I needed to get the fuck out of here before I dragged her away from him, put my hands on someone I shouldn’t, let this become something I couldn’t control.
Nope. Too late.
I picked up a glass off the ledge. Threw it at the exterior wall of theclub without thinking. It shattered—loud and violent—just like my restraint. Someone nearby gasped. I didn’t care.
I turned sharply, storming toward the bar inside. I walked straight down to the bar, and grabbed the nearest full glass before throwing it back. It burned, but not enough. Nothing would be enough. She was still here–withhim.
My knuckles whitened from my tight grip on the bar, trying to keep them from trembling, forcing a slow breath through my nose.
Walk away.
Let it go.
Be a bigger man.
I should find someone else. Someone to kiss or fuck, anyone to get her out of my head. But that was the goddamn problem, wasn’t it? It wouldn’t work no matter how many glasses I threw, or drinks I downed, or times I got myself off—I only wanted her.
This wasn’t just some stupid rivalry anymore.
I turned away, inhaling a measured breath, trying to cool the fire in my veins before I burned this whole place down.
I wasn’t stupid. It wasn’t going away until I had her. And honestly? Probably not even then, either. She was under my skin, in my mouth, around my fucking fingers. And she was pretending like none of it mattered… but next time, she wouldn’t get the chance to pretend.
I triedto join the celebration. Or at least, I pretended to.
Marco had returned to his usual role as the life of the party, holding court with a mix of drivers, engineers, and a few pit chasers who’d definitely flirted their way into the VIP section. The music thumped, drinks flowed, and the whole space buzzed with post-race energy.
It should’ve felt like an easy, normal. A good night, even. But it didn’t.
Aurélie was still with Kimi, her laugh floating over the music, bright and effortless. She looked fucking radiant—draped in that soft pink dress, golden under the glow of the lights, utterly untouchable. Like she belonged in another league entirely.
And she wasn’t looking at me.
I glanced away before I did something reckless. Something that made it obvious I hadn’t stopped thinking about the way she felt in my lap. About the little whimper she made when I touched her thighs. About the way her body melted against mine, wet and flushed.
Marco spotted me across the room and raised a glass with a cocky grin. He gestured for me to join. I knew I should’ve just gone back to the hotel and slept this off. Tried to forget everything that was Aurélie, but I didn’t, because apparently I was a fucking masochist now.
I crossed the space, expression schooled, dragging controlaround me like armor as I stepped into their circle as if I hadn’t spent the last ten minutes falling apart.
“Fraser!” Marco clapped my shoulder. “Look who decided to rejoin the group.”
“Wouldn’t want you to get lonely,” I quipped, earning a few laughs.
Kimi squinted at me, his expression both unreadable and amused. I hated that. Kimi always knew everything, saw everything. “You missed a hell of a story,” he said, gesturing toward Aurélie. “Apparently, Dubois here almost ended up in a TikTok dance-off last night.”
Aurélie rolled her eyes, though her smile stayed put. “Not almost—definitely not happening.”
Marco leaned in conspiratorially, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “That’s probably for the best. The fans are already busy dissecting every little thing you two do. Imagine what they’d do if you danced with Fraser.”
More laughter. A chorus of it. Heat crawled up my neck as I forced a smile. Across from me, Aurélie straightened slightly, her laugh just a little too loud.
“Right,” she said. “Because they need more fuel.”
"They don’t need fuel,” Marco said with a shit-eating grin, pulling out his phone. “They’re running on fumes and still lighting shit up. You know, like smutty fanfictions. Oh! Have you guys readRed Flagged and Red Lace? You two have your own goddamn multiverse now, and it's actively being written. Once a week, we get a new chapter.”
I choked on my drink. Aurélie's jaw dropped.
"You read that?" She sounded horrified. I wanted to dive headfirst over the railing of this club.
