friend with wide eyes. Excitement was rolling off of her in waves, glimmering beneath the grin she was hopelessly trying to hide.
"Um... I don't..." Connor rambled, his gaze flicking over at me. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
His question surprised me, the sincerity in his voice making me narrow my eyes at him. I'd always seen him as part of the enemy, part of the reason my mother had ended up with that fucking asshole in the first place. Obviously, it hadn't been his fault, but still. Sebastian's blood ran through his veins.
He was my natural rival.
But the way he acted now, with a sensitivity in his gaze that was so different from anything I'd seen in him... I wondered if I'd been wrong about my assumptions.
"Positive," I answered nonetheless, glancing down at my hand as Florence squeezed it tightly. Connor's gaze followed mine, and even though he had no way of seeing what happened beneath that table, he probably knew what was going on. The smile on his lips gave some of his feelings away.
"Okay..." Connor cleared his throat and glanced at Idir, who was watching the exchange with narrowed eyes. My friend had scooted dangerously close to Amara by now, his elbow resting next to hers on the table. I couldn't tell if it was out of interest in her person, or out of sheer spite of the Williams boy on the other side of him. I really hoped for the latter.
But it was like the universe had heard my thoughts, because seconds later, a familiar shadow cast upon our table. The security guard stood behind Idir and Connor, not saying a word. He simply stepped to the side to reveal Rafael Nyx, who hid his face beneath a blue baseball cap.
