Apex | Charles Leclerc

Chapter 34

"Then how am I supposed to speak to you?" I smirked and he sneered at me before pinching my side.

"Very funny."

With it being his home race, a lot of the attention was on him. It took us longer than usual to reach the motorhome and even then, there were Ferrari guests that wanted to get a chance to speak with him.

When we went through the red doors, Charles headed for the staircase on the left which would lead us to the area where most guests stayed. The second our feet hit the landing, someone was already calling out Charles' name.

The first person I saw was someone who looked so much like Charles but he was obviously younger. It'd be stupid of me to assume he wasn't related to Charles. His hair was lighter but the facial features were there. I watched as Charles let go of my hand and gave him a hug, patting the top of his head. The next one to approach was someone who had darker hair than the two of them, features that were sharper but it was clear he got the good genes as well.

"You're Nadia, yes?" A female voice from beside me asked and I turned around to see a woman in her late fifties, blonde hair falling until her shoulders and the corner of her eyes creasing as she gave me a small smile. 

This was his mom. 

I nodded my head and she pulled me into a hug, my hands hesitantly placed over her back. 

"Ah, my two favorite ladies in the world." Charles interrupted, greeting his mom with a kiss on the cheek before moving to my side. "Nova, meet my mum." 

"It's great to meet you, Mrs. Leclerc." I smiled, offering my hand to her and she shook it, even placing her other hand over our connected fingers. 

"You can call me Pascale." She said, giving me a wink and I'm reminded of how Charles would wink. I guess he got that from his mom. From my side, I saw Charles' lips part in shock and I gave him a confused look which he only answered with a smile, eyes glancing at his mother. "I hope Charles has been good." 

"Mum." He groaned and I'm reminded of how a toddler looked when they were being reprimanded. It was hilarious to see him like this, out of control whenever it was his mom. 

"He gives me headaches." I said and I felt his glare before I even saw it. Behind us, someone howled in laughter and then a few seconds later, I felt two hands on my shoulders, causing me to turn around. 

"I love you already." The younger Leclerc said, grinning at me. "I'm Arthur, the most good looking one out of the three of us." 

"Like hell you are." 

"Excuse me?" 

"Language, Charles." 

I couldn't help but bite my lip in amusement as Charles and Arthur began arguing while the older of the three of them approached me. "I'm Lorenzo. It's a pleasure to meet you." 

"Are they always like this?" I asked Lorenzo and Pascale when the two brothers began chasing each other around the floor, Arthur sticking his tongue out before sprinting to the first floor. 

"Yes." They simultaneously answered. 

Pascale and Lorenzo kept me company while the two continued their immature activities. I was surprised to see how warm and engaging Pascale was because I expected her to be cold to me. I assumed she was fond of Rose and it must've broken her heart to see their relationship end and for her son to be in a new one just months after. From my conversations with them, it was also obvious that Lorenzo was the mature one out of the three brothers, not considering the gap between him and Charles. 

We all had lunch together at the motorhome, the four of them catching up and talking about the upcoming race. It felt nice to be around a family once again, reminding me of how it felt for mine to sit down and spend the next two hours talking nonstop. The thought must've shown on my face as we all listened to Lorenzo talk about his recent trip to Mexico because Charles leaned over in his seat to whisper in my ear.