impermissible (Charles Leclerc)

f o r t y s i x

I ignored his antics and walked out past him, through the exit of the club and into the streets of Japan, digging through my bag for money for a cab, "Evelyn don't go!" I heard from behind me as Charles ran after me, I raised my hand in the air flagging the taxi down.

A yellow one pulling up to the side of the road, thankfully traffic was still pretty busy for two in the morning "Ev please." Charles looked at me, his expression upset as I opened the door to climb in.

I looked into his eyes for a moment, sighing and shutting the door to the cab and throwing money into the window for the inconvenience of pulling over "Talk to me Charles, you have two minutes."

He sat down instantly on the side of the road, patting the gravel next to him for me to sit but placing his jacket down first, making sure my dress wouldn't get dirty.

I reminded him as he sighed "Two."

He rambled, also drunkly "I feel like the reason we haven't gotten back together is because I'm not good enough for you, and it physically hurts me because it's true."

I flattened down my dress "That's not the reason, the reason is that you left when I needed you the most, I really fucking needed you and you just left me, and I can't even put into words how much that hurt and how afraid I am that it could happen again."

"But it won't Evs."

I shook my head "But it could, imagine Charles imagine waking up in hospital with your old assistant calling to tell you that you may get sued, your dad finding out you've gone against him again and I've scared everyone shitless."

He sighed "I didn't mean to hurt you."

I nodded "And I know that but you did, you can't change it or take it back and I understand that so just own it Charles. You hurt someone who's only intention was to make you happy."

He let out a breathe again, "I don't blame you for not wanting me back, I'm just blaming myself for not being good enough."

Okay and?

I shrugged,"Well then, nice chat. Im sure your girlfriend will love to hear about this tomorrow, but I need to head home I'm shooting tomorrow."

Suddenly he interrupted me, "Ev I was in the hospital waiting room, the first Damn one there waiting. Your dad went in to talk to you but you passed out, Fred and your dad agreed it would be a good idea for me to give you space and move out. I don't have a girlfriend now and I didn't then, they threatened to take me out of formula one if I didn't leave you."

I knew Isa was secretly annoyed  at me for kicking Carlos out of Ferrari, I just didn't know she would use Charles and his 'fake girlfriend' to get to me, fuck her.

"My dad wouldn't threaten you like that, you're not fooling anyone."

He shook his head "Ev he told Fred he'd tell the FIA he blackmailed you into being on the team and that he'd get me fired from Ferrari if I didn't leave you."

He stood up, his body frozen as my heart pounds furiously in my chest "Charles," I say hardly daring to breathe "What are you talking about?"

He says nothing, until he does "It's true."

His eyes flare with emotion, and I watch the gentle movement in his throat as he swallows, a muscle jumps in his jaw "Whether you want to believe me or not is up to you, but what I'm telling you is true. It was your dad who did this to us."

"Fuck Charles I'm sorry."

It does sound like something my dad would do.

"Marry me," he whispers, I stare at him disbelief and joy colliding. And it's the look in his eyes - the hopeful yet terrified look in his eyes that nearly kills me.

I'm suddenly crying, drunk on the pavement in Japan.

I clap my hands over my face. A sob escapes my mouth, gently he pries my hands away from my face "Evelyn?" He says, his words hardly a whisper.

I'm still crying when I throw my arms around his neck, still crying a little when he says a little nervously "Evs, I really need to know if this means yes or no—"

"Yes," I cry, slightly hysterical. "Yes. Yes to everything with you. Yes to forever with you. Yes."

He smiled kissing me softly on the lips, "I bought a ring, the day after the crash I bought one and I turned up to your family house, security wouldn't let me in. Your dad said I wasn't welcome and he would ring the FIA if I didn't leave the property."

I don't care about a damn ring.

I told him gently "It won't happen again."

"I'm right here, and I'm not leaving." He swept his thumb over my bottom lip, "I take care of what's mine, and you've been mine since the moment I saw you in the club in Bahrain."

A smile tugged at my mouth "I barely even knew you then."

"Doesn't matter. You were still mine." He curled his hand around the back of my neck while keeping his thumb on my lip "Mine to fight with, mine to look after, and mine to love, my fiancé."

"My fiancé, Charles Marc Herve Perceval Leclerc, god what is your mum going to say about this." I chuckled.

He whispered kissing my forehead "She helped me pick out the ring, and for the record she was happy about it. It's your dad we should be worried about."

Pascale actually likes me?

"I will be filling No drinks at this wedding for her then,"I sighed, thinking about that whole ordeal "An issue for another day, let's go home."

"Let's go home." He finished.