Rules ⇝ Toto Wolff

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 24

♬ No regrets is what we said
We can't go back again ♬

Grace Bauer POV

My birthday last year was my worst nightmare. I had an awful night and I promised myself to never celebrate it ever again. I wished I was dead, I cried my eyes out and I thought I would die but I didn't. Lucky me.

I opened every gift people have bought and I was delighted for this party. I know Toto was the one who organized it but it confuses me how he was able to pretend not to know it was my birthday all day. I went to meet him when I saw my parents dancing together.

"Well, thank you. And I appreciate the party you set up for me. You were able to surprise me, it's highly unexpected coming from you" I say leaning on the table he was already leaning on with a smile.

"You don't need to thank me. You've been pretty useful to the team these last few months and everyone deserves a birthday party" He says turning his head to look at me as the corners of his lips showed me a smile.

"I don't like to celebrate my birthday but this is kind of cool" I look at everyone as they had fun while talking, drinking, and dancing around.

"What did he do last year?" He asks after a few seconds of silence and I look at him surprised. I didn't expect him to care so I didn't expect the question.

"That doesn't matter. I just wanted you to know that I'm thankful for today" I say looking everywhere but to his face, he would know I'm avoiding him.

I feel his hand on my chin, stopping me from looking around. He turns my face in his direction and his eyes meet mine once again.

"Don't lie to me. We are past that. I will be here if you need to talk" He says standing straight and towering over me as he got closer.

"Are we?" I wanted the answer. I wanted him to tell me why we were past that.

"We definitely are. We both know it" He says as he leaned down, his lips almost touching mine, it was like he was teasing me, and I wanted it. I wanted him. I always did. That will get me fucked up in 4 months.

He kissed me and it felt right. It was slow, it was passionate, and it felt like something more. I can't catch feelings for him, I know it, but he is something else in many senses.

"Toto. We need the birthday girl too" I hear Lewis says as he laughed. Our kiss ends but he doesn't back off as I expected him to.

"Calm down. I will give her to you when I want to" Toto answers with a smile and holds me close. I lean my head on his chest and I felt safe.

He is such a big man, he is tall, he is definitely strong, he is powerful, and he is rich. But he never used that in a way that scared me. I never once felt a hint of fear near him. I thought I would never trust a man, but I trust him.

I left his side to enjoy the party, I knew I would leave with him when the night ended. I got tired a few hours later so I went to meet Toto. My parents had left long ago and I wanted to leave too. He saw me and he ended his conversation with Valtteri.

"Time to go?" He asks as he got up.

"Way past my due time. I will see you in a few days, thank you for coming" I say hugging Valtteri so we could leave.

We arrived at the apartment we were renting in Belgium and we did our normal routine. Showered, brushed out teeth, and went to bed. But memories stopped me from sleeping until my phone rang. Toto slept like a baby for a good half an hour already and I tried to do the same until now.

Notifications were coming in at 5 AM, I sat down and picked the phone up curious about who would message me at this time.

I opened my phone and saw that it was Felix. How did I know? He sent me photos of me last year. The text said he sent them so I would never forget everything we went through together. I started shaking so much that the phone fell out of my hands and fell on the floor.

Toto moved around and I was trying to calm myself down so I wouldn't wake him up. I felt like my lungs ceased to exist, I was gasping for air, I needed air. I felt like I was going to die, I felt like no air was getting in and my heart seemed like it wanted out of my ribcage. So I tried to quietly leave the bed or I would wake him up with how bad I was shaking.

"What the fuck-" I hear Toto's sleepy voice as he sat down confusedly.

"I- I'm going to the bathroom" I am able to say but he grabs my wrist.

"The hell you are. Are you having a panic attack?" He quickly starts rubbing my back and I feel my breathing getting easier. "Follow me" He says helping me get up and leading me to the balcony. The fresh air, his calm voice, and him rubbing back had some effect because I calmed down.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry" I say as tears flooded my eyes, now I was just crying and he just held me as he told me everything was alright. I don't even know how many minutes had gone by.

"You have to tell me what happened, this is not okay" He says when I had finally calmed down for a few seconds now. The crying had ended and now I only felt like shit. He ruined yet another thing.

"I'm sorry, he got my number. I didn't know and I was receiving messages and I opened them. I didn't expect that. It hit me like a train and I unraveled" I say with tears in my eyes. I didn't even know he had photos of that, is every moment where I felt like shit with him photographed?

Toto leaves to enter the bedroom, he comes back with my phone in his hand and his face told me everything I needed to know. He is pissed.

"What the fuck is this?" He asks dumbfounded and I take a deep breath. Oh, shit.