RED LINE [3]

13:00

Madeline Scott:

"What have you done?"

A voice came from the other end of the garage – we were only minutes away until practice and dealing with two hormonal teenagers was proving rather difficult.

I turn in my chair, a scowl on my face as I take the headset off, Andrew beside me was already looking at who was edging closer, his face a reflection of what mine looked like.

Charles was storming towards us, Amanda looking rather tired as she tries her best to keep up with his long strides. The shirt he was wearing was clinging to his arms, his hair longer than how I remembered he kept it, with his eyes clouded in rage as he edged closer.

I hold my arm out, stopping him a few feet away from me, "are you suddenly a member of this team? I don't recall hiring you, so get out." My words edged with spitefulness, throwing his wife's words back at him.

A vein in his neck was prominent, his face slightly flushed as he stood before me – I moved my hair over my shoulder, turning back to look at the screen in front of me, Andrew still glaring at Charles who hadn't moved.

"Madeline what did you say to her?" he was close now, right behind me, his hot breath fanning across my collar, his lips barely a centimetre away from my ear as he spoke. My breathing hitched in my throat as I closed my eyes, trying not to let my brain transport me to distant memories.

It had been years since we had been this close together, sharing an intimate moment in front of the whole garage was not something I was willing to do, given he also had a wife I wasn't fond of – a wheel gun flaring off in the garage forces my eyes wide open, reminding me of where I was.

I spin on my chair again, almost smacking into him, "I didn't say anything that wasn't fired at me first, she wanted a fight, I gave it to her – it's not my fault she cant take a blow even though she gave the first punch." I spat at him, my nose scrunched as I looked at him with disgust.

She must have lied and relayed an untrue story as his face look unpleasant and cold as I looked back at him, "you threatened my wife."

I almost laughed in his face, actually, I did laugh in his face, a hand flying to my mouth as I tried to contain myself, Andrew now looking extremely uncomfortable and concerned as I clap my hands together.

"Oh Charles," I point my finger at him, nodding, "you're comical, you really are," I stand from the stool, walking around him and towards the back of the garage, "if team principle doesn't work out for you Leclerc, stand up comedy should be your next gig," I called behind me, not knowing if he was following me or not.

I feel him grab my upper arm, pulling me behind the headset wall and into the tech room, which was vacant, the lights low with only a subtle red hue, glowing from the LED's behind the work top benches. His other hand came into contact with my other arm, pushing me gently against the wall.

"You can't pick and choose when you're married Charles." I spoke softly, the breath in my lungs evaporating as he cups the side of my face, his other hand gripping my hip, dangerously low.

This was wrong and I knew, anyone could walk in at any point. The last time I checked there was only twenty minutes until the practice begun, how would the media paint us out if the Ferrari and Audi principles were both missing?

"You're making it hard for me to leave you alone Madeline," he breathed out, his lips running across the side of my face, my body's natural reaction was to lean my head the opposite way, giving in to his touch as my skin set alight, my bones aching for him, yearning.