Page 112 of Full Throttle

Voices drifted down the corridor.

“—none of your business,” Juliette was saying tersely. “Honestly, Cap, I’m a grown woman. I can make my own decisions.”

Cap’s voice was tight. “Don’t you see how this looks?”

“Who cares?”

“Our parents. Your fans.” Cap made a noise in his throat. “I’m going to find Hastings.”

Footsteps sounded, followed by a scuffling sound.

Cap’s voice was a snarl. “Let go of me!”

“Calm down,” muttered Baz, who presumably was holding Cap back. “You can’t just go around punching people.” He let out a pained grunt, followed by something in Spanish. “For god’s sake, Capulet, that was my kidney.”

“Stop.” Juliette’s voice was curt. “Leave Hastings out of this.”

“Why should I?” Cap demanded. “He’s the one who created this mess. Imagine all those little girls who look up to you thinking that you only got on a team because you’re hooking up with some—”

“That’s not fair.” Baz sounded exhausted. “Juliette’s worked her arse off to get to where she is, and you know that.”

Juliette’s voice was bitter. “Does he?”

Dominic moved closer. The three stood in a loose circle; Baz was holding Cap’s arms, although his grip had loosened. Juliette—who was a good six inches shorter than both men—looked up at them with something ferocious in her eyes. Something that made her appear much taller.

Cap drew back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I heard you in Milan,” Juliette said. “With Frederick. What was it you said?” Spots of color burned in her cheeks. “That I only got my sponsorships because I’m a woman?”

Juliette said the words as if she were chewing them. Perhaps even savoring the flavor. All the blood drained from Cap’s face.

Baz stilled. “You said that?”

He was staring at Cap as if he’d never seen him before. Cap’s throat worked. “I didn’t know she could hear.”

“That doesn’t fucking matter!” Baz said, and both siblings jumped, as if the sound of him raising his voice was an anomaly. “We’re family, Capulet. We don’t talk about one another like that, and especially not to Frederick bloody Von Galen.” His fingers picked at his sleeve. “Of all the thoughtless, stupid, idiotic things to say—”

“Enough,” Juliette said. “That’s enough.”

The fluorescent lights flickered, casting her face in a sickly white glow. She looked tired, Dominic observed; purple bruises ringed her eyes, as if someone had dug their thumbs into the sockets.

“You know,” Juliette said, “I’ve spent my whole life listening to men tell me that I’m not enough. That I’m not strong enough, or fast enough, or smart enough. But to hear those things from you…” Her voice was quiet. “I just never thought those words would come from my brother.”

Cap flinched. “Jules…”

“I don’t want to hear it,” Juliette said. “Please. Not today.”

Her footsteps echoed down the corridor. Toward the greenrooms, Dominic realized. And before he could change his mind, he started after her.

Chapter 35

The Things Between

The corridor was quiet. Most of the doors were ajar, revealing greenrooms overflowing with magazines and half-drunk bottles of sparkling water, fluorescent mirrors and discarded coats. There was only one door shut near the end of the corridor, and Dominic gave a sharp rap on the wooden frame.

“Occupied,” Juliette called.

He leaned his forehead against the wood. “It’s me.”