Chapter 42 Adeline
Adeline's POV
She turns and walks away, her heels clicking on the concrete floor. I look down at the helmet in my hands.
"She's stalking you," Percy says bluntly, staring at the door she just walked out of.
"She's thorough," I correct him, though I'm less certain than before. "She ordered a helmet, Percy, because she wants me on her team. It’s flattering."
"It’s possessive," Percy snaps. He takes the helmet from my hands and puts it back in the box, closing the lid with a snap. "Adeline, she accessed your medical records without consent. That’s a violation."
"I signed a lot of waivers to race today," I argue weakly. "Maybe it was in the fine print."
"It wasn't," Percy says. "I read the fine print. Twice." He grabs the box. "We’re taking this, but you are not signing that contract tomorrow until I tear it apart line by line."
"Fine," I agree. "You can play lawyer."
"We are lawyers, Adeline. You should understand this shit."
"I do. I just think you're being overly cautious."
He wraps his arm around me. "I’m serious, Adeline, be careful with her."
"I will," I promise, but as we walk out to the car, carrying the trophy and the black box, I find myself smiling. Someone thinks I’m worth obsessing over, and after feeling broken for so long, it feels dangerously good.
One hour later, we're back in our hotel room. The hotel suite is quiet, save for the scratching of Percy’s pen against paper. I am on the edge of the bed, icing my leg. The adrenaline from the race has finally worn off, leaving behind a dull throb in my shin, but I barely feel it. My mind is still on the track.
I watch Percy at the dining table. He has a glass of whiskey next to him as he dissects Sienna’s contract carefully.
"You’re frowning," I note, tossing the ice pack onto the nightstand.
"Adeline, come look at this." He says without looking up.
I limp over to the table. "What is it?"
"Clause 4.2," Percy points with the pen. "The Talent agrees to exclusive residency in team-approved housing for the duration of the season." He moves his finger down. "Clause 9.1: The team manager reserves the right to approve all public appearances, associations, and personal conduct." He flips the page angrily. "Clause 12: Total medical transparency and 24/7 biometric monitoring."
"You don't like it?"
"Don't like it?" His eyes darken. "This is more of a custody arrangement than a sponsorship. She wants to own you completely."
"She's investing millions, Percy. "I play devil’s advocate. "She probably just wants to protect her asset. If I crash again..."
"She accessed your records before you signed this," Percy reminds me. "Imagine what she will do when she actually has legal permission to track your heartbeat."
I sigh, pulling out a chair and sitting opposite him. "Is the money real?"
"The money is astronomical," Percy admits, looking pained to say it. "Five million for the season. Plus bonuses for podium finishes. It’s F1 money for motorcycle racing."
"Five million," I whisper. "Percy, I can't turn that down. That’s life-changing. I could pay off my mother's mortgage. I could finally be independent."
"You are independent," he argues gently. "You have a career. You have me."
"I have you," I correct softly. "But I live in your penthouse and work at your firm. This? This would be mine. The Ghost would be mine."
Percy looks at me and lets out a heavy sigh as he caps his pen.
"I can redline the worst parts," he says, making a decision. "I can strike the residency clause to limit her control over your personal life, but Adeline, even if I fix the paper, I can't fix the woman. She’s obsessed."
"She's just intense," I dismiss, reaching across the table to take his hand. "She sees potential in me. You’re just not used to someone else thinking I’m amazing."
"I think you're amazing every day," he says dryly, bringing my knuckles to his lips. "But fine. I’ll mark up the contract. We present it at breakfast. If she walks, she walks."
"Deal."
The next morning, the hotel restaurant is bustling, but Sienna has secured the best table.
As we approach, she stands up. She ignores Percy entirely and beams at me.
"The champion returns," Sienna says warmly. "How is the leg this morning?"
"Stiff," I admit, taking a seat. "But the ice helped."
"Good. I ordered you a double espresso with a splash of oat milk and one pump of vanilla," Sienna says, gesturing to the cup already waiting at my place setting. "That is your order, isn't it?"
I blink, surprised. "It is. How did you...?"
"I told you," Sienna winks. "I’m thorough."
Percy remained quiet as he sat down next to me with a grim look on his face.
"Let's skip the coffee talk," he says. "We reviewed the contract."
Sienna’s smile tightens at the edges as she finally acknowledges him. "And?"
"And we have changes," Percy says. He slides the redlined document across the table. "Clause 4 is struck. Adeline chooses her own housing. Clause 9 is amended; you have no say in her personal associations. And Clause 12 is limited to race-day fitness only."
Sienna picks up the document and just stares at Percy over the top of the paper. "You’re very protective of your asset, Mr. Akilov."
"She's my girlfriend, not an asset," Percy says coldly.
"To me, she is the future of the Apex," Sienna counters. She turns to me, her face softening instantly. "Adeline, the residency clause is there for your safety. Tokyo can be overwhelming. I have a compound there. It’s secure and has everything you will ever need before and after a race."
"I prefer my own space," I say firmly with a smile. "And Percy comes with me. Wherever I stay, he stays."
Sienna’s eye twitches. "And here I thought he had a law firm to run. Whenever would he have time to follow you all around the world like a lost puppy?
"I’m taking a sabbatical so I can manage her legal affairs on the road." Percy lies smoothly.
Sienna stares at him. For a moment, the air between them crackles with hostility. She hates him. She hates that he’s here, but she looks back at me, and she forces a smile.
"Very well," Sienna says. She pulls a gold pen from her pocket and signs the bottom of the marked-up page without even looking at Percy's other edits. "I accept your terms."
My eyes widen. "Really? Just like that?"
"I want you on the team, Adeline," Sienna says, her voice dropping to that husky purr. "I don't care about the how, I only care that you're on the team."
She slides the contract toward me. "Sign it, and Tokyo is yours."