Risking it all (Lando Norris)

Chapter 63

Lily

Waking up in the soft glow of the early morning light streaming into the hotel room, I reached out instinctively for Lando, but the bed next to me was already empty. 

I sighed, feeling the familiar pang of missing him even though I knew he had left early for race prep. The Belgium Grand Prix weekend had started, and as much as I wished we could have more lazy mornings together, I also knew how important these mornings were for him.

I stretched, rubbing my eyes before slowly getting up. My body felt different these days—heavier, but in a comforting way. Like I was carrying something incredibly precious. I had noticed subtle changes last week, but today felt different.

I headed into the bathroom for a long, hot shower, enjoying the warmth cascading over my skin. As I washed my hair and let the water soothe the morning aches, my hand drifted to my stomach out of habit. I closed my eyes, feeling that quiet bond growing, already knowing there was a life inside me—ours.

After the shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and stood in front of the mirror. When I dropped the towel to get dressed, I froze. My eyes went wide, and I blinked twice, just to make sure I wasn't imagining things. 

My baby bump had grown. It wasn't huge, but compared to last week, it was undeniably there. My fingers instinctively reached to trace the soft curve, my heart swelling with excitement and disbelief all at once. 

There was something so magical about finally seeing the physical proof of this little life. It felt like I was sharing this secret with the universe, and it was no longer just mine and Lando's.

A smile spread across my face as I stood there, hand resting on my stomach. But a sudden thought flashed through my mind: What was I going to wear? I hadn't anticipated showing so much this early, and I hadn't packed anything that could hide this bump. 

I rummaged through my suitcase, settling on a baggy hoodie and a pair of loose jeans. It was raining outside anyway, so the hoodie would look casual and comfortable, nothing too suspicious.

Once I was dressed, I left the hotel room, making my way to the paddock. As soon as I stepped out of the car, the wind carried a slight chill from the rain, making me pull the hoodie tighter around me. 

The weather was grey and gloomy, typical for Belgium, but it was still oddly peaceful in its own way. The rain, the race day buzz—it all felt like part of the rhythm I'd grown accustomed to, being by Lando's side through these weekends.

I hadn't taken more than a few steps when the paparazzi swarmed in. Cameras flashing, voices yelling questions at me, getting closer than they should have. I hated this part of race weekends.

Normally, I could handle it, keep my head down and move past them. But today, I wasn't alone. Today, I was carrying a little secret that made me extra cautious, extra protective. My hand instinctively moved over my stomach as I tried to push through the crowd.

"Lily! Lily! What's happening?" one of them shouted, and my heart skipped a beat. I didn't stop to answer, my eyes focused ahead, trying to make my way toward the McLaren motorhome, but the crowd pressed in even more.

I could hear the clamour of footsteps, and suddenly, Lando was there, cutting through the crowd like a storm. His face was a mixture of anger and protectiveness as he reached me, pushing the cameras and people back. "Back off!" he snapped, his voice loud and forceful in a way I wasn't used to. Lando could be fiery, but rarely did he let his temper show like this.

His arm wrapped around me tightly, pulling me against his side as he pushed through the sea of paparazzi, practically dragging me toward the motorhome.