Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Not entirely true. I’m here for Bex too.
Luca raises a hand, trying to calm the escalating tension. “Nash, I don’t disagree with you, but Bex was clear. She doesn’t feel she can work effectively here anymore.”
“Because you let this asshole undermine her at every turn,” I spit, jabbing a finger in Hendrik’s direction. “And Matthieu? He’s a whiny little shit who can’t take responsibility for his own mistakes.” I bend over and place my hands on Luca’s desk. “Now you get on that phone and you get her back here.”
Hendrik’s face turns red, his composure slipping. “If she comes back, I’ll quit. And I’m not the only one. There are other engineers and mechanics who feel the same.”
I laugh bitterly, leaning forward. “Yeah? Name them. Because I don’t buy it for a second. You’re the only one who has a problem with her, and it’s because she’s better at this job than you ever were.”
“That’s enough,” Luca says sharply, standing. “This isn’t productive.”
“No, you’re right. It’s not,” I say, my voice low and dangerous. “Because if Bex doesn’t come back, you can count me out too. I’m done.”
Luca’s eyes widen. “You’re serious?”
“Dead serious,” I reply. “She’s one of the best in the field and this team will be worse if you don’t fix it. You’ve let Hendrik and Matthieu poison the environment, and now you’ve lost the best strategist you’ve ever had. Fix it, or I’m out.”
Luca sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. When he looks back at me, he nods. “I’ll call her, but Nash, if my opinion is worth anything, she won’t come back. I could tell… she was done.”
“Call her,” I say tersely. “Try your best.”
“I object to this,” Hendrik snarls.
“Fuck off,” I mutter to him as I turn on my heel and walk out, my heart pounding with adrenaline. I don’t bother to stop and collect my thoughts—I head straight for Bex’s apartment. I need to see her, to tell her what I’ve done, to convince her that we can fix this together.
When I reach her building, I park haphazardly and sprint to her door, pounding on it with urgency. No answer. I knock again, harder this time.
An elderly lady with curly gray hair steps out of her apartment, a curious look on her face. “You looking for Bex?”
“Yeah,” I say, my voice tight. “Do you know where she is?”
“She moved out yesterday,” the neighbor says with a sad smile. “Packed everything up. Said she was heading back to her family in London for a while.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. She’s gone. She didn’t just leave the team—she left me.
Luca’s words ring in my head. She won’t come back. I could tell… she was done.
Hendrik and Matthieu have made her life at Titans Racing hell. Hendrik wants her fired and is blaming Melbourne on her when that’s just not true. Luca accepted her resignation without any attempt to work things out. No wonder she packed up and went to London.
I take a steadying breath and pull out my phone, scrolling through my contacts. This isn’t something I can fix on my own—not this time, and I suspect Luca is right… Bex won’t come back if he asks her. My thumb hovers over the call button because it’s damn early in Pittsburgh, but I can’t worry about that now.
I push the button and Brienne Norcross answers on the second ring, her voice brisk but warm. “Nash. This is a surprise.”
“I’m sorry I’m calling so early,” I say.
“It’s quite all right. I’m an early riser and have been up for a while. What can I do for you?”
“There’s a problem,” I say without preamble, my voice tight. “Bex resigned yesterday.”
During a long pause, I can almost hear the wheels turning in her mind. “Resigned? Why?”
“She’s been put through hell by Hendrik and Matthieu since she joined the team,” I explain, my frustration spilling out. “They’ve questioned her every decision, undermined her authority and made it impossible for her to do her job. Hendrik practically ran her out.”
Brienne’s tone sharpens. “Start from the beginning. Tell me everything.”
I take a deep breath and recount the events from the very first strategy meeting where Matthieu was such an ass to Bex. I spare no details, including the way Matthieu blew up after the race, Hendrik’s public confrontation with Bex, and the constant pushback she’s faced. I don’t sugarcoat anything, and by the time I finish, my chest feels hollow.
“She didn’t just leave because of one bad race,” I say, my voice breaking slightly. “She left because she didn’t think she could fight them anymore. And now she’s gone. Packed up her apartment and left.”
There’s a long silence on the other end of the line before Brienne finally speaks, her voice steely. “That’s something Luca should handle, Nash. As the team owner, I have very little say in these things.”