UNLOCKED - LANDO NORRIS [Book 3]

21

"Are you okay?" Johan consoles as he returns to the table.

I nod my head and wipe a fallen tear from the corner of my eye.

"I'm sorry. He was so persistent in coming. I didn't know he was going to flip out like that" he apologises.

"It's not your fault" I shake my head, "He has every right to flip out on me"

"Still" Johan reaches across the table and holds my hand in his, "He should have been a little more gentle in his approach."

"Charles has been more gentle with me than I deserve. He's right. I've treated him like absolute shit these past few months"

"You had a horrific brain traumatic injury, you can milk that excuse for being a shitty friend to your grave" he mocks.

I chuckle in amusement as I shake my head at him.

We make it through all of our food and a second round of drinks as I catch him up on all the gossip from Monza, and I know it's getting closer to having to tell him about my expecting arrival.

"So, sounds like you've replaced me with Isadora and Lorenzo?" he mocks.

"Never" I shake my head, then feeling guilty that I've shared the news with them first. "I do have something to tell you though" I pinch my face together.

"What?" he drops his mug to the table in a dramatic sound.

"You cannot freak out on me okay?" I warn.

"Evelyn" he warns.

My hand automatically cups my stomach and his eyes flash down toward my hand. "Ummm" I stumble. "Do you want to be an uncle?" I ask uncertainly with a smirk.

"You're shitting me. You're lying" His smile grows uncontrollable over his face. "Evelyn. Don't you lie to me now" he warns.

I smile and shake my head, "I'm not lying"

"You're going to be a mum! YOU'RE GOING TO BE A MUM" he shouts.

"What?" I hear from behind me, cutting off my laughter immediately.

I turn to see Charles standing near the entry to the restaurant. He makes his way over to our table and Johan awkwardly takes a seat back down at the table. Charles walks back to his chair and removes his jacket from it, cupping it in his hands, his eyes trained on me.

"Charles?" I start to get up.

"Don't" he holds his hand up to me, his eyes drawing down the length of me to my stomach and then he shakes his head in defeat. "Don't" he mumbles again as he heads out of the restaurant again.

I quickly glance back at Johan who looks guilty and miserable, "Sorry" he mutters.

"Should I?" I stutter pointing toward the door.

"Yeah, go" he reassures, cupping his fingers over his mouth like he doesn't trust them anymore.

I rush out after Charles, finding him immediately in the parking lot. "Charles" I shout, gaining his attention.

"Charles" I have to shout again, jogging slightly to catch up to him.

"Wasted no time" he mocks as he turns around and paces in front of me. "What the hell, Ev?"

"We didn't plan it, it just kind of happened?" I defend, "But I'm happy about this"

He chuckles breathily in front of me. "How can you let this happen?"

"Charles, it's not like I'm a child, I can handle this" I reassure him.

"Can he?" he spits.

"What?"

"Can he?" He finally stops pacing in front of me, stopping right in my face. "Is he going to be able to commit to this?" he accuses.

"Of course he is, Charles, he loves me" I breath out.

He chuckles, "Yeah, and he loved a hundred girls before you too" he mocks.

"Charles" I cry out. "That's not fair"

"Isn't it?" he growls. "Don't forget Ev, I remember your past. I remember everything that went down between the two of you" he points his finger right in my face.

"That's not fair, Charles" I repeat, this time on my behalf.

"God" he gushes, continuing his pacing as he runs his fingers through his hair. "Evelyn"

I walk up, stopping him mid pace and collect his hands in my own, "Please, stop this" I beg.

He shakes his hands from mine as he backs away from me, "No, this I can't support Evelyn. This is going to end in heartbreak for you" he warns.

"Then it's my heart that will be broken, Charles" I defend, finding myself getting angry now. "Not yours"

He quickens his steps toward me, standing over the top of me with only angry and hate in his eyes. "No, you already took care of that, didn't you?" he spits before walking off, this time, I'm too stunned to reply.

I try and compose myself before heading back inside, but I just couldn't. In Monza I felt so in control and that everything was perfect and right, and when I came back here, it just falls out of control again.

"You okay?" Johan asks as he meets me outside with my things.

"Yeah" I lie, following him to my car.

"Are you going to be okay to drive home?" he asks.

"Yeah I need it I think" I confess with an unconvincing smile.

He nods as he pulls me in for a hug. "I'm really happy for you, Ev." he mumbles into the top of my head.

"Thank you" I appreciate.

"Guess we should talk about selling the condo?" he asks.

I look at him in confusion.

"Oh, that's right. God, I could have gotten away with that pretty easily" he mocks, "You and I bought a condo together last year, he had it up for rent whilst last season was on, but it's not big enough for a child" he teases.

"We lived together?" I ask in excitement.

"Of course we did, who else is going to take your messy arse in?"

I play shove him in the shoulder.

"So.." he sighs.

"Umm, yeah, maybe. Where are you living now?" I quickly catch on.

Johan scratches his head in front of me, "Umm, I was going to tell you this today but your news kind of took over the day, selfish bitch" he mocks. "Gabriel has asked me to move in with him" he announces.

My mouth drops in shock, "No way!" I gush, a smile taking over my entire face. "Wait, doesn't he live in Paris?"

Johan looks at me nervously and nods his head.

"You don't speak French?" I inform.

He chuckles at me and pulls me in for another hug, "We'll talk later" he informs.