“My teacher is nothing like some goody–two–shoes!”
Selene’s retort made Adrian’s heart skip a beat.
So Leo really is the leading man. That means he still has a shot at being the
runner–up.
Selene glanced his way and explained, “Mr. Shaw only got it half right. My teacher is pure and selfless–he hurts, he suffers, but he never complains.”
She noticed Leo rubbing his knee, and immediately stepped forward, reaching into the small storage compartment behind his wheelchair. She pulled out two knee supports with warming patches.
“Let me help you put these on.”
“Thanks for the trouble,” Leo replied coolly.
Selene knelt, fastening the supports around Leo’s knees.
Leo’s dark eyes lingered on the crown of her head for a moment before drifting to fix on Adrian’s face.
Inside the elevator, the air crackled as the two men locked eyes, a silent contest of
wills.
Selenè didn’t notice the exchange, but Leo’s bodyguards, standing nearby, picked up on it immediately. Their expressions grew tense.
Adrian mouthed something across the elevator: “Cripple.”
But aloud, he said with a smile, “Mr. Vaughn, once you get up there in age, you really ought to take better care of those legs.”
Technically, given the difference in seniority, Adrian should call Leo “Uncle.”
Selene produced a blanket and carefully draped it across Leo’s legs, her tone soft as she defended her mentor, “He’s only a few years older than you, you k.
1
Seated in his wheelchair, Leo turned his head away from Adrian, his long lashes casting a shadow over eyes filled with pride and silent arrogance.
If a dog’s IQ is sixty, and a typical person’s is a hundred, then Leo’s was one–fifty–the maximum on any international scale. To him, looking at other people was a bit like the average person looking at dogs.
no ng
Adrian caught the faint smirk tugging at Leo’s lips. His own Jaw clenched in frustration.
Suddenly, Selene straightened up, and something slipped from her pocket and landed softly on the floor.
She bent to pick it up, surprised to find two VIP passes to the international–Grand Prix at Capital City.
As she racked her brain, she realized someone must have slipped them into her pocket earlier, when she was pushing through the crowd to rescue Leo. It was the kind of subtle move business types liked–no public hand–off, no risk of being turned down or attracting attention.
Whoever gave her the tickets would probably show up once she entered the stands, revealing their intentions. But if she didn’t go, the whole thing would simply be forgotten.
Selene’s fingertips trembled slightly as she held the tickets.
Seven years ago, she’d qualified for the Capital City Grand Prix, only to withdraw right before the race. Her withdrawal fractured a close friendship–and she’d never returned to the track.
Staring down at the tickets, Selene was overcome by a rush of complicated feelings.
“Want to give it a shot?”
Adrian’s voice broke the silence. He didn’t ask if she wanted to watch–he asked if
she wanted to race.
Selene shook her head. “I’m not eligible. Not anymore.”
To compete internationally, she’d need to earn enough points in various pro circuits. But after seven years away, her ranking–and her points–were both long
gone.
Her hand holding the ticket/shook. “I probably can’t even…”
Racing wasn’t like math. Math came down to intellect, but racing demanded peak physical condition. After giving birth, her body simply wasn’t what it used to be. For a mother to make a comeback in high–speed racing–it was harder than …mbing Mount Everest.
Leo looked up, his clear gaze settling on Selene’s pale face.
He was a genius–every word he spoke was gospel, every decision flawless.
09:06
But there was one thing in his life he regretted.
He’d let Selene choose Harrison.
Con grande y
