Risking it all (Lando Norris)

Chapter 27

Lando

I woke up early, the first light of dawn filtering through the curtains. The room was still dim, the soft sounds of Lily's breathing beside me the only noise in the quiet hotel room. I turned to her, a smile spreading across my face as I watched her sleep. She looked peaceful, her face relaxed, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of affection for her.

Gently, I leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, my fingers brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "Lily, love," I whispered, my voice low and tender, "time to wake up. We need to get ready for the flight."

She stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open as she blinked a few times to clear the sleep away. A sleepy smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she looked up at me. "Morning," she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep.

"Morning," I replied, brushing another kiss across her cheek. "We've got a few hours before the flight, but I thought we could get an early start."

Lily nodded, slowly sitting up and stretching. "Good idea. Let's get moving then."

She was out of bed before I knew it, already gathering her things. I watched her for a moment, marveling at how efficient she was even in the early hours. It never ceased to amaze me how she managed to stay so organized, always thinking a step ahead.

As I got out of bed and started getting dressed, Lily was already nearly finished. She turned to me with a smile. "You're always so slow in the morning, Lando. I'm going to head over to your room and pack your things. That way, we can get out of here faster."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "You don't have to do that, but thank you. I'll be right behind you."

She leaned in to give me a quick kiss before heading out the door. I watched her go, a warm feeling settling in my chest. It was the little things like this that made me appreciate her even more.

I took my time getting dressed, savoring the quiet morning. After all the chaos of the past few days, it felt nice to just take a moment to breathe. I finished up in the bathroom, brushing my teeth and washing my face before throwing on a t-shirt and some jeans. 

As I was about to head out to meet Lily in my room, I grabbed my phone to check the time and saw a few missed messages from Charlotte about the PR situation, but I didn't bother opening them. It was too early to deal with that.

I stepped out of lily's room, making my way down the hallway to my own hotel room where I knew Lily was busy packing. But as I got closer, I could hear voices—one of them distinctly angry.

I quickened my pace, my heart rate picking up as I reached the door and heard Olivia's voice, sharp and furious.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Olivia's voice was laced with venom, and I could hear the edge of a threat in her tone.

I paused at the door, listening as she continued to berate Lily. "You think you can just come in here and pack his things? Who the hell do you think you are?"

I felt a surge of anger and protectiveness rise in me. No one talked to Lily that way, especially not Olivia. I opened the door quickly, stepping inside just as I heard Olivia's voice drop to a low, menacing tone. "You'd better watch yourself, Lily. You don't know who you're dealing with."

Lily was standing by the bed, visibly shaken, her hands trembling as she tried to continue packing my suitcase. Olivia was standing too close, her eyes narrowed and her posture aggressive. I saw the fear in Lily's eyes, and that was the last straw.

"Lily, darling, you in here?" I called out, my voice loud and clear as I stepped fully into the room.

Olivia spun around, her expression quickly shifting from fury to surprise as she saw me standing in the doorway. Lily looked up at me, relief flooding her face as she took a step back from Olivia, trying to put some distance between them.