Max liked Daisy, and unlike Lewis, the Dutchman was not afraid to show it. He knew he would always be second best to the British man, but Max was about to pull every card from the deck to show Daisy who was better for her.
"Finally, a moment alone with you." Max grinned as Daisy walked towards the secluded table in the Dubai Marina restaurant. "You look stunning, as per usual." He said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
Daisy blushed but had little time to respond as Max passed her a glass of champagne. It wasn't her favourite drink, but alas, Max had only ever seen her at formal events, so Daisy forgave him.
"You don't look so bad yourself," Daisy winked as she sat down. Her eyes looked Max up and down, and she was impressed. Although Max dressing in anything other than Red Bull team wear was an improvement in Daisy's eyes.
Max laughed. The last time they had crossed paths was at the opening race. They shared a brief moment of eye contact, and then Lewis paraded Daisy into the path of the media. She was his winning ace.
There was an easiness between the two, and there always had been. The first time Daisy met Max was at an event for Tag Heuer, and even though the Dutchman knew the model was a Rosberg, it didn't stop them from becoming fast friends. It was 2018, and so Nico was long gone from F1. Nevertheless, Max stepped with caution.
"When I have dinner with Vogue's Super Model of the year, I had to step up my game." Max winked as he referred to the latest accomplishment Daisy had achieved. "But it is great to see you." He smiled.
It wasn't a secret that Daisy got on with Max, despite their differences in loyalties. And Max knew that. He knew that Daisy would never be ultimately his. The German would always support Lewis in some capacity. Max had just never expected Lewis to make a move on the girl he had grown up to see as a sister.
The waiter came to take the orders as the duo continued to drink the champagne Max had ordered, and soon another bottle was ordered. When Daisy met Max, she was only a few hours sober, so the model was going all in.
"What do you make of your brother coming back?" Max asked shortly before their food was placed on their table. "Did you know about it?"
Daisy shook her head and explained that she didn't talk to her family besides at formal events. She had no idea that her brother wanted to come back but suggested that he was bored watching from the sidelines and hated seeing Lewis winning everything he couldn't.
Max understood what she meant. He couldn't imagine his life without racing, but Max still didn't understand why Nico would return. The German had already beaten Lewis Hamilton, which was rewarding enough. And it was in the same car, so could anybody really take anything away from it?
"My brother hated always been second best to Lewis," Daisy told Max, who was chewing on the steak he had ordered. "In racing, in life, and then with me." She smirked.
The Dutchman rolled his eyes. He was tired of seeing Daisy with Lewis, especially as she had been his date to the previous FIA Gala. Max really thought she had wanted to go with him, and Daisy did, although, the moment Lewis turned up, perhaps her attention swung.
"So, Lewis?" Max asked. It wasn't bitter or challenging in tone. "You're playing his game?"
Daisy was unsure how to act. She knew Max had never been stupid enough to believe the entire charade, although she had hoped he might see how Lewis had looked at her. Whether it was fake or not, Lewis had looked at her differently from how one might look at a friend.
The blonde shrugged. "Why do you care?" She bit back. Why was she getting on the defensive? What could Daisy be defending? Lewis had made it incredibly clear that there was nothing between them. It was purely a game of cat and mouse. Although, who the cat and mouse were yet to be determined.
"Well, for starters, I care about you," Max told Daisy as the waiter topped up their glasses and took away the empty plates. "Secondly, I spoke to your brother, who is adamant Lewis would never actually date you. It's all to do with a pact they made years ago."
Daisy knew what pact Max was talking about. Lewis had told her about in jest years ago. They laughed about it. It was easy to make a pact not to marry his best friend's sister when Lewis was 16 and Daisy was 6. However, all that changed when Daisy grew up, and stumbled into the Champ's bedroom at Abu Dhabi in 2017. Besides, Lewis and Nico weren't friends then.
"It's not a game, I really like him." Daisy bit back, still defining the man who had essentially thrown her out of his room not fourteen hours ago. "And I'm not exactly the first to listen to Nico." She reminded the Red Bull driver.
It was tough for the Dutchman. He knew how everyone felt for Baby Rosberg. She was the darling of the paddock, and nobody wanted to see her hurt. However, not everyone knew the intimate details of Daisy Rosberg. Not everybody had had the blonde open up to them, and drunk or sober, the details were telling.
Max sighed. "I know you like him. That's obvious. Even when we were out together, you were more interested in Lewis," He remarked. Max pinched his nose. "I just think he is using you, that's all." He told her.
Daisy knew that Max would play this angle. This was the only angle he had, that being said, it was a decisive one. The model knew better than anyone, after Nico, Max was the one that could pull at Lewis's strings. It didn't take an idiot. Max was the one to do it with if she wanted to get back at Lewis.
However, that was exactly it. Daisy didn't want to get back at him. She loved Lewis and whether or not Lewis loved her, he was the one person that made Daisy feel seen.
"Even if he is, I love him." Daisy remarked, point blank.
Max was uneasy with her remark. Perhaps it was because it was true that whilst Daisy was being deceived, she would never see another perspective. Or was it because Max loved Daisy and had done for years, yet the only person who stood in the way was Lewis? And now he was on the back foot; this was Max's time to shine.
"You love him, even though he will hurt you?" Max questioned, reaching across the table to hold Daisy's hand. She was cold to the touch.
Daisy took a loud sigh. It was telling; at that moment, Max knew exactly where he stood. Slowly, Daisy nodded. "I love Lewis." She said. "Nothing will change that."
"Well, once you figure out he is only in this to benefit himself, I will be here," Max stated. He was solid and abrupt in his words. "Because he will hurt you, and I'm stupid enough to lay myself down to be here when he does." Max pledged.
It was tough for the Dutchman, and even though he kept strong eye contact with Daisy, he knew deep down that he wouldn't win. Daisy had been in love with Lewis for over half her life, and it wasn't going to take one argument to change that. Yet, Max was hopeful. He knew that Lewis loved the track and the drive, and there was often not much room left for a person. It was only a matter of time.
•••
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paddockgirl added a post to their story
'Lewis looked downcast in his lastest story amidst rumours that he has broken up with Daisy Rosberg, the latter whom was seen on a date with Max Verstappen. What does this mean?'
