The Paddock Pact

Chapter 9: The European Rider

POV: Anya

I walked into arrivals at Graz airport. It was super loud and crowded, smelling like a mix of jet fuel and overpriced coffee. Pulling my carry-on suitcase through the gate, I felt like I was stepping off a cliff. I told myself it was fine—it was only for one weekend. I'd do my part in Austria, get a break from my routine, and head straight back to my quiet life in Warsaw.

I thought someone like a driver would be waiting for me with a sign. Instead, I met a woman who looked like she ran the world in her spare time. She wore a team polo, white trousers, and had her blonde hair scraped back into a slick bun. Her eyes locked onto me instantly.

"Anya?" she asked, walking over. Her voice was smooth and purely business—absolutely zero warmth. "I'm Sarah, Head of Communications. Follow me, please. We don't have much time."

We walked out to a silver team SUV waiting right outside the terminal. As the doors shut, blocking out the airport noise, Sarah opened a leather folder and handed me a contract with a pen.

"This is your agreement for the rest of the European races," Sarah said as the car pulled onto the highway. "Austria, Silverstone, Spa, and Monza."

I froze. The pen hovered over the page. I wasn't looking at the contract—I was looking at Sarah.

"There's a mistake," I said, keeping my voice flat. "My deal with Mateo was for Austria. One weekend. This is two months."

Sarah didn't even look up from her tablet. "Mateo doesn't handle strategy, Anya. I do. If you show up for one race and leave, the media will know it's a stunt. The sponsor has people who check these things. To make this look real, you need to be here for the whole European stretch."

"Then it's too expensive of a lie," I said, pushing the folder back to her. "I have a job. I have an apartment. I agreed to one weekend, not moving my whole life. I'm not signing this."

This time, Sarah actually looked at me, her gaze sharp.

"Take a leave of absence or work remotely, Anya. On our end, you'll be paid very well every two weeks. But let's be clear: if you get on a plane back to Warsaw on Monday, the story dies. We trigger the morality clause, and Mateo loses his seat even before the summer break starts."

Anger spiked inside me. I hated being backed into a corner, and I hated that they'd planned all this behind my back.

"You're changing the deal, Sarah," I said, my voice hardening. "I didn't sign up for this."

"In Formula One, things change fast," Sarah replied, completely unfazed. "You wanted a change of scenery, right? Here it is. Put on the pass, walk into the paddock with Mateo, and act like you've been working with him since January. It's simple. People will believe it. Just sign at the bottom."

I looked out the window at the green Austrian hills. It was a world away from my view back home. I looked down at the pen. Going back now meant returning to an apartment that felt more like a cage every day. I wanted out, didn't I?

I gritted my teeth, pulled the folder back, and signed my name on the line.

"I can play along, Sarah. But don't change the terms again without asking me first."

"Fair enough," Sarah said, closing the folder with a click. "Now, one last thing. Since you were added at the last minute, we couldn't get you your own room. Everything's fully booked. You'll be sharing a hotel room with Mateo."

I almost stopped breathing. My fingers gripped the pen so hard my knuckles turned white.

"Excuse me? What?" I blurted out, losing my cool. "I said yes to this fake circus job, not to babysitting. Absolutely not."

"It has two beds," Sarah said, without blinking.

"I don't care if it has three!" My voice rose. "I value my space. I'm not sharing a room with a guy I barely know. Book me another hotel. I don't care if it's an hour away or has zero stars."

Sarah sighed, a tiny c***k appearing in her cold exterior.

"There are no rooms, Anya. We're in the middle of the mountains. There isn't a free bed within fifty kilometers. If I could put you somewhere else, I would. Believe me, the last thing I need is team drama. Take it or leave it."

I glared at her, my throat tight with frustration. I hated having zero control over this, and I hated how logical she was being. Looking at her face, I knew she wasn't bluffing. It was take it or go home.

"Fine," I muttered, the word feeling bitter in my mouth.

I crossed my arms and stared out the window, done with the conversation.

"Great," Sarah said, acting like nothing had happened. She reached into her bag and handed me a heavy plastic pass on a dark lanyard. "Welcome to the paddock."