Race for the Throne | Formula One

41. Dare

The group was escorted to a seating area roped off from the rest of the club. Lando, Danny, and Charles went to grab our drinks. I sat on a couch between the two Maxes. They already knew each other and it was entertaining watching them joke with each other. Heidi and Ines rushed up to me as a song that we all loved started playing. They grabbed my hands and pulled me onto the dance floor. We jumped and swayed to the music, shouting the lyrics. I noticed Charles watching me as he rejoined the others in the roped off area. Swaying my hips suggestively, I beckoned for him to join us. He rolled his eyes good naturedly before joining our little group with Lando and Danny. Putting his hands on my hips, he stood behind me.

"Are you having fun, love?" his mouth brushed my ear so that I could hear him over the noise of the club. "I know you haven't seen the girls in a while."

I backed against him, as if the crowd jostled me into him. He hissed softly as I rubbed against him. I smirked.

His grip on my hips tightened and he kissed behind my ear. "Two can play this game."

I bit my lip and pressed closer against his chest before pulling away from him and going back to our sitting area. I grabbed a drink and downed it. Ines, Heidi, and I made a quick trip to the restroom when we got a text from the guys. We made our way to the new, completely private sitting area they had claimed on the roof. They were seated on couches around the table. I stood next to Charles, he brushed his hand down my wrist before leading me to sit on his lap.

"Ok drinking game!" Lando took a tray of drinks for the waiter.

"Truth or dare or drink!" Ines practically bounced in her seat next to Lando.

I laughed. "I have to take some precautions first."

After a quick text to Mateo and Alvaro to guard the door to the roof and to make sure no one could see us, we started the game.

Lando turned to Max V. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to call Christian Horner and tell him you can't talk right now before hanging up."

Max looked at him, aghast. "I'll get fired!"

"Mate, you're Max fucking Verstappen, you're not going to get fired over a prank call!" Max F laughed. "You could always just take the drink instead."

The other Max shook his head. "I don't back down from a challenge."

We all went silent as the phone rang.

"Hello?" a very confused Chrisitan Honer answered the phone.

"Sorry, can't talk right now." Max V hung up the phone quickly.

We all burst out laughing, we didn't care how childish it was, we were having fun. The game continued, some challenges were childish while others bordered a bit more spicy to say the least. Daniel challenged me to give Charles a lap dance, thinking for sure I would take the drink. I shocked them all, especially Charles, by taking the challenge. Heidi dared Ines to take a body shot off of Lando and Lando took a shot rather than admit to Charles which Max he favored. Max F allowed himself to blindfolded for the entirety of the next round of the game and Daniel agreed to let me pick out his next tattoo. The game continued for another hour as we all got drunker, taking drinks regardless of if we completed a challenge or not. Lando stood up only to stumble backwards back into his seat.

"Lando's drunk." Daniel laughed.

"You're drunk." Heidi pointed at him.

"Aren't we all though?" he asked.

I called for Mateo and he helped us all down to the car. He made his rounds, dropping everyone off where they were staying. Charles and I weren't as drunk as some of the others but we were both definitely buzzed.

"Don't take us home yet, I want to look at the stars." I pulled on a sweatshirt over my dress because the night had gotten quite chilly.

"You called my place home." Charles rested his hand on my thigh.

"Well yeah, anywhere with you is home and that's your home so it's my home."

Mateo parked at an empty lot so that we could get out and look at the stars. I stood in the middle of the lot, staring up at the sky. When I looked back at Charles, he had his phone out, capturing a photo.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I breathed.

"It really is." He smiled at me.

"I meant the sky, silly."

"And I meant you." He took my hand in his.

"Let's go to the ocean!" I pointed to the water with my free hand, leading him towards the shore.

I pulled the sweatshirt off and waded into the water.

"Hey, wait, the water is too cold for this," Charles complained but still followed me.

He caught up to me when I was waist deep, wrapping his arms around me.

"Do you want to know a secret?" I asked him.

He leaned down so that he could hear me better.

"There's no one else I'd rather be here with," I admitted.

He brushed his thumb across my bottom lip. "There's no one else I'd rather be here with either."

I wrapped my arms around him and he cupped the back of my head. He kissed me passionately.

I pulled back breathlessly a few moments later. "We should probably head back."

We started walking back to shore. My foot got caught in the sand and I sprawled out in the water. Charles laughed and offered me his hand. I lost my balance again as he helped me up, knocking him off balance as well and into the water with me. We both burst out laughing. He reached down and pulled my shoes off before helping me up. Carrying both of our shoes in one hand, he held my hand with his other as we made it back to the car.

Mateo handed me the sweatshirt I had taken off previously. "I sent you a picture you might like."

"Thanks Teo, you're the best."

I cuddled against Charles during the drive back to his apartment. Mateo opened the door for us. I trailed my hand over Charles' lap as I slid out of the car.

"Good night, Teo!" I called over my shoulder as I sauntered up the stairs.

I could feel Charles following close behind me as Mateo chuckled in the background.