Foggy Mirrors | Max Verstappen

Chapter 28 - THE PRESENT

There was a soft knock on his door he didn't expect, which caused Max to get up from the bed on which he was laying, fulling clothed, not even his shoes removed just yet after the day they just had. He swore to God, he would curse every team member out of this very hotel, if anyone dared to disturb him now, but as he opened the door, already ready to let the person on the other side face a storm, he softened instantly upon seeing Leanne.

She seemed tired, but otherwise well which was a bigger relief that Max thought it would be. Her backpack slung over her shoulder, surely carrying some clothes to stay overnight. And in that moment Leanne didn't longer care if people knew about them or not. She hadn't even made an effort to change out of her Mercedes team shirt. She must have come straight to him after Mercedes let her and Isa go.

Not wasting any time, Max reached out for her and pulled her into his arms, the door kicked shut behind her and the backpack dropped to the floor, but neither of them cared as Max held Leanne so tight, afraid she would disappear should he let her go, while for the first time since Isa had fucked up, Leanne could breathe easily. She was safe now, no one glancing at her, judging her, wondering if she had known and if she did, why she hadn't stop it.

Max would ask questions too, they would talk as well, but she wouldn't have to lie to Max. Leanne could just tell him the truth, no fear of being stabbed in the back needed. No fear of it having consequences for her career or the life she's living. He understood her. He knew her. Max was her home.

"Are you alright?" Max uttered close to her ear as he held her against his body, before burring his face in her hair.

"Christian saw me coming here." Leanne said instead of answering the question to which she had no answer. She couldn't say if she was alright or not. She just knew that Max's boss, who did know about them since they had to tell him after the incident with his father saw her and didn't seem happy at all about it. Most likely wishing them to lay low now, or even end it, but for once Leanne didn't care what anyone else wanted or thought. Not when she wanted to be with Max.

"I don't care what he thinks." Max told her with a snort, as if he thought it funny that she considered that he might care what anyone but her thinks.

"He wasn't happy." Leanne added, as she pulled back, causing Max to loosen the hug, but not end it just yet.

"Can't blame him after the day he just had. But the mess that Isa and Checo created has nothing to do with us." Max pointed out, which had Leanne nod, before gladly accepting the kiss Max moved to give her.

She closed her eyes right away, savouring the feeling, enjoying the softness but also the security it meant. Max wanted her, not even a scandal of that scale could change that. Her family had no impact on him, no matter how bad things turned out to be, Max was standing steadily and calmly in the storm, not taking a single step back.

"I'm glad you came over." Max muttered between kisses and yes, Leanne was glad too. He was her safe heaven after all, especially if she had to share a room with Isa for the weekend, who didn't even bother to ask where Leanne was going, as she unlocked the front door for Isa, who went straight inside to drop face first into the mattress, while Leanne moved to her suitcase and got some clothes only to throw them into her backpack and leave without any further word uttered. Maybe Isa didn't care in that moment, too heartbroken by her own stupidity and rashness or maybe she had never really cared at all in the first place.

"Tell me what happened?" It was an offer, Leanne knew that much. She could decide not to talk about it at all and Max would let it go for now, even though he did want to know. Should Leanne refuse, he would let it go, and Leanne loved him for that, but she also knew that it would be stupid not to let her biggest ally in on what was going on, so she exhaled softly, before freeing herself from Max's embrace and moving over to drop into the loveseat by the window.