LOCK UP - Lando Norris [BOOK 2]

03

Two weeks had flown by in no time, and here I was again, packing up my life into two suitcases and hauling them into the car Red Bull had sent for our family ready to leave for the new season.

Johan and I shared an apartment and we considered the option of leasing it out this year whilst we were away to holiday guests, so not only had we been packing our suitcases, we were storing away in a unit the other personal belongings that we didn't want left out for guests.

The past two weeks had been spent with me organising all the final details to upload the house onto the Air BnB website and organising regular cleaners and things to make sure the place would take care of itself whilst we were away.

I was determined to crawl out from underneath the Verstappen rock, and although the feeling of financial security was nice, I was determined to become more independent.

"Is this everything?" Johan asks as he lugs my second suitcase into the trunk of the black sedan that has come to collect us.

"Yeah, I think so" I answer, taking one last glance inside the apartment before closing the door and locking it up.

We hop into the car and set out for Heathrow Airport to take us to Bahrain for pre-season testing. We will be spending two weeks in Bahrain as they start the race weekends the following week after testing, which I did enjoy. I know I'm about the spend the next 9 months living week to week out of my suitcase, so the thought of being able to unpack a little, makes it seems less stressful.

Aboarding the private plane, I am reunited with the rest of the Red Bull team who I also haven't seen since last year. I see Nate and Ian sat in the first row of chairs who offer me a friendly wave as I pass through and I already sense the tension in the air.

"Am I really the enemy now too?" I whisper to Johan who is following closely behind me.

"It's fine" he ensures, pressing against my hip and leading me to our usual seat on the plane.

Taking my spot at the window, I pull the backpack off my back and down onto the floor in front of me.

"Thought you'd be travelling in Papaya?" I hear from the seat in front of me.

I peer up to see James, a technician, kneeling on his chair in front so his head is able to poke over the top of his chair.

"Thought you'd be travelling in coach, you wouldn't know how to handle class" Johan pokes.

"She's the one fraternising with the enemy" James points back at me and I look appreciative at Johan.

"Yes James, I'm sure when they are getting hot and sweaty in the sheets they are discussing her brother" Johan continues to fight my battles for me.

"Johan, gross" I chuckle, playfully hitting him in the stomach.

"Sorry" he apologises toward me before turning his attention back to James, "Get a hold of yourself. Max is the driver, not Evelyn, she has her own life"

James rolls his eyes but gives up and turns back around in his seat. I finishing taking my headphones out of my bag and zipping it up before resting my head against Johan's shoulder and handing him one of the AirPods so we can share the speaker.

I pull up Netflix and the next episode of Vampire Diaries we are up too and hold the phone between us.

Approximately 7 episodes of Vampire Diaries later, Damon is still the better choice and we have touched down in Bahrain. I press pause on our episode and place the AirPods back into their case before we head off into the desert heat.

"Uhhh, home sweet home" Johan gushes as the warm wind hits our face the minute we walk off the plane and onto the tarmac.

"You're insane if you enjoy this heat" I curse him, sliding my sunglasses onto my face and tightening my backpack straps, following him inside.

As we make our way toward our accommodation, I've been talking to Lando on text since we arrived, he's already in Bahrain as the McLaren team flew him in yesterday.

We pull up at the front of the Al Areen Palace Resort and Spa, the same hotel that all the Formula1 teams use because of how close it is to the track. It's not uncommon that we run into all the other teams when we are here and they book out the entire property.

I also happen to know that Lando is staying in this hotel and although I've been assigned a villa with Johan, he and I both know that I won't be using it.

"Hello Johan" Mother acknowledges as we meet her in reception.

"Mrs Verstappen, how are you?" he asks, giving her a kiss on each of her cheeks.

"Fine" she hisses, keeping her loveable personality alive obviously.

Johan fires me a look that makes me have to turn away to hide my amusement.

"Here are your schedules, and Evelyn, darling, I know I don't need to remind you what team you are here for this season" she cows toward me.

I simply nod at her statement and collect my paperwork from her. Johan and I split and walk around her, meeting on the opposite side as we head toward the outdoor villas.

"Good to see your mother is a chipper as ever" he teases and I shove him as we walk.

"Okay, so you're in villa..." I flick through the paperwork, "1209" I announce. Knowing the team would have delivered my bags to that room, I need to head there first before relocating them to Lando's room.

"Is Lando here?" Johan asks

"Yeah, they arrived yesterday. He's in villa 1705" I inform him.

I follow Johan down to our room. As expected our bags have been set in the middle of the room.

"Do you want a hand up there?" Johan offers knowing that there is no way I can lug these two bags around by myself.

"I've got it." Lando announces from the door.

I turn around in excitement, letting out an embarrassing squeal as I rush toward him and jump up onto his hips giving him a big hug, like it hadn't only been 48 hours since I had seen him.

"You're disgusting" Johan teases as he flops himself onto the bed thats located next to the floor to ceiling windows.

"I'll see you later?" I call out to him.

"What time is the soul trading?" Lando teases, knowing just how much of a tight schedule mother likes to keep us on during the season.

"Ummm" I think, hoping down off Lando's grasp and pulling out my life rule book. "There's a dinner at 8, but I don't need to be there"

"Oh hell no, if I have to go, you have to be there too" Johan negotiates from the bed.

"But Johan, come on" I whine, pointing to Lando.

"Nope" Johan shakes his head, holding his ground.

Lando chuckles beside me, "It's fine babe, I think I have a meeting as well"

I huff and slag my shoulder in defeat. "I'll see you later then" I call out to Johan as I grab one of my suitcase handles, Lando getting the other one.

Johan just sticks his hand up and waves at my departure. Lando and I walk out the door and up toward his villa. Even though I stay at his apartment in London when he's there, this is the first time it will be for such a lengthy period of time. We've never spent 2 full weeks day and night together, so I'm really excited for what's to come.