The Limit (Sebastian Vettel)

19. The Land Down Under

Seb smiled as he saw the familiar figure of the race director, Charlie Whiting, heading towards him as he stood on the start/finish line waiting for Antti to finish talking to Mark, Kimi's trainer. 

"Charlie, how are you?"

"Can't complain Sebastian," he replied. "How are you? All recovered from your crash?"

"I feel good thanks Charlie. I was a little sore the morning after, but otherwise all good."

They began to walk down towards Turn 1, chatting away about life in general.

Lily watched until they were out of sight before starting out on her own track walk. The last thing she wanted was to speak to Seb.

"It's strange being here in Melbourne again isn't it?" Joel said. "I felt so weird the first time I was back."

Lily nodded but didn't answer. Since landing in Australia two days earlier all she'd been able to think about was her dad.

She knew Joel and Poppy had been to his grave the previous evening but she hadn't been able to bring herself to join them. She couldn't face standing there knowing the bones of the man she'd idolised were laid in a box below her.

He wasn't really there anyway, she'd told herself. He was in her heart and in her memories.

"It'll be nice to see Vi again," Joel added.  Lily nodded again.  

Violet was coming to watch the race with her husband and children, as was Daisy and her boyfriend, Kit. 

Joel soon got the message that she didn't want to talk about their siblings, and he began to concentrate on the job they were there to do.  

By the time they'd ended their track walk Lily was beginning to feel sick with nerves. What if she fucked up?   What if Damon was right and she got ditched by summer break?  What if she just wasn't good enough?   

Liam was waiting for her when she reached hospitality.   He pulled her onto his lap and began to kiss the side of her neck.   She hated it when he did that in public, but for once she didn't complain.  It was nice to have a bit of affection here in Melbourne. She needed it.

"Oi, get a room!" her teammate, Kevin called across the room.  She stuck her middle finger up at him.   She and Kevin didn't get along too well.  They didn't hate each other, but there was a weird tension, and she knew that Kevin thought women didn't really have a place racing the men.

"I can't wait to get back to the hotel tonight," Liam murmured in her ear. "I'm horny." Lily groaned inwardly. At least she'd only have to tolerate it for a minute or so.

"I've got to go to a meeting now," she told him.

"I'll wait here for you," he replied, taking his phone out of his pocket.

He was still on his phone an hour later when Lily was done for the day. They headed for her hire car, another silver Alfa Romeo, and made the twenty minute drive back to the hotel.

Lily was starving. She hadn't had much for lunch as she hadn't been hungry then.

Once inside their room, she went to pick up the room service menu but before she could, Liam wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"I've been waiting all day for this," he said.

"Can we at least eat first!" Lily said.

"We'll eat after. Come here." He turned her around in his arms and kissed her hard and roughly. She knew she wouldn't get any peace until she gave in to him. She kissed him back, then yelped as he bit her lip.