Turbulence [𝗠.𝗩.]

■ England, Summer Shutdown, Day Ten ■

Valtteri, put your arse away. - @JessicaBond57

@JessicaBond57 That's literally impossible for him - @LandoNorris

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ENGLAND
SUMMER SHUTDOWN
AUGUST

The shower might be hot, but it feels oddly cool against my skin. Max's hands gently roam across my body, and I don't have the energy to make a sound. Oversensitivity keeps me feeling light-headed. I keep a hand against the warming tiles so I can stay upright; he wraps one arm around my waist, pulling me to him. My body betrays me with a spike of lust.

The sane part of my mind asks me are you serious? You can barely walk as it is.

"We're going to be late." He mumbles, kissing the fresh marks on my pale neck. Each one sends a jolt of mild pain that makes me struggle to stay in control of myself. I let out a strangled whimper that morphs into a soft moan as he keeps lavishing gentle affection on my aching skin.

"I don't care." I mumble, as his free hand snakes up, between my breasts, to gently grip my neck. I'm completely malleable right now; he tilts my head for better access to my neck. I let him. I should care that I'll be late. I promised dad I'd show up for his birthday party.

"Come on..." He whispers, and I hate him for the way it makes my body heat up rapidly. Fuck, in a matter of days, he's gone from the sweet, caring man I was scared to kiss, to a person that can control me with words alone.

"I hate you." I don't. He knows that, he's chuckling at me, still keeping me standing. His lips are on my cheek, pressing soft kisses to the side of my face. My head falls back against his shoulder; I look up at his wide blue eyes, pouting pathetically. "We have time."

"No we don't."

That gets a grumble out of me. He's right. We don't. We'll be late. "Fuck me."

Hot breath tickles my ear as I try to stand unaided. "I just did."

My dad is thankfully far too distracted by Max talking shop with him to notice the high-neck jumper I'm wearing. I don't think he'd appreciate confirmation of what's going on with his daughter and the man he still wants to give a shovel talk. Mum, however, did notice.

And she is currently trying to help me hide the visible marks. Before Aunt Carol appears.

The bedroom has been redecorated since I was last here. Whilst I sit still for mum, I take note of the changes. The walls are now a pale lilac, and one wall has hand-painted butterflies of different shimmering colours.

"It's all over the internet now. We did try our best to make it seem like we knew otherwise, but after you two were seen in Monaco together..." Mum's gently layering on her palest foundation as she talks. Thankfully, out of my parents, she's always been the more relaxed one.

"We knew it would only be a matter of time, it's just, uh... Well..." God, this is awkward, even if Mum isn't at all phased by it all.

"You're in the honeymoon phase? First sparks? Leaving hickeys on each other like teenagers?" Her pointed tone is softened by the pearly white grin she flashes me, letting me know it's only a joke. "Sneaking off for a little alone time every chance you can get?"

"Yeah." I nod quickly, feeling my face heat up with embarrassment.

"I get it. You've not had enough time to settle down and understand how things are. I had that problem with your father. My sister found out too fast, told everyone." She huffs, patting at the highest mark on my neck. "Your grandfather was livid. But then, he was always very old-fashioned... There! Perfect."

"I owe you, mum." I try to smile, but in truth, I feel so awkward.

"Oh come off it. You're young, in love. Better him than another motorbike guy!"

"Hey, look, Ryan wasn't that bad." Until he tried to suggest Formula 1 wasn't anywhere near as real a sport because it was somehow safer than Moto GP. That ended us on the spot.

"No, he's just an arrogant little oxygen thief." Mum starts laughing like an evil witch at my shocked face. Sometimes I forget where my attitude comes from. She can be real vicious when she wants to be.

A loud calling out for my dad makes both of us cringe. Aunt Carol is here. Fucking hell.

"You better go and save your boyfriend from her."

"Already on it." I say, halfway to the door of the bedroom. I need to intercept Max, or he's going to be subjected to someone who thinks she's a cougar, but really... she's just creepy. I bolt down the stairs, adjusting the collar of my jumper quickly, and I sigh as I find I'm too late. Poor Max. He looks so uncomfortable. Dad's in the way, almost like a shield, greeting my aunt with a cheer that I know he's not really feeling.

I dart past the two, straight to Max's side. Carol's beady green eyes are on him the second I do that. I realise all too late that she's noticed Max is grasping my hand tightly. Well. Shit. Here we go. She's going to start asking if she can come to the grid or when I'm going to have kids—

"Carol! Darling!" Mum is a lifesaver. Carol turns on the spot to hug Mum. Dad gestures for the three of us to escape to the back garden, which we do as fast as we can.

"God." Dad huffs as he shuts the garden gate behind us. "What a horrid woman."

"You know, I wondered what was so bad until just then." Max is smiling, but I can see the nerves. Hell, I can feel it. He's gripping my hand like he might be snatched away.

"I did say she likes them young." I point out, as we hear Carol crowing over someone else arriving. "Dad, don't tell me you invited Nan..."

"I didn't have any choice." He says grimly. Now I realise why I was invited. It's not because he wants me, his daughter, around for his fiftieth birthday. It's because all of my mum's side of the family are here, and he wants help, because he barely tolerates them.

"Oh dear god..." I sigh, free hand covering my eyes. "Max... Get ready to meet my grandparents on my mum's side. They will be asking you about marriage."

"And I thought I had family problems."

"Oh, you've got nothing on this family, lad." My dad slaps Max's shoulder, but they both have a look of dread.

Thankfully, Max handles the chaos of my family well. As predicted, my grandparents start asking him about when he's going to propose, and my granddad makes a veiled threat of a shotgun wedding. That prompts Mum to decide to intervene by gossiping about the neighbours.

Aunt Carol... well... She takes her chance when I leave Max alone for five seconds. He gives me a wide-eyed help look, which works. I'm back at his side as fast as possible, catching the tail end of Carol talking about how toned he and the other drivers must be.

I want to vomit at that alone. It doesn't help that she puts a hand on his bicep and starts asking about how much training he does, and how fit he is.

"Mum wants your help with the candles, Max." I'm lying. Mum can handle it all by herself. But christ, Max looks terrified of my aunt. And I'm dangerously close to making it clear that she needs to keep her hands off him. With force.

"Uh—yeah!" He stammers, getting up too quickly. I grab his arm and make it look like I'm dragging him away. As soon as we're out of earshot, I hear him sigh in relief. "That woman is crazy! And creepy!"

"And I'm the unfortunate fucker related to her."