Drive me Wild, Rival(BL)

Nico

Finally, we got to Lap 49 of 50, and we were heading toward the end.

Alaric was still pushing like a man possessed.

His Ferrari was still dancing behind me, sliding through the corners as his tires began to degrade, but he was not giving up. He wanted to beat me so badly that it was obvious.

I could feel his desperation, his hunger, his absolute passion radiating through the space between our cars.

"Final lap, Nico. This is it," Liam shouted over the radio, sounding a little excited himself. "Final lap. Keep it between the white lines and bring it home."

"Copy," I said softly.

We rounded Turn 22, the long sweeping curve that led into the final sector of the track, and the finish line was only a few corners away.

Victory was right there waiting for me to take it.

I took a deep breath and slightly lifted my foot off the throttle, letting the engine braking pull the car back.

The Red Bull slowed down.

Behind me, Alaric must have noticed instantly.

I saw the sudden sharp jerk of his steering wheel in my mirrors as he reacted to the unexpected drop in my speed.

For a split second, I wondered if he would hesitate.

But he did not.

The moment he saw the gap open on the inside, he seized it, and his Ferrari roared past me, claiming the inside line.

"Nico! What happened? What is wrong with the car?" Liam’s voice exploded into my ears.

The calm professionalism was entirely gone, replaced by pure panic.

"We are seeing a drop in telemetry! Talk to us!"

I did not answer.

I simply watched the rear of Alaric’s Ferrari pull ahead of me.

"Nico, report! Marcus is looking at the data, and we do not see any mechanical faults! Did you misjudge the braking zone? What is going on?"

I kept my lips sealed as quiet, dark amusement bubbled inside me.

Just what I wanted.

Alaric crossed the finish line, the checkered flag waving wildly above him as he claimed the win, while I crossed right behind him, finishing in second place.

"Unbelievable," Ethan’s voice suddenly cut into the radio channel, sounding completely shocked and thoroughly suspicious. "What the hell was that, Park? You just handed him the race on a silver platter."

Liam’s voice returned immediately.

"I do not know what the hell happened there, but we need to box this lap and bring the car into the pit lane. The engineers are going to need a full debrief on whatever just happened out there."

Still, I said nothing and joined the cooldown lap.

Once it was completed, I pulled alongside Alaric’s Ferrari.

He had already slowed down to celebrate, waving his gloved hand toward the cheering crowd.

But the second I drew parallel to him, he turned his head toward me.

Even through his dark visor, I knew exactly what kind of look he was giving me.

He was not stupid.

He knew my driving style inside and out.

He probably already knew I had not simply made a mistake into that corner.

I had let him pass.

I raised my hand, giving him a casual two-finger salute from inside my cockpit while a slow smirk spread across my face.

Oh, the internet was going to absolutely self-destruct over this.

The media would have a field day.

The fans would analyze the footage a million times over, spinning endless theories about why Nico Park had suddenly slowed down and let Alaric De Villiers take the victory.

I could already picture the shipping posts reaching a whole new level of insanity.

And my grandfather?

He was probably throwing a glass of expensive whiskey against the wall right now.

"Oh, Nico," I chuckled softly as satisfaction, warm and intoxicating, curled tightly inside my chest. ’’You are Insane.’’

Plan B was a complete success.

But if I was going to avoid questions from my team and the press, I needed a Plan C.

I needed a magnificent, undeniable, tragic excuse that would force everyone to change their minds.

I guided the Red Bull directly toward the center of the track, right on the main straight and completely away from the racing line, before bringing the car to a grinding halt.

"Nico, why are you stopping on track? Box the car, Nico. Drive it back to the pit lane," Liam’s voice sounded completely exhausted and utterly confused. "Marcus is saying there is no engine fault. Why have you parked in the middle of the track? And why the hell are you not answering?"

I gave no response.

Instead, I unclipped my safety harness with my right hand, giving myself just enough room to move inside the cramped carbon-fiber cockpit.

I looked down at my left arm and grinned wickedly. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Then I gripped the side of the cockpit chassis firmly, wedged my left shoulder against the rigid carbon-fiber edge, and braced myself.

With a brutal, violent, and completely deliberate jerk, I threw my body weight forward against the angle.

CRACK.

A sickening, sharp snap echoed loudly inside my helmet.

"Fuck," I gasped, biting down hard on my lower lip until I tasted blood as a strangled cry threatened to rip from my throat.

My vision instantly went white.

A wave of blinding, agonizing pain exploded through my left shoulder, radiating down my arm and up into my neck like a lightning strike.

It felt like a deep shattering fracture, as though the bone had completely given out beneath the force.

The pain was a sickening, throbbing fire that immediately made my stomach churn and sent cold sweat pouring down my forehead.

My left arm fell completely useless, hanging numb and dead against my side.

I slumped back against the headrest, panting heavily for a moment before a wicked grin spread across my face again.

Plan C was also successful.

"Nico? We heard that! What the hell was that sound? Nico, report!" Liam’s voice exploded through my ears again. "What just happened? Did something in the cockpit snap? Speak to us!"

Still grinning through the agony, I forced my trembling right hand upward, barely finding the strength to press the radio button.

"Liam..." I choked out, my voice sounding strained and breathless, though dark manic amusement still lingered beneath the pain. "My shoulder... it is broken. I think I fractured it. I..."

I forced myself to breathe heavily.

"Send the medical car out here."

Over the open radio channel, I could hear the immediate uproar erupting across the pit wall.

And that only made me chuckle weakly to myself.

Yes.

All plans successful.