Page 100 of Full Throttle

“Well, I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “I’m not the one you should apologize to.”

She’d been planning to say more, but her hands were trembling, and it was probably best that she go before she did something stupid like shove Anthony down the stairs. She only made it a few steps before Anthony’s fingers bit into her wrist.

“Wait.”

Juliette’s pulse rocketed. “Let go.”

Anthony backed her against the wall. “You’re right to call me out on these things. I need someone like you in my life. Someone to make me better.” Cold stone dug into Juliette’s back, and she could smell the whiskey hanging on his breath. “You know how much I want you, don’t you? I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you.”

Juliette stilled. If only she’d read those articles weeks ago. If only she hadn’t ignored the shark before it had the chance to bite. “I’m not interested.”

“Let me show you,” Anthony murmured.

And then he was kissing her.

His tongue was cold and foreign, poking experimentally into her mouth. For a moment Juliette froze. Then she pushed him, hard, and Anthony stumbled back, wiping at his mouth. Blood roared in her ears.

“What the hell was that?”

“I should have thought that was obvious,” Anthony said.

His mouth was swollen, and Juliette tore her gaze away. Even looking at him…Disgust roiled in her stomach. “You will never touch me again.” Her voice was cold. “Never. And if you do, I’ll report you. Are we clear?”

Anthony blinked. Then, slowly, he smiled. “You want to make me work for it. That’s okay. I don’t mind earning my food.”

Her heart pounded. “You’re disgusting.”

“That’s okay,” Anthony murmured. “I like our little games.”

He moved toward her. Juliette climbed two steps, her mind spinning. Could he genuinely be that delusional? Or was this about getting under Dominic’s skin? Either way, if he kissed her again, she was shoving him down the stairs. For real this time.

“I’m being serious,” she said. “Touch me again and you’ll regret it.”

Anthony looked amused. “Let me guess. Your big, scary teammate’s going to swoop in and make me pay for it?”

Ah. So it was about Dominic. “Is that seriously why you’re doing this?”

“Well,” Anthony murmured, “it’s certainly an added benefit.”

Shadows striped his face in piano keys. His cologne was so thick that it burned her nostrils. Juliette hiked up her skirt.

“Piss off, Anthony. I mean it.”

Anthony’s voice chased her up the staircase. “You’ll come round eventually. We’re inevitable, you and I.”

She shot a rude gesture over her shoulder. Every muscle was tense, but she forced herself to climb at a measured pace. Like hell was she going to give Anthony Sinclair the satisfaction of watching her sprint up the final stairs. Still, she didn’t fully relax until she emerged onto the safety of the roof.

The drivers’ dinner party was already in full swing; someone had set up a platform, and long tables groaned under caramelized miso scallops and fresh burrata, crisp duck salad and a fancy-looking Italian soup. White spires speared the darkness, shaking loose the stars that glittered like the distant headlights of heavenly cars. Still, clouds were gathering; it was going to rain soon.

She spotted Cap by the railing, sipping a glass of red wine as he took in the bustling square below. She scrambled down the slope, being careful not to slip on the slick tile.

Cap looked up. “Jules. Congratulations.”

Her brother’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. She slowed, her skin prickling in the evening chill. “Thanks. I looked for you after the race.”

Cap shrugged. “I had a media thing to get to.”