Right On Track

Chapter 66

Carlos Sainz

"What the..."Carlos watched as Kiara looked down at the glass in her hand,blinking.Whether it was her third drink or more,it didn't seem like she could tell.
Carlos dragged a hand through his hair,sitting beside her on the couch of the booth they were seated at.To Kiara's right,Ivy and Lando sat together,in their own conversation.Ivy was clearly slurring every word and blurting out random things to Lando,who was still more sober than her.
Kiara mumbled someone under her breath,then downed the rest of her drink.She had admitted it aloud that Carlos was right about it helping to distract her for the night.As it was,he had already had some shots with her,though he was still more sober.
"Remember that time we went golfing together?"Ivy slurred,letting out a hiccup.
Lando grinned as she laughed and leaned against his shoulder,saying."You look hot in a golf shirt."
Carlos chuckled as he shared a look with Lando,both of them clearly observing how drunk Ivy and Kiara had gotten.
"Carlos does it hotter."Kiara pouted,not thinking straight as she said it out loud.
"Ugh,no."Ivy batted a hand through the air,then grabbed Lando's arm.At this point,she was fully slumped against him.
Carlos decided to look away at the right time before he saw something else.He had to admit,he was a little tipsy.Though,he wasn't as drunk as Kiara.
She laughed to herself and he grinned,putting an arm around her as he sipped from his drink again.
"What are you laughing at,querida?"He asked.
She leaned back,putting a hand on his chest."When I hit you with a golf stick."
He laughed,remembering it all.
"Oh,god..."She sighed,blinking a few times as she shifted closer to Carlos.
"What?"
"How are you so damn fine?"She turned more towards him.
He smirked,looking down at her drunk self as she added."Can I just..."
He knew what she meant as she stood up,obviously going to find herself yet another drink.
"Just one more..."She muttered,glancing around the club and blinking.
Yes,she was really drunk.
Kiara tried to squeeze past Carlos to leave the booth.Then,she almost fell over.
Carlos caught her,both hands on her waist as he pulled her down onto his lap.
"Not so fast."He whispered against her neck as she fell back against his chest.He held his arms around her body,holding her against him.
"Carlos-"She tried to squirm out of his grip.
"No more drinks."He said,knowing that she was very drunk already.She couldn't even look straight,the flashing lights of the club probably making it more difficult for her.
"You little-"She tried to push off his hands,trying to get off his lap.
Carlos just pulled her back against him,his lips grazing the back of her neck to distract her.
She stiffened,clearly feeling that recent contact as he pressed his lips against the side of her neck.
Kiara bit her lip,giving in and leaning further back as she felt it.He slipped a hand onto her thigh,moving it up her skort.
He opened his mouth a little more,nipping at her nape while she inhaled.
"Oh,shit."Lando cleared his throat from where he sat,setting his drink down.Even though the club was dark,aside from the small flashing lights,he had seen it."Ivy,I think we should-"
"You talk too much."Ivy snapped at him,grabbing his face with one hand and kissing him again.She clearly hadn't noticed Carlos and Kiara yet.Well,obviously,since she was as drunk as Kiara.
Then,just as Carlos was about to carry on,Kiara sighed and paused."One more."
"Huh?"
"One more drink."She mumbled.
Carlos sighed,concern in his tone."Kiara,I think-"
"Please?"She pouted,her bottom lip sticking out as she crossed her arms.
Carlos arched a brow and just looked at her,shaking his head.She was clearly drinking too much now.
She was obviously trying to drain out all of that stress for the night,to drown out all of her thoughts.
And he was starting to regret dragging her to the club.
He knew that if he just let her go,he would probably find her crying on the bathroom floor or thinking that someone else was him on her way back.He couldn't let her out of his sight.
"No."Carlos said.
"Yes."She slurred,trying to get off him.
"Kiara,you had too much already."He said."I don't want-"
"Just stop it."She clicked her tongue,managing get his hands off her waist.
"I bet you can't even tell how many fingers I'm holding up,yet you want to go back to the bar."He said,holding up a hand.
She squinted at him,then scoffed,trying to stand up.
"Kiara."He said firmly as she got up and got out of the booth.
She ignored him and he shifted to move out of the booth as well,standing up and about to move in front of her."Stop being so damn controlling,Carlos."
He grabbed her hand before she started off,pulling her back."Kiara,just listen-"
"Don't tell me what to do."She said,almost tripping as she swore him in German a few times.
He frowned and stepped into her path to stop her.She pulled her hand out of his,seething."Don't touch me."
He didn't listen and gently took her hand again.And before he could react,she grabbed Lando's drink from the table and threw it on him.
Carlos immediately paused,the alcohol now spilled all over the front of his red Ferrari hoodie.
She yanked her hand out of his and took the opportunity to stumble away without another word.
He didn't miss the way her eyes were watering,as drunk as she was.
"Woah-"Lando said."Mate,are you-"
"What the hell just happened?"Ivy asked,rubbing at her eyes.
Carlos,still wide-eyed at what had happened,slumped back down on the booth of the couch.He dragged a hand through his hair,shaking his head."I...I don't know."
"Well,go after her,you muppet."Lando told him.
"No."Carlos shook his head.
"What do you mean 'no'?"Ivy frowned.
"She needs space."Carlos swallowed,shutting his eyes for a few moments and mumbling something in Spanish.
He blamed himself for what had just happened.He had not meant to make her even more stressed than she already was...
He sat there,face buried in his hands as he thought about it.
A few minutes later,someone came up to the table,asking."What is up with the mood here?"
Carlos looked at Pierre,shaking his head."Nothing."
Pierre arched a brow,looking at Lando for confirmation.
"Kiara."Lando said,pursing his lips.
"Oh."Pierre nodded."So,that's why I saw her going to the restroom?"
Carlos frowned."She said she was going to the bar."
Pierre shrugged."Just what we saw on the way."
"We?"Lando arched a brow.
"Yeah,"He nodded."Esteban and I."
"Esteban?"Carlos met Pierre's gaze.
"Yeah?"
Clenching a fist beneath the table,Carlos asked."Where is he now,though?"
He shrugged."I don't know.I couldn't really hear him over the music.I just heard something about going to the bathroom.Or the bar.I couldn't hear him properly."
Lando shared a look with Carlos after hearings that.
Ivy,still puzzled,just squinted up at Pierre."Charles,is that you?"
Lando looked at Pierre and just motioned to the glass in Ivy's hand.Pierre chuckled,shaking his head.
"When did you two get here?"Carlos asked.
"A few minutes ago."Pierre replied."That's when we saw Ki."
Carlos stood up from his seat and moved out of the booth,his expression gone from guilt to anger.
"Woah,what happened there?"Pierre asked,pointing to Carlos' hoodie.
"Kiara."Lando just nodded again as Carlos didn't reply.
"You literally wore a Ferrari hoodie to a club like this?"He arched a brow.
Carlos just shrugged.
Pierre sighed."Good luck getting that alcohol stain off the red of that hoodie."
"As if Mr.Ferrari here won't buy another one by tomorrow."Ivy commented.
Lando lifted his brows as he looked down at her again and she just randomly sprung onto him,hugging him tightly as she mumbled his name and a few other things.
If only Kiara was like that after drinking. Carlos thought to himself,remembering literally most of the things that happened between them when she was drunk.As much as he hated to admit it,something always went downhill.
Carlos looked at Lando,the McLaren driver just frowning and shaking his head.Clearly Lando knew what Carlos was about to do if he saw what he thought.
"Hey,where are you going?"Pierre asked as Carlos started to walk away quickly.
A moment later,Carlos just disappeared throughout the crowd and was gone.
"Stay and watch Ivy."Lando said to Pierre,sliding out of the booth.
Ivy tried to grab his arm,frowning as he started to leave.He just gave a her a kiss on the cheek and said."I'll be back soon."
Lando looked at Pierre."Keep an eye on her."
Then,he ran after Carlos.

Kiara Wolff

Kiara was about to go to the bar,though she stopped on her way.
She steadied herself,bracing a hand on a wall as she caught her breath.
As drunk as she was,she caught on a little to what she had just done.
She started to feel guilty.Not only about the thing with Carlos,but with everything else happening too.
She leaned against that wall for a good few moments,feeling her eyes sting as the first tear fell.Her gut told her to just go back to the table.To go back to Carlos.Though,she couldn't bear the thought of just going back as if she hadn't snapped and spilled a drink on him.
For the second time.
But she didn't know what to do as she sniffled,trying to stay upright as everything seemed as though it was spinning.
She muttered a curse in German,stumbling over to the closest room she found,which happened to be the bathroom.
Everything was just so confusing right now for her.And it all got worse as she thought about her Red Bull contract,the look Helmut Marko had given her at the mention of it.She hadn't told anyone about that yet,not even Christian.
And as soon as she entered,she closed the door and tried to lock it.Though,in her state,she fumbled with the lock and eventually gave up,staggering away from the door and leaning against the nearest wall.
From across the room,she looked at the mirror above the sink,even though it was literally just a blur to her.
"You're fucking stupid,Kiara."She mocked herself a few times,eventually slumping down on the floor and leaning against the wall.She swallowed as she started to wonder whether she had just ruined so many things by snapping at Carlos.Would he even forgive her for that?
A few moments later,she got down to the crying,letting out multiple hiccups as she felt her makeup smudge with the streams of tears.She dragged a hand through her hair,her breathing a little heavy as she felt absolutely dizzy with all that alcohol.
"Kiara?"The bathroom door opened.
Kiara sniffled,letting out a whimper.
He quickly rushed in,concern written all over his face as he knelt down in front of her.
"Kiara-"
"I'm sorry."She cried out,dragging a hand over her face.
"No,don't say that."He shook his head,putting his hands around her as he pulled her against him.
She grabbed onto him,hugging him tightly as she breathed out."I'm sorry.I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Shh,it's okay."He rubbed a hand up and down her back,trying to comfort her as she sobbed on his shoulder.They sat like that for a while,with him trying to comfort her.
She said so many things in the process,which was obviously a result of the alcohol.
"Come on."He said,lifting her to her feet along with him as he started to stand up."Kiara,look at me."
She could barely even stand straight,her face damp with tears,her makeup smudged.
He put both hands on on her arms,looking down at her.
"It's okay."He said,moving a hand to wipe away some of the tears."You're okay."
"No..."She sniffled,only staying steady because of his hold on her.
"Let's get out of here."He swallowed,pressing a kiss to her forehead.
He put an arm around her,keeping her upright as he started to lead her out of the bathroom.
"Need help with anything?"Someone asked from the doorway,their arms crossed as they stood there and watched.
Kiara had to blink a few times to catch a glimpse of who it was.
"We're going to the hotel."Carlos replied to Lando as he held Kiara closely.
Lando nodded,stepping aside for them.
As they passed Lando,Carlos shared a look with him,saying."He wasn't here."
"Good thing."Lando said."Or else I would have to intercept a club fight for the first time."
Kiara ignored that,not knowing what the hell they were talking about as she huddled against Carlos,holding his arm.
"Don't worry,cariño."Carlos said as they started off."I'm here for you."