Redline | L.Norris

twenty one

The hotel room was too quiet.

Isla sat curled on the corner of the bed, her heels discarded, dress pooled around her like a memory she didn't want to relive. Her hair was half up, half falling out, and her makeup had been mostly wiped away with shaking hands and tissues handed to her by Kelly on the ride back.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been staring at the wall when there was a soft knock at the door. One knock, then two.

Max.

He didn't wait for her to say anything before he stepped inside, a bottle of water in one hand and a small paper bag in the other.

"Kelly raided the lobby café for this," he said, placing the items gently on the nightstand. "Not sure what you're in the mood for, but they had cookies."

She gave him a small, grateful smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thanks."

Max sat on the armchair across from the bed, elbows on his knees. He didn't press, didn't prod. Just sat in her quiet, letting her be the one to speak first if she wanted to.

She picked up the water and opened it slowly, twisting the cap with fingers that still trembled faintly.

"You okay?" he asked, voice gentle.

"I'm... getting there." She said, "Thanks for earlier. And for not asking too many questions."

"I figured you'd talk when you were ready."

She sat back down on the bed, tucking her knees up under her chin. Max took the chair across from her, arms folded, watching her quietly.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, softly, Isla asked, "What did you mean earlier? When you said... 'he's gone'?"

Max's eyes flicked away, just briefly. Then he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I saw you with him. Saw the way you froze."

"You knew who he was?"

"No," Max said. "Not at first. But I knew he wasn't just some random guy. I know what you look like when you're trying to hold it together. And I know what it looks like when someone crosses a line with you."

Her throat tightened, but she didn't look away.

"I asked Christian who the hell he was. Markus Steiner. He's here with one of the newer sponsors, not even for the racing side, more the hospitality arm. Once I had the name, it wasn't hard to put two and two together."

Isla nodded slowly, curling her fingers around the hem of the hoodie.

"So, when you said he's gone..."

Max shrugged, a little too casual. "I had a word with security. They had him quietly escorted out. No fuss. No headlines. But he won't be allowed back into any Red Bull events. Christian made sure of it."

She blinked, caught somewhere between relief and disbelief. "You did that?"

He nodded once. "Didn't ask you first. I know. But I wasn't going to let him stay after seeing your face. That wasn't just nerves, Isla. That was fear."

Her eyes welled up unexpectedly. She blinked fast, wiping at her cheeks before the tears could fall.

"I didn't even know if I was overreacting," she whispered.

"You weren't."

She swallowed hard. "He made me feel like I didn't matter. Like I owed him something for my career. Like my body was part of the deal. And I was so young, Max. I didn't know how to fight it."