PARTNERS || MAX VERSTAPPEN

XXIII

Max POV:

"Where have you been the whole time?! It's been almost two hours!"

Since I got back to my room, Lydia didn't stop asking me questions. She was loud and repetitive. I didn't need that right now.

"Like I said, I've been out for a run. That's not that hard to understand, is it?"

I could tell that she was about to lose it. Her face was red, the voicetone sharp and highpitched. The veins on her neck were visible as well.

Suddenly she noticed my knee. Oh god, no. Her gaze softened immediately, and she got closer to me.

"Oh my god, Maxy, what happened? I'm so sorry for being mad at you! What happened? Did you fall?"

"I'm fine, I just tripped and hurt my knee a bit. Nothing serious."

"But the bandage, how did you manage to find a doctor that quickly?" She glanced at the bandage and then into my eyes again, putting her arms around my neck.

"It wasn't a doctor. Montoya happened to pass by and helped me."

I felt how cold she turned. Her jaw clenched, and she stared at me with her cold, dark eyes.

"Montoya? She just happened to pass by? And she had everything to help you with your wound? Wow, well somebody is prepared. She should have been a doctor then, not a F1 driver."

I shouldn't have mentioned her, but the words just came out of me without thinking. That's the kind of weakness I talked about. When I'm talking about her, I often forget to think before I say something.

"Kind of hard if you can't see blood."

"She can't see blood? But still took care of your wound?" She raised her eyebrows, while tracing her fingers through my hair. Then she put on a smile.

"How nice of her. And you're okay? Does it hurt, Maxy?" With every word she got closer to me until she was completely leaning against me, looking into my eyes, blinking uncontrollably.

"No, I'm fine. But I could use some sleep, though."

"Oh, yeah definitely. We have to be fit for tomorrow." She smiled at me.

Fit for tomorrow? What is she talking about. She seemed to notice that I didn't know what she meant, because her smile dropped.

"The show tomorrow. My show. Which you agreed to attend. Did you forget about that?"

Oh right, that one.

"No, I didn't. I just thought there might be something else as well."

"Really? Are you lying to me, Maxy?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm not. I didn't forget about your show."

A slight smile formed on her lips, then she placed a kiss on my lips. "You have a front row seat. I made sure that you get the best view."
I smiled at her and put my arms around her waist. "Well, thank you for that." Before I could say anything more, she kissed me again.

No goosebumps. No butterflies. My heart didn't skip a beat. This kiss didn't awake any emotions in me.

I did kiss her back. But it wasn't her who was on my mind.

...

Scarlett POV:

"For real? You- oh my god, what?!" Pierre dropped his croissant and stared at me with widened eyes. Then he looked in the round. "Is everybody hearing this? Scarlett took care of Max, even though she can't see blood! People, reaction please!"