Wrecked (Dirty Air Series Book 3)

I’m an idiot. Based on the way Elena stares at me, I should’ve never planned a stupid dinner on our flight from Sochi to Barcelona. Now she looks at me with hope and shit. Hope I need to extinguish since there’s no use for it. At least not toward me.

“Whoa.” Her eyes move from me to the plated tacos and wine.

This totally looks like a date. Shit. “I was craving Mexican tonight.”

She eyes the food, ignoring the flight attendant ushering her to sit across from me.

“Stop acting weird. Your food is getting cold.” I grab a cloth napkin and place it on my lap.

She settles into the seat across from me. “Tacos?”

“Yes. Tacos. You know more words than this, come on. Did I literally stun you? I know I look good but…”

She lifts her eyes from her plate. “I’m surprised. I guess your Prix win put you in a good mood.”

Fuck. I really am a total arsehole. If this is a sweet gesture, I’m doing my job fucking everything up with us too well. The only reason I set up this dinner was because I wanted to thank her for her help thus far.

Instead of expressing my thoughts, I keep my thanks to myself. “Now I know the way to get you to stop talking.”

The flight attendant asks us if we need anything, but I send her away with a thank you.

“So, we have almost eight hours together. Any bets on how long it will take before one of us says something nasty?” I sip my wine to calm my nerves.

“Based on your history, I give it two minutes.”

“That’s the only time I want to hear you referring to me and two minutes in the same sentence.”

Blood rushes to her cheeks. “I walked right into that one.”

“I couldn’t resist.” I brush a finger across her pink cheek without thinking, enjoying the way her eyes cloud and her lips part.

She pulls away from my touch. A smile graces her lips as she grabs a taco and takes a bite of her food. “So…you kept it together for a month already—minus your failed attempt at a suite party. How do you feel?”

I smirk. “The music sounds better on the podium than standing on the sidelines.”

“I’m sure there are more of those wins to come.”

Why does she always believe in me? No matter how many times I brush her off, she keeps up her positive shit with a smile. “Tell me, does McCoy pay you extra to be my personal cheerleader?”

“I should’ve included that in my contract. Probably could’ve gotten a couple extra thousand euros for being your motivational coach.”

“Your loss is my gain.”

She shrugs, choosing to eat quietly.

I hate sitting in silence. For some masochistic reason I can’t comprehend, I want Elena to pay attention to me. To see me as something more than an irritable arsehole, even if it’s for an hour. “So, tell me something no one knows about you.”

Who the fuck opens up with a question like that?

Me, a motherfucking idiot, that’s who.

She chokes on her drink in the most unladylike display I’ve seen of her. “What?”

“Come on, let’s play a game.”

“Pick a different game. I don’t like this one.” She crosses her arms.

My eyes drop straight to her cleavage because I have the self-control of a teen. Hello, brain, meet the gutter you’re permanently moving into. “No. So, tell me what’s something no one knows about you.”

“You’re a jerk 99% of the time so I don’t want to share secrets with you.”

“But think about the 1% of me you actually enjoy. That’s worth it.”

She blinks at me without responding.

I roll my eyes. “Fine. A secret for a secret. I’ll start to give you a little faith in me. I love One Direction.”

She laughs before stopping, probably because of my scowl. “I’m sorry. I thought you were messing with me.”

“I assure you I’m not, seeing as I was a VIP at their last concert. Their breakup made half of the UK cry.”

“How do you have a Coldplay tattoo yet love One Direction?” She points to the tattoo of Coldplay’s Parachute album cover on my arm.

“The same way you love watching Real Housewives reruns and Downton Abbey. I won’t answer honestly if you’re going to judge me.”

She puts her palms up in submission. “All right. I’ll be better.”

“Fine. You can make it up to me by telling me something no one knows about you.” I grin at her.

“I collect snow globes.”

I scoff. “Bullshit. For sure someone knows about your collection.”

“Well, no one knows why I collect them. They only know that I do.”

I lean in closer, intrigued. “Okay, fine. Tell me why.”

I regret taking a deep inhale because her fruity scent assaults my nose. My lungs constrict and blood rushes to my dick. She smells good. Really, really fucking good.

Which is really, really fucking bad.

“Snow globes are special, especially the ones that play music. Those are my favorites. I love them because I feel like they’re a moment in time, captured and remembered. I have some from different cities, one from university, and a couple of others that are important to me.” Her smile drops as if she remembered something unpleasant.

I don’t like the sad look on her face. “Where’s your collection now?”

“I have a small apartment in Monaco where I used to work before all this F1 traveling with you.”

“Have you collected any during this trip?”

She blinks at me. “Nope. Why?”

“I’m wondering what’s your next memory worth saving.” Well, fuck, that sounded dreamier than intended.

Based on the way her eyebrows raise, I can tell she has the same surprised reaction. Instead of waiting for her to answer, I keep the conversation going. Solely out of kindness. Not because I’m interested in getting to know her more.

Bullshit. Fuck me sideways with a ten-inch dildo please because I’m actually enjoying Elena’s company.

“What’s your favorite thing to do in your spare time? Obviously besides babysitting me.”

She smiles. “I like to watch YouTube videos of people doing makeup.”

“Let me get this straight: you like to watch people put makeup on themselves?”

“That’s what they usually do. But they also do challenges like putting makeup on their boyfriends, getting ready with no hands, and doing makeup while getting drunk.”

“Those are some committed wankers, doing that for their girlfriends. I could totally see Liam doing that shit for Sophie. I won’t lie though, I’m surprised you like watching people do makeup instead of doing it yourself.”

“The most talented YouTubers make it look like art. It’s my guilty pleasure.”

I shake my head. “If that’s the kind of pleasure you like, men are fucked. I love foreplay as much as the next guy, but I draw the line at makeup brushes.”

A rush of laughter escapes her.

I don’t think before I speak. “I like it when you laugh like that.”

She eyes me like I admitted I have a secret collection of sex toys. “What?”

“Nothing,” I blurt out.

She lets my comment go. Somehow, we last a whole dinner without arguing. An hour of us getting to know each other more than we ever have. I hate to admit talking to Elena was calming and fun—the exact opposite of what we should be doing together.

Once we’re done, she settles into the chair across the aisle to work on her puzzle. She shoots me a timid smile in a silent invitation.

I shake my head, denying her request. Not because I don’t want to. My rejection is because I crave more time with her. More attention, more of her laughs, more of her goddamn twinkling eyes.

Her shoulders drop as she returns her attention back toward the puzzle. It’s obvious she hoped I’d join. But doing something like that together could give her the wrong idea.

A relationship, even something as platonic as a friendship, wouldn’t work between us. It can’t work. If I’ve learned anything from Liam and Sophie, friendships only end one way, with I love yous and dreams of forever.

Someone like me will always disappoint someone like her. It’s written in my DNA, intertwined with an arsehole gene and other shit that can’t be overridden.

“Hope you’re ready for the next reputation-builder event!” Elena’s singsong voice wakes me from my nap on the couch. I didn’t bother making it to my room because of how knackered I was after our flight to Barcelona.

I lift into a sitting position, prompting her to move away from me. “You have way too much serotonin to be considered human. How the fuck do you have so much happy energy all the time?”

“Says the guy who works out a lot yet lacks the endorphins to match.”

“And let me guess. ‘Endorphins make you happy and happy people don’t shoot their husbands.’” I attempt my best Reese Witherspoon Southern drawl.

“You did not quote Legally Blonde.” Her eyes bulging makes a grin spread across my face.

I bend and snap for some goddamn unknown reason. The giggle pouring out of Elena’s mouth makes the stupid idea worth it.

“You love movies, don’t you?” Her eyes light up.

“Absolutely. I reckon I would’ve been a movie critic or some shit if I wasn’t racing.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. IMDB is my bible and Lord of the Rings is the best book-adapted-to-film series. I’m a cinephile.”

“Oh my God. Ew. Don’t say it like that.” She purses her lips in the most adorable way.

Adorable. God help me because I think my balls have been permanently detached from my body.

I cross my arms. “There’s nothing wrong with being a cinephile.”

“Please, just say you like movies. That’s my PR advice for you. The last thing I need is someone posting how you’re another kind of ‘phile.’”

I drop my head back and laugh. “Fuck no.”

She shakes her head and laughs with me. “Seriously, you need to start getting ready. I don’t want to be late.”Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“Can we reschedule for never?”

“Sorry, I’m booked out an eternity from now, so this is my only free slot.” She taps her watchless wrist.

“Of course, you are. Wouldn’t you say that’s rather convenient?”

“Anything related to you is anything but convenient.” She rises from the other side of the sectional. “Are you ready for what I have planned?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Perfect! Get dressed in the suit I placed in your room while you were sleeping.” She covers her mouth with her hand, but her eyes betray her amusement.

I eye her skeptically as I enter my room. An Easter bunny suit scares the shit out of me, with huge eyes and a neon green vest covered in fluorescent eggs.

“Surprise! An Easter egg hunt!” She claps her hands together exaggeratedly.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. A suit? Seriously?”

“I know. Isn’t it cool? You have no idea how hard it was to find one of those on such short notice.” She leans against my dresser.

“Why can’t I dress like a normal person?”

“Because you’re hosting the event and kids want a real Easter bunny.”

“Bunnies don’t even lay eggs. This is stupid as fuck.”

She shrugs, ignoring my turmoil. “Stupid but effective. We’re raising money to fund local playgrounds in Barcelona’s most underserved areas.”

Damn, I nearly give into her stupid bunny suit request based on the way her eyes light up at the idea of donating money to children in need.

Nearly being the essential word.

“I’m not wearing that. I refuse.” I shake my head.

She wobbles her lip on command and clasps her hands together in mock prayer. “Please? Think of the little kids. They’ll want to take pictures with a real bunny and have fun. Plus, the parents are donating lots of money to find eggs on the racetrack with you.”

“What do I get out of this?”

“Besides fundraising for kids from impoverished neighborhoods who deserve new, safe playground equipment?”

When she puts it that way, I sound like the biggest dick. But the bunny suit is horrendous, and one whiff in its direction tells me it smells offensive. “I get to cash in on one favor from you.”

“What kind of favor?” Elena’s eyes widen.

“Not the sexual kind based on the look of horror in your eyes. Anything is on the table, as long as it isn’t illegal.”

“Fine. Nothing illegal, nothing sexual, and nothing that can make me lose my job.” She holds her hand out to me.

I grasp it, enjoying the feel of her hand in mine. “Deal.”

“I’ll be damned. This is the best shit I’ve seen in…well…forever…” Liam flicks one of the eggs on my hideous vest.

“Don’t tell Sophie that.” Noah punches Liam’s shoulder.

“Not another word about this from you guys.” I glare at them despite the lack of visibility from the large headpiece.

“I’ll be sure to hire you for my kid’s birthday one day. How much do you charge an hour?” Noah tugs on one of my ears.

“I’m retiring after this. If you want to book me, I hope you’re okay with your kiddos learning every foul word in the dictionary.”

“If my kid learns bad words from you, I didn’t do my job as a father.” Noah smiles at me.

“Look at you, having a steady girlfriend and talking about kids. Does Maya hold your balls hostage for collateral?”

“Asshole.” Noah scowls at me.

“Oh look, Elena’s bringing over another kid. Check out that little sucker holding on to her hand. I think he’s in love.” Liam bats his lashes in a dramatic way that makes me want to smack the back of his head.

Elena looks down at the kid with the most genuine smile. I’m stuck staring like a creep, enjoying how she beams at the kid before offering him a full-size candy bar. The way my chest clenches as she brushes away a tear from his face stirs up a mix of emotions nearly knocking me back a foot. Yearning sticks out to me most.

Elena walks up to us, stopping my inner dilemma. “Hi, everyone. This is my new friend Rafael. Some kids took all his eggs when he dropped his basket by accident, so I told him he could meet the best racers instead of collecting candy.”

Jesus Christ. Kids can be brutal.

Liam kneels down in front of Rafael. “Who’s your favorite racer? If it’s me, I have extra candy for you.”

Rafael shakes his head, making all of us laugh as he points at Noah.

“Of course. Everyone loves the famous Noah Slade,” I grumble low, the suit muffling my voice.

“Don’t be jealous. With the way you’re driving this season, who knows what will happen next.” Noah squats in front of Rafael. He grabs his own hat off his head and signs it before placing it on Rafael’s tiny head.

Elena points at my headpiece. “You can take that off already. I honestly only expected you to wear it for the photo op.”

“And you planned on telling me this when?”

She lets out the loudest laugh. “As soon as the egg hunt started. But once you kept it on without complaining, I couldn’t resist. I meant it when I said it was nearly impossible for me to find one of those at the last moment.”

“Damn, she got you good.” Liam gives Elena a high five.

“Payback for weeks of attitude.” She shrugs her shoulders.

“You’re such a—” I start.

“Kid!” Noah interrupts us.

Liam eyes me as he signs Rafael’s shirt. “You can only blame yourself for being such a temperamental jerk.”

“That’s fine. I got a favor out of this one.” I smile wickedly at Elena once I tug off the bunny head.

Her mouth falls open as she gazes at my friends. “It’s nothing bad or anything!”

Rafael smiles at me and gives my leg a hug. I awkwardly pat his head, unsure how to act around kids.

Liam shakes his head at Elena. “We’re not the type to judge.”

“Yeah, and to be honest, we’re more afraid of Jax corrupting you.” Noah’s eyes slide from me to Elena.

Elena throws her head back and laughs. I can’t take my eyes off her, no matter how much I want to. Though I want to hang around her more, I can’t. Even something like today has pushed me closer than I should be with her.

When push comes to shove, I’m the first one to hit the road running. And I’m the type who doesn’t look back.