Twists and Turns in Monte Carlo: A Formula 1 Affair

{8.3}

Joanne swiftly checked her reflection in the mirror before answering the door. Her hair was a tousled mess, and her cheeks were flushed, giving her that unmistakable post-sex glow. She smirked at her reflection; definitely looked thoroughly fucked, but for fetching breakfast, it would do.

She opened the door, expecting to see room service. Instead, she was met with a surprising sight: Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, head engineer James Vowles, and photographer Paul Ripke, who was rushing to catch up to them, clearly trying to intervene. The four men stood there, their expressions morphing from confusion to shock as they took in the sight of Joanne.

Joanne, trying to salvage the situation, forced a smile. "You are not room service," she said, her voice light and playful, masking her internal panic.

Lewis raised an eyebrow, exchanging glances with the others. "And you are definitely not Toto," he replied, a hint of amusement creeping into his voice.

Joanne smirked back, folding her arms over her chest, the action causing the shirt to gape slightly, giving them an unintended glimpse of her cleavage. Well her not waring pants definitely did not make this one easier. 

"Well", Paul cleared his voice, trying to figure how to continue, "Toto missed an important morning briefing and we wanted to see if he's okay." Paul just there shaking his head. 

They actually met briefly at a race in Europe, so she knew that he already knew and somehow wanted to prevent this, because he already had something like this in mind.

Valtteri's eyes widened, his typically stoic face showing a rare expression of surprise. He exchanged a glance with James, who looked equally taken aback. James, ever the composed engineer, cleared his throat, trying to regain some semblance of professionalism. "Is Toto here?" he asked, his voice betraying his disbelief. 

The very tall woman in front of them left them stunned, they did not expect Toto to be with female company and not her being so young and attractive. 

Before Joanne could formulate a response, Toto appeared behind her, impeccably dressed in his team gear. His presence radiated calm authority, as if he were completely unfazed by the situation. He placed a reassuring hand on Joanne's shoulder, a silent gesture that spoke volumes. Joanne looked at them still with such agony though her eyes, that they knew know was not the time for a bad joke and non of them wanted this woman as their adversary

"Give us a moment," Toto said smoothly, his eyes shifting to his colleagues. His tone was composed, but there was an underlying edge of urgency. He gently closed the door, turning his full attention to Joanne.

"We'll talk about this later," he said softly, his gaze intense and filled with a mix of regret and urgency. "I really have to go." Toto leaned in, pressing a brief but tender kiss to her lips, lingering for a moment longer than necessary.

Joanne nodded, trying to hide her disappointment. "Go. Be brilliant," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

She watched him leave, the door closing softly behind him. 

With a sigh, she turned back to the mirror, smoothing her hair and straightening the shirt. It was time to face the day, even if it had started with unexpected visitors and an unforgettable morning. She chuckled softly to herself, the image of the stunned faces of Lewis, Valtteri, James, and Paul still vivid in her mind.

As she gathered her thoughts, she couldn't help but replay the scene in her head. Lewis, with his amused smirk, clearly enjoying the unexpected twist. Valtteri, who was rarely caught off guard, looking like he had just seen a ghost. James, ever the professional, struggling to maintain his composure, and Paul, who had almost made it in time to prevent the encounter, now looking like he wished the ground would swallow him whole.

<3

As they made their way to the paddock, Toto walked briskly, his colleagues trailing behind him like curious schoolchildren. He could feel their eyes on him, the unspoken questions weighing heavily in the air. It didn't take long for the first voice to break through the tension.

Lewis, ever the inquisitive one, was the first to speak up. "So, Toto," he began, trying to sound casual but failing miserably, "care to explain what happened back there?"

Toto's jaw tightened. He didn't respond, his stride only increasing in speed.

Valtteri wasn't as easily deterred. "Come on, Toto," he said, trying to keep pace. "That was... unexpected. Who is she?"

James Vowles, usually more reserved, chimed in as well. "We were worried when you missed the meeting," he said, his tone more serious. "We didn't expect to find you... otherwise occupied."

Paul Ripke, still catching his breath from the run, added, "I tried to stop them, Toto, but you know how persistent they can be." He waited for a moment then added: "I told you this would come back falling on your feet one way or another." Receiving an interested look from Lewis.

Toto's silence was deafening. His irritation was palpable, radiating off him in waves as he continued walking, his eyes fixed ahead. The others exchanged glances, unsure whether to press further or let it go.

Lewis, never one to let things slide, tried again. "Toto, seriously, what's going on? We've never seen you like this."

Toto halted abruptly, spinning around to face them. "Not. Now," he said through gritted teeth, his eyes flashing with barely contained anger. "We have a race to focus on."

The group fell silent, Toto's rare display of temper silencing any further questions. They continued towards the paddock, the usual buzz of activity growing louder around them.

Despite Toto's clear warning, the questions didn't stop, only became more subdued. "This is going to be all over the paddock by lunchtime," Valtteri muttered to Lewis, his tone half-amused, half-concerned.

Lewis nodded, his eyes still on Toto's rigid back. "Yeah, and Toto knows it. This is going to be a mess."

James sighed, his concern evident. "We just need to make sure it doesn't affect his focus. Today is too important." He turned to Paul but he just mouthed 'later' to him hinting he will fill his colleague in as soon as they get a secure moment. 

As they reached the Mercedes garage, the familiar hum of activity surrounded them. Engineers, mechanics, and team members moved with purpose, preparing for the day ahead. Toto stopped just outside, taking a moment to compose himself before stepping inside.

Turning to face his colleagues, he addressed them with a tone that brooked no argument. "We have a job to do," he said, his voice cold and firm. "Focus on that. Everything else can wait." They tried to remember the last time they saw him like that.

The group nodded, dispersing to their respective duties, but Toto knew the topic was far from closed. The paddock was a small world, and secrets were a rare commodity. He could only hope that Joanne was prepared for the scrutiny that was about to descend upon them.

As he stepped into the garage, he pushed all distractions from his mind, his focus narrowing to the task at hand. Today was race day, and nothing—not even the most unexpected morning encounter—was going to derail him from leading his team to victory.