Alaric
I stared at my phone screen for the third time that morning. My thumbs hovered over Nico Park's profile on Instagram, expecting him to post his daily annoying memes, but there was nothing. If he had, the fake account I created to monitor him would have alerted me.
Even on X, he hadn't posted his usual cryptic tweets. No subtweets about certain drivers who should stay retired. No shady stories or likes on old rival posts.
For two days straight, since that chaotic night at the gala, the man who had made it his mission to crawl under my skin had gone radio silent.
It should have been a relief. Instead, it felt wrong. I didn't know why I was bothered by his absence or why it stirred something inside me.
"That is the umpteenth time you have sighed today," Harold muttered as he sat opposite me in my living room, crossing his legs.
I raised my head to face him. He was one to talk when he was dressed in his usual red tuxedo suit as if he were attending an event instead of visiting a friend.
For no reason at all, it reminded me of how my father usually dressed for events. He was a lover of red tuxedos, just like Harold.
"You didn't want Nico disturbing you, and now that he has stayed away from you, why the hell are you worried about him again?"
I groaned, tossed my phone onto the couch, and started pacing around my living room. The memory of that corner hallway kept replaying in my head. The way I had slammed him against the wall, the heat of his body, that insane moment when he leaned in and breathed me in like my anger was something he craved.
The way the lights went out, and suddenly the cocky bastard was clinging to me, begging me to hold him. It was something I had never thought I'd hear from Nicholas Park.
And then he ran. Avoided me for the rest of the night like I was the one who had exposed something shameful about him. Then he left before anyone else.
Why the hell was I even thinking about him?
He was supposed to be the enemy. The rookie who stole the spotlight while I was fighting to walk again. The one who had brought Sophia just to make headlines and mock me. The one doing everything possible to make sure my comeback crashed before it even started.
Yet here I was, wondering why he'd gone quiet. Wondering if that moment in the dark had rattled him as much as it rattled me. Goodness, I had been hard for him. I had never been hard for any man like I was with Nico.
"Oh, you are spiraling again. Let me guess, are you thinking about why he isn't bothering you?"
I stopped pacing and faced Harold. "Oh, shut the hell up! What the hell are you doing here? Don't you have somewhere to be?"
Harold rolled his eyes annoyingly. "Oh, come on. I am your best friend, the only one who has your best interests at heart, and here is my advice to you: why don't you just contact him instead of being miserable like this? I know you want to."
My eyes widened at Harold's suggestion. Had he gone insane? There was no way in hell I was going to contact Nico.
"Harold, I think you are forgetting something. This guy is someone who is trying to stop my comeback."
Harold clapped his hands. "Then stop thinking about him and focus on the comeback instead."
I shook my head. "I can't help but think he is planning something before the race starts. It's just two weeks away, and besides, training resumes next week, so who knows what's going on in his little mind?"
Harold tried to say something, but his words were cut off by the ringing of my phone. I raised a hand to excuse myself and went back to the couch to pick it up. On the screen was Dorothy.
I answered on the third ring.
"Alaric, good, you are awake."
"Why wouldn't I be awake? It's ten in the morning, Dorothy."
Dorothy cleared her throat, dismissing my concern. "The management contacted me last night. I should have called and informed you, but I thought you would be asleep by then, so I didn't."
I scratched the back of my head, turning toward Harold, who was no longer seated on the couch but instead heading to the kitchen.
"There is a campaign opportunity for you at the moment. Apex Sportswear — it's a multi-billion-dollar level. I have sent all the details to your email so you can check it out. They want you and Nico Park for a joint partnership. Something they called the Throne Clash concept. The shoot will be in the Maldives, and…"
I cut her off immediately. "Wait! You are joking, right? There is no way in hell I am doing any partnership nonsense with that arrogant boy!"
"I am not joking, Alaric. This is what the management wants, and the brand approached both teams. They see the rivalry between both of you as marketable gold, and you standing next to Nico will give you an immediate boost in public favor. People love him right now, and we can use that narrative to make your comeback bigger. A fresh start for the big star, Alaric De Villier. It could turn attention to you, and then we get deals, endorsements, and, importantly, visibility and sponsors. Without it, we are fighting an uphill battle against the doubt that's still out there about your fitness and whether you can still race."
"Of course I can still race," I said through gritted teeth, gripping the phone tighter in my hand.
Dorothy sighed. "It's what the management wants. Besides, they still think you are unfit to be the lead driver this season, and…"
"But I already passed the test for that. Why are they…" I paused, getting distracted by Harold, who was drinking water and making annoying sounds.
I glared at him, and he raised his hands immediately.
I heaved a deep sigh and continued the discussion with Dorothy. "So everyone is doubting if I am fit for the comeback, right?"
"Yes, Alaric. I am sorry," Dorothy replied, and I could hear the pity in her tone.
I hated how it sounded and how it made it seem like I was weak, and now they were proposing a campaign with Nico Park. It was the last thing I had expected.
"Alaric," Dorothy called my name softly. "You need this. The public still remembers the crash, which is why they need to see you strong, composed, and capable of sharing the spotlight without falling apart. Nico's popularity can rub off on you. Also, the campaign will be tightly controlled. The only time you will see Nico is when it's time to shoot. It will be only for three days, so please think about the bigger picture."
I rubbed a hand over my face. The memory of Nico's arms around my waist in the sudden darkness flashed unwanted through my mind. The thought of him was enough to send an overwhelming reaction through me, and as much as I should hate it, it felt good.
"Did Nico Park agree to this?" I demanded, tapping the back of my phone while anxiously waiting for the response.
"Yes, he did."
I felt my heart thump at the response. He had agreed? That fast? Was that why he was radio silent? I was curious to find out, so I agreed too. I wasn't going to let him win this one.
"Fine. If Nico Park already agreed, then I will do it. But if he pulls any shit out there, I'll punch him in the face."
Dorothy burst into laughter. "Thank you for agreeing. The brand sent a private jet to pick both of you up. You will leave tomorrow afternoon. And Alaric… try not to kill each other, especially since I am not coming with you."
"Wait…" I tried to ask what she meant, but she had already hung up.
I dropped onto the couch, staring at the ceiling. Just then, Harold walked back into the living room, the glass of water still in his hand as if he hadn't drunk from it.
"So what is happening? That call seemed intense."
"I am seeing Nico Park again, and this time I will be spending three days with him."
Harold's eyes lit up at the thought. "Oh wow… you…"
"No comments," I yelled at him. "It's just a partnership. The last person I want to see is Nicholas Park."
"If you say so," Harold said sarcastically and started drinking from the glass. "If you are seeing the boy again then you need to make him understand taking back your position."
"Ugh," I groaned and ruffled my hair. "I need him gone." I yelled.
That was a lie because all I could think of was seeing him again.