Fast & Wet (The Fast 2)

I can’t stand it anymore and make my way toward him. “Are you ok?”

He doesn’t look at me. He just stares out the window. “Physically, yes,” he answers. What he implies with his answer, how he’s not okay, guts me.

I reach out to touch him, but he stops me. “Just give me some time. Please.”

I pull my hand back and wrap my arms around myself, my heart breaking in pieces for him, for Alessi’s teammate Lennox, even Jack, who just hit Cole because I can see how much he is hurting, too.

Alessi was a good person, he had a lot of friends in the paddock. No, he is a good person, damnit. We don’t know what’s happening yet.

Liam takes my arm, and he, Mila, and I sit back down. The woman who came in with Lennox pulls a chair to the corner we’re sitting in. Watching her, I suddenly remember who she is.

“You’re the Cooper Media reporter,” I say to her. I remember now, reading about the scandal she broke last season when one of the drivers was busted for doing cocaine on track. There was something about prostitutes and sexual harassment. It took down an entire team, Celeritas, in the end, and was all over F1 news.

“Yes, Mallory,” she introduces herself. Her eyes are red and bloodshot like she’s been crying, too.

“Have you heard anything about how Alessi is?” I ask, thinking maybe she might know. Not only is she a reporter, but there were rumors about her involvement with Lennox Gibbes, but then those online news reports quickly vanished.

“He’s stable but unconscious, probably some broken bones.”

Cole overhears this and turns, “He’s stable?”

“Yes. He woke up, but they have him sedated until they can run all the scans, make sure there’s no swelling or traumatic brain injury.”

“His… spine?” Cole asks, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows hard.

“Waiting on tests,” Mallory rubs her eyes then gazes up at Cole. “I’ll update you as soon as I hear anything. It wasn’t your fault.”

Cole nods at her, “Thank you.” Then he returns to the window.

Relief flows through me that Alessi is alive and stable. I want to start googling medical information on what Mallory has said, but Dr. Google has rarely proved helpful. I’ll only scare myself reading about the worst-case scenarios.

“Are you related to Alessi?” I ask Mallory to distract myself. Even for a reporter, she has way more information than anyone else has been able to get.

“He’s a dear friend, Lennox’s teammate.”

“Right, sorry. It’s none of my business.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m sorry about Jack. They’re all good friends, and they’re understandably upset,” Mallory sniffles and takes a few deep breaths.

“You don’t have to apologize.”

“Mila and I are going to go get coffee. I’ll bring one back for you, Em. Mallory?” Liam asks.

“Yes, please,” Mallory answers. She takes the seat next to me once Liam and Mila leave.

I’m grateful that Cole has Liam. He doesn’t even need to ask him if he wants anything, Liam will just automatically appear with what Cole should be drinking right now. It probably won’t be coffee, and it definitely won’t have sugar.

If I had Sailor Jerry on me, I’d sneak it to Cole, nonetheless.

“Does that one belong to you?” Mallory points to Cole.

“He does,” I look at Cole, his face still blank as he stares at nothing out the window. “Which one is yours? Lennox, right?”

“All three of them may as well be. Can’t get one without the other two,” she laughs with no humor at all, grabbing a tissue from a box on the end table near us.

“You’re a better woman than I am. I can barely keep up with just the one.”

“Heh, just Lennox. The other two are just work husbands. I’m so sorry, I never asked your name,” she turns to me.