Counterpoints Book 3 Read online

  “And what does my girl have to say about it?” he said in between kisses.

  “Your ‘girl’ is crazy about you already” she looked into his eyes and went on “It will heal, the important thing is that YOU will heal”

  “I can’t believe I crashed” he said and took in a deep breath.

  As his chest moved to make room for air, Isabella saw his face cringe in pain.

  “Chris…” her hand slipped down to grab his just then, as Isabella turned towards the doctor, ready to call out for help.

  “I am okay” he squeezed her hand tight and managed a smile. “I just hit my ribcage. I can’t believe I made that stupid mistake”

  “It wasn’t your fault. The tarmac was very slippery. They had to stop the race for a while after you crashed” Isabella began to shake her head but Christopher didn’t let her finish.

  “Tarmac is always slippery, Isabella. If it isn’t rain, it’s because of the oil or marbles here and there. I should know that. I should be ready for that” he went on, talking more to himself than to her. “I can’t believe I’m here and not on that podium”

  I can’t believe I lost control of the car because of the words of a fucking stranger, Christopher tensed.

  But it wasn’t just because of that. He hadn’t crashed just because someone had told him he was worth more dead than alive. Christopher knew that. It was the tension inside him, the things he had been putting off for so long that had come back to bite him. What had his father taught him all those years?

  “You get in that car with nothing on your mind besides driving and winning, you hear me? Everything else stays outside. Otherwise you’ll mess it up. The car has to have your undivided attention”

  That was the reason behind the crash. He had been distracted by so many things – that man, the book about him and his father coming out, the tension between him and Noah.

  “It doesn’t matter now” Isabella said and Christopher’s stern eyes were on her in an instant.

  “I would have won the race today, I know I would have”

  “Shhh, It’s done. It doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you are okay” her lips trembled a little, as she said the words, but Isabella kept her voice steady.

  “You know how many times I drove into that curb, Isabella? A hundred maybe. I know how it needs to be done” he shook his head “I know exactly where the car needs to be, to make a clean exit. I knew I shouldn’t have been on that trajectory but I somehow let the car drive into it. My God, the car. I completely destroyed the car and…”

  “Stop talking” Isabella squeezed his hand and moved closer to kiss him again.

  She was inches away from his face when she said “None of it matters”

  “Yes, it does. I had the race in my hands. I felt like I could do it. I could have reached the boxes to change those bloody tires and still lead the race. If I hadn’t lost my concentration in that damn curb” his empty hand curled into a fist, taking the white sheets on the bed with it. Isabella’s eyes went to the crimpled linen, as Christopher went on.

  “Do you know what it feels like to be so close to something and then losing it a second later?”

  Yes, she thought looking up at him, unable to shake off the image of Christopher’s limp body in the car.

  “I thought I had lost you” she began, her voice almost broke. “I almost lost you”

  “You didn’t lose me” Christopher’s voice softened, as he ran a hand through her hair, while a tear ran down Isabella’s cheek.

  He wiped it away with his thumb and his face seemed to brighten up a little.

  “I know. Just like you didn’t lose Berlin. You didn’t, Christopher. You lost this year’s race but Berlin will be still here, for you next year. You can’t do anything to change all that now” Isabella shook her head, trying to calm Christopher’s nerves “It’s done. But you are still here to try again next year. That’s what matters. Not the race. Nothing else. Just that you are here” she smiled and his hands played a little with her soft, brown curls.

  “Thank you for being here with me” he said.

  “Nothing could have kept me away from you” Isabella smiled and bit her lip.

  Before Christopher could say anything back, the doctor approached the bed, shuffling a stack of papers in her hands.

  “No trauma and no broken bones doesn’t mean you can walk out of here and take it from where you left things, Mr. Taylor” she explained, after having read his blood test and CAT scan results to them.

  “Can I leave now? Can I go back to the boxes now? The race is still on and I think my team needs the support…” he said, his voice expectant.

  Isabella opened her mouth but before she could say anything- before she could inform Christopher that there was no race to go back to- the doctor cut in.

  “I am sorry, but we are keeping you here for twenty-four hours, as a precaution” the doctor explained, her face apologetic. “From tomorrow when you leave the hospital until Thursday, I want you to rest. No training, no physical activity. You have to take it slow. Thursday, you will visit your doctor in London and he will decide if you are fit to get back on your training schedule and ultimately take part in the next race”

  The woman answered some of Christopher’s questions with patience and consideration and then left the room, inviting Isabella to stay as much as she wanted.

  Once the doctor was out of sight, Isabella moved to the side and laid down on the bed right next to Christopher, pulling her legs up on the sheets. Gently, she curled up beside him, leaning her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes for a moment, grateful to be by his side, grateful Christopher was fine.

  She silently thanked life for everything she was feeling and for everything she hadn’t lost.

  The worry, the sadness, the angst had all brought her where she was now, to the point she could no longer hold her feelings back for Christopher.

  Above all, she was grateful her eyes had been opened wide.

  “For a moment, when I saw you weren’t moving” she began to say and couldn’t help but notice Christopher take in a breath just then. “I thought I had lost my chance, my chance to tell you everything I wanted to tell you. I thought I’d lost my chance to be by your side like I wanted to. I was so scared”

  Why did I have to almost lose him to understand? Isabella felt her eyes watery again, as she thought of all the times she had held back, too afraid to live her emotions, too scared of being let down.

  “I am here, Isabella” he said and raised his arm, to hold her tight against him.

  As he moved, Isabella noticed his face tense, his eyes shut tight in pain.

  “Don’t move” she tilted her head up to look at him but Christopher didn’t stop.

  Taking in a deep breath, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her down on his chest, his grip strong and determined.

  “I am okay” Christopher reassured her and the wince molded into a soft smile. “You know what I was thinking when they lifted me out of that car?”

  Isabella shook her head slowly and waited for him to carry on with his thought.

  “All I could think of was you. That I never told you just how crazy I am about you” he paused and touched her cheek. “I am crazy about you. Whatever you are doing to me, don’t stop signorina” he smiled to the side and closed the distance, his mouth desperate to touch hers.

  Isabella welcomed the kiss- his lips burning like fire against hers- losing herself in his arms. She savored the taste of his words and the warmth of his strong body, so close to hers.

  “I am crazy about you, too” Isabella said after a moment and bit her lip, as she smiled.

  Christopher’s eyes brightened instantly then and his grip tightened around Isabella’s waist.

  “That lip is mine to bite” Christopher claimed and he moved down, to grasp her lip between his teeth, making Isabella gasp for air, as her whole body seemed to burn like fire.

  Yes, it is, Isabella thought looking straigh
t into his deep green eyes, enjoying the feeling of her lip pulsing with life, where Christopher had just bitten her.

  “You know, I think we need to cool it down here. Hillary and Mr. Johnson will be here as soon as the race is over” Christopher smiled, their noses brushing, as he slowly returned back to reality.

  About that…

  “They are outside, in the waiting room already” Isabella said and then added “Race marshals had to stop the race, Christopher. It was too dangerous to drive. The rain wouldn’t stop. Chiellini won, Noah had issues with his car and classified seventh”

  Christopher looked down at his hand, as it curled into a fist. He looked up again a moment later, gathering his thoughts. His stare seemed to reach behind Isabella’s back, like he was looking at something behind her.

  “Well, at least the team gained some points for the championship” Christopher said a moment later, his voice a little flat. “Maybe it’s better if you sit on the chair, take some distance. Or Hillary and Mr. Johnson will figure it out” Christopher said, referring to how close they were sitting. “Us I mean”

  They looked so intimate just then, lying on the bed, touching and holding hands, Isabella only a whisper away from Christopher.

  “It’s a little late for that” Isabella looked down, her head tilted to the side, as a small, awkward smile spread across her face. “I walked side by side with you to the ambulance in front of basically every journalist on track. I kissed your hand and followed you here. The doctor called me your girlfriend, right in their faces. I think they pretty much know for sure right now” Isabella said and stayed exactly where she was. “About us, I mean”

  Christopher searched her face, a look of amusement written all over his.

  “And how come Isabella Bresciani is not freaking out about this?” he teased.

  “Because the issue has been outweighed by this” Isabella pointed at him, lying in bed.

  He smiled to the side and bent down to kiss her, his arms tightening around her body.

  Then the room went quiet for a moment, as Christopher tried to organize his thoughts and take in the reality of things. His mind was back on the race, back on that track. He kept having flashes, like his brain refused to let go.

  The race was over, he was out and Noah had barely made it in the points’ range.

  If only the race marshals had stopped the race before I crashed, the thought crossed his mind but he shrugged it off immediately after.

  It was not a good idea to overthink things, to wonder what it could have been if. ‘Ifs’ were a dangerous thing, Christopher knew it all too well. His whole life had been about ‘ifs’, about his father, about his upbringing and what it would have been like if James had been by his side.

  No ‘ifs’. I am here and she is here, Christopher looked down at Isabella again and kissed the tip of her freckled nose.

  “I need your help with something” he told her, as they held on tight to each other in silence.

  “Anything you want” her eyes lit up.

  “I need to borrow your phone”

  “Sure” Isabella reached for it in the back pocket of her pants.

  “I have to call my mother” Christopher said, his voice serious.

  “Oh” Isabella nodded “I know for sure Hillary called her already, to let her know you were okay. Your mother is on a waiting list at the airport in Madrid, trying to get here”

  “Okay” he said, “But it’s my voice she needs to hear”

  Isabella nodded again. She understood, she understood perfectly.

  There was an understanding between Carmen and Christopher.

  In case something bad were to happen…

  She watched in silence Christopher dial his mother’s number, eager to speak to her and dreading it at the same time.

  He breathed in deep and his jaw tensed a little more at every ring.

  “I’ll be outside” Isabella said, as she stood.

  Christopher held on to her hand and shook his head.

  “I’ll be back when you are done” Isabella smiled and walked to the door.

  She decided it was a private moment, something so personal between him and his mother, that it deserved privacy. She couldn’t possibly imagine what it felt like for Carmen to receive that phone call, what it felt like for Christopher to try and convince his mother that he was okay from a hospital bed.

  No, speaking before the race hadn’t been their last time. He was still here. He was safe and it wasn’t happening all over again, like many years ago.

  Like with James, Isabella cringed at the thought, as her eyes set on Christopher’s serious stare.

  Before he could say anything back to Isabella, his mother picked up.

  “Hola mamà, soy yo” he said and Isabella saw him close his eyes. “Mamà, estoy bien. No llores”

  Don’t cry, Isabella translated in her head. She felt the tears in her eyes again.

  Poor woman, Isabella thought. How painful it must have been, to watch her only child crash against a barrier, fate -so infamous and vile- wanted it to be the same circuit where her husband had lost his life many years before.

  She must have relived the desperation, the panic all over again.

  Slowly, Isabella closed the door behind her, to the sound of Christopher’s soothing voice.

  Chapter 2

  Walking back to the waiting room was like walking into the boxes during race weekend.

  From the glass window above the emergency and accidents door, Isabella saw that the waiting room was crowded. Packed.

  There were people in MB uniforms everywhere and every driver in First Category racing, as well as many team managers, like Mr. Johnson.

  Isabella smiled at the sight of them all standing near the wall, exchanging news about Christopher conditions. Everyone was there, everyone that cared, everyone that knew him.

  It could have been anyone of them, Isabella realized, watching the tense expressions on the drivers’ faces.

  They were all there, waiting to hear about Christopher and they had no intention of leaving until news were out, despite Mr. Johnson and Hillary were telling everyone he was okay.

  Isabella stepped into the room smiling, her heart so full of joy she couldn’t contain her happiness.

  All eyes were on Isabella in an instant, as Hillary walked up to her and her eyes lit up expectantly.

  “He’s okay. I just spoke to him. He’s doing fine” Isabella nodded and watched the relief on everyone’s face.

  She explained everything the doctor had told her and that Christopher was going to be held up in the hospital overnight- as an extra precaution- but he was fine. No broken bones, no internal bleeding.

  “Thank god for that” Hillary smiled wide and turned to Mr. Johnson.

  “We should speak to the press outside before we go see him” he advised and Hillary quickly gathered her things, to walk out with Mr. Johnson.

  “Do you need me to do anything?” Isabella asked, helping her with her bags.

  “No, darling. Everything is under control. He needs you. Go back to him” Hillary smiled and walked out of the room.

  “So, when can we see him?” Pietro Tommasini asked, stepping forward a little.

  Isabella looked around the room as everyone stared at her, counting in her head how many people were there.

  Twenty-five, she reckoned as she spotted Robert, Christopher’s engineer at the far back of the room.

  Isabella eyed the receptionist, who seemed quite busy on the phone, and her mind began to work out a plan. A diabolic plan.

  He really wanted to go back to the race, back to the boxes and reassure everyone that he was okay, Isabella reasoned.

  She had seen how disappointed Christopher had been, when the doctor had informed him he had to stay in the hospital overnight.

  Isabella looked around the room again and nodded to Pietro Tommasini, a sly smile on her lips.

  I am so going to get into trouble for this.

  They had bee
n inside Christopher’s room a good ten minutes when a loud knock on the door, made everyone go quiet.

  “Shit” Isabella said and bit her lip, her eyes wide as most of the drivers in the room chuckled.

  “Shhh” she said and giggled a little, walking slowly to the door.

  “Exactly how many nurses and doctors did you bribe to sneak all these people in here?” from his bed, Christopher joined in the chucking with the others.

  “Not a single one” Isabella made a face and then grinned, as her hand rested on the door handle “I might have promised a few autographs, though”

  When she pushed the door open she gaped, a little speechless at Noah standing before her.

  “Hi” he said to everyone in the room and stood there, at the entrance, a bag – Christopher’s bag – tight in his hands.

  “Hi” Christopher said, doing very little to hide his surprise.

  They stared at each other in silence, while Noah closed the door and kept his distance, standing at the far back of the room, despite the empty chairs around Christopher’s bed.

  “Could we have a moment?” Noah asked, breaking the embarrassing silence in the room.

  Isabella turned to Christopher, who nodded to let her know he was okay with it.

  Of all people to turn up at the Hospital, he wasn’t surely expecting Noah- not after their last, heated discussion in Toronto- but Christopher wasn’t going to send him out.

  He was going to listen. And then eventually kick him out.

  “We’ll wait outside” Harold from Chiellini said, patting Christopher’s shoulder gently.

  “No, don’t guys. I am fine, really. It’s seven o’clock. Go back to the hotel. Go have a drink” Christopher’s eyes went to Isabella. “You too. Go sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow” he reached for her hand, as Isabella moved closer to the bed and leaned forward, their lips brushing briefly against one another, while the others started to walk outside.

  “Thank you for doing this for me” he brushed his fingers against her soft, voluptuous lips.