Chapter 14

With a quiet curve of his mouth, Austin stepped in closer,sending a flicker of nervousness through Brinley.

She realized that she should not have entered his study without his permission in the first place-her intrusion had been reckless.

"I..." Her teeth caught her lower lip, her earlier boldness draining away. "I was only asking."

Austin's gaze lingered on the flush at her ears and the faint tremble of her lashes, his eyes narrowing with quiet intent.

Without warning, he lifted his hand and brushed the stray lock from her forehead,the movement unhurried,almost tender.

Brinley faltered mid-breath, bracing for something more, until his calm voice broke the tension. "The study's rather cold. Why don't you rest upstairs?"

The coolness of his fingertips against her skin somehow set her cheeks ablaze. She bobbed her head in a hurried nod and almost bolted from the study.

Behind her, his low, resonant laughter followed her into the hallway, curling around her like smoke she couldn't escape.

Once in her bedroom, she pressed her back against the door, her pulse drumming so fast it rattled her ribs.

It struck her then-Austin had been toying with her from the start. Every word, every subtle glance had been calculated to tease her, to savor her discomfort.

"That infuriating man..." she muttered under her breath,indignation tightening her chest.

In the days that came after, she slipped out of sight whenever he was near, dodging him with quiet determination.

If he lingered over breakfast in the dining room,she carried her plate upstairs to eat alone in her bedroom.

When he sprawled on the living room sofa, leafing through thick stacks of documents, she'd invent a company emergency to escape the villa.

Even on the narrow staircase, when their paths collided, she ducked her head and hurried past,refusing to acknowledge the flicker of amusement glinting in his eyes.

Austin noticed her unease but didn't call her out on it,choosing instead to let his smile curve deeper each time she darted away.

The situation continued until Saturday morning, the day of their planned visit to her father.

Brinley checked her phone and saw Austin's message flash across the screen. "Are you good to go? We're leaving at ten."

With a huff, she raked her fingers through her hair and shot back a curt "Yes" before heading to her wardrobe to pick something suitable.

The sleek luxury car glided down the road toward the Shaw Mansion, but the air inside felt heavy with tension.

Brinley kept her gaze fixed on the passing scenery,making it clear she had no interest in small talk with Austin.

When her phone suddenly lit up with her younger brother's name, she seized on it like a lifeline and quickly answered.

"Hey,Felix?" Felix Shaw's bright voice burst through the line,underscored by the rumble of engines somewhere in the distance. "Brinley! I just heard overseas-Colin dumped you, didn't he?"

Brinley froze for a heartbeat, then let out a soft,helpless laugh. She hadn't yet told her brothers about what had happened with Colin.

Racing had always been Felix's obsession. From the time they were kids, he had dragged her across tracks around the world,teaching her the basics.

In the end, she'd outpaced even her mentor, her natural talent eclipsing his lessons. Her victories in the underground circuit were too dazzling, though, so she never breathed a word of them to him-always hiding behind an alias when she competed.

When she got together with Colin, Brinley gave up the chase of the rush, silencing her urge to fly down the track. She hadn't raced in years.

By the time she came back three months ago,her brothers had been scattered abroad. Reaching them had been impossible.

Brinley had held back, knowing it wasn't the right time to bring up the subject.

Felix's unexpected call meant he'd finally stolen a moment away from his international races to check in.

"No need to worry. I'm doing fine," she murmured softly.

"Fine?" Felix's tone cracked like a whip. "That bastard swore he'd treat you well for the rest of your life! And now he dares to toss you aside? That son of a bitch really begging for death?"

In her mind, Felix was already storming through the racetrack's locker room, fists clenched and temper blazing.

"It's all behind me now," she murmured, her voice low."And... it wasn't him who ended things."

She quickly ran through the whirlwind of the last three months-her marriage to Austin, Colin's constant harassment,every tangled detail.

"Felix, I was so stupid before. I'm sorry."

The silence on the other end stretched so long she thought the line had cut out.

Then she heard him inhale sharply, his voice rough but tightly restrained. "What on earth are you even apologizing for?" He hesitated for only a beat before his voice burst out, brimming with lighthearted relief."That's perfect! To hell with him! That piece of shit should've been dumped where he belongs a long time ago!"

The outburst caught her off guard, dragging a laugh from Brinley.

"But Brinley..." Felix's voice hardened again,seething with fury. "Colin actually dared to hurt you? Damn it!I'll request leave from the team and grab the first flight home. I swear I won't rest until I make that asshole pay!"

"No, absolutely not!" Brinley cut in quickly, her voice firm yet coaxing. "I can deal with Colin myself. You need to stay focused on your races-don't let this distract you."

She spoke with gentle insistence,calming him little by little until Felix finally relented. Though he agreed not to fly back right away, he still vowed to make Colin regret ever crossing her.

When the line went dead, Brinley finally noticed the vehicle slowing to a halt at the Shaw Mansion's imposing front gates.

"Felix really looks out for you," Austin noted warmly as he stepped out first, his voice carrying a quiet gentleness while he held the door open for her.

She gave a small nod, unbuckled the seatbelt, and slid from the car. Drawing in a steadying breath, she started forward-only to feel Austin's hand close firmly around her wrist.