The Proposal Problem: A Billionaire Royal Hangover Romance

by Natalie Knight

13

  Jenna

  Wind whips through my hair as the car rushes by.

  I pull my fingers through my thick, black curls and try to focus on the task at hand: getting this car to the finish line faster than any of Braden's tricks.

  I need this to work. I have an ever-present desire to beat Braden. I owe it to myself and to him to show him that a woman can win, and that maybe he shouldn't be too cocky.

  While I'm very proud of our speed, it's almost an impossible feat to beat Braden's supersonic speed. This is likely what the FBI is after. They don't want Braden having access to secret technology that they can't equal. It would look bad for the government.

  Hell, it looks bad for me.

  I'm the best in my field, and it irks me that I can't see what Braden's done to make his car nearly fly.

  I need to understand his methods. It's my new mission in life. And if he won't reveal them, then I'll find out another way. Whether I'll reveal my findings to the FBI is a different story.

  It's something I can't even consider yet at this point, but when I look around at my teams, my people, and I think about how they all have families…I think about what a wretched position the FBI has put me in, making me choose between my honor and having people's lives on the line.

  We're almost up to Braden's super standard. He's always setting the bar for our industry, our underground club. And I'm always trying to beat him.

  I'm worried about Braden, though. What kind of technology could he be using that's illegal? I need to get my hands on it, for my own safety and for his.

  My car whizzes by at top speed, and I'm proud. I did this. I'm the brains behind this car that's nearly making sparks off the track for its power.

  A day spent at the racetrack is my favorite thing. I've grown up around it, and it certainly feels like home. I have to pinch myself to remind myself of the fact that, yes, this is my job, this is what I get to come do every single day.

  Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I'm reaching a high that comes from being inside my fast-moving car.

  The only other time I've felt like this is when I'm around Braden, and that scares me.

  I'm not supposed to let a guy get to me like that. I'm a one-woman show, a class act. I pride myself on separating work from pleasure and for being totally independent―and yet here I am pining for a guy.

  I tell myself that I've had a crush on Braden for years and that I could give myself some slack. Don't I deserve some fun?

  I picture those crystal blue eyes and how they turn an overcast shade of gray when he's serious. I picture the way he holds me, and the feel of his body clutching mine. He's charismatic and gorgeous, and yes, fine, I'm obsessing. Who wouldn't?

  He's my dream guy, and it practically stops my heart to think of him―or at least makes it skip a beat.

  I'm up in my head, fantasizing about him.

  "Jenna, hello? Earth to Jenna?"

  I snap to. "Oh, what?"

  "Um, you're supposed to be timing the runs and watching the car specs? Remember?"

  "Oh yeah, right." I've completely spaced out, and now we're behind. Great work, Jenna.

  It's Neil who's interrupted my reverie about everything Braden. And as I look at him, I'm reminded of the grave responsibility I have to this team. Their livelihoods are essentially in my hands, and I'm not sure how to handle that.

  Screw the FBI for putting me in this position. I can't see myself turning against Braden, but I can't hurt my team either. The agents have set this up perfectly so that I'm presented with an impossible choice.

  "I'm sorry, Neil, I'm having one of those days. Can you catch me up?"

  "It's fine. We'll just start the race over. But pay attention for God's sake, yes?"

  "Yes. I promise."

  Damn. I've just wasted everybody's time. But if they only knew what was on my mind, things would be different. If they knew I was thinking of them and their futures, maybe they'd understand why I'm not so present today.

  I can't do anything to jeopardize my team, and yet Braden deserves that same respect. He's the reason this circuit is so successful, and it wouldn't be right to turn him in...

  And well, I care about him. I'm discovering the man behind the mystery, and it turns out he's really great. It's funny how you fantasize about someone, but it turns out that reality is way better than the idea.

  And yet I've put my whole life into this team. We're like family. And there's nothing I can do to betray that. The problem is that in this instance, I'm not sure where the betrayal lies.

  Should I protect them or protect the league as a whole?

  What if the FBI agents were lying, and they're planning to lock us all up with my information? It's a formidable situation to be in, and once again, I curse my luck, having to be the one to deal with it.

  Why, above anybody else, did the FBI have to choose me to be the snitch? They must've been tracking Braden for a while.

  And then I remember what they said about Braden moving fast with me. Is it wrong that I feel that that thought is comforting? Knowing that Braden might be treating me differently than all the other women makes me feel so good and warm inside.

  And then I remember that it's this fact that's led me to my precarious position.

  I need to clear my mind. I need to find my answer.

  Neil pages the driver and has him come back to restart.

  "Hey, what's going on with you, Jenna? You're normally so on point. Is it something you'd like to talk about?"

  Yeah, I wish. If I could confide in somebody about this, I'd feel so much better. But as it is that's not an option, I need to figure this out on my own.

  I'm trying to hear my internal voice, my intuition, and to see where it's guiding me, but when it comes to betraying Braden or my team, I guess my inner voice is as silent as I am on the matter.

  The driver comes back to restart, and we time him properly. I see the specs, and I see where we can improve.

  Neil's standing with me, and we discuss the improvements that can be made.

  "Hey," he says, "So do you have any new information on Braden's car and how he got it to go so fast?"

  "No. I wish. He's keeping his secrets very close. It's gonna be hard to penetrate his fortress of information."

  "Yeah, well, that's Braden. Part of his success comes from the fact that he's so private."

  "I know." I agree. "We need to maintain that level of privacy with our team, too." I think of how we can keep any industry secrets out of the hands of the FBI. The closer we can pull things in, the better.

  "I know we can beat him even without his new tech. We just have to invent our own. And once we do, we'll be filthy rich."

  I laugh, "We're already rich, Neil."

  "But more is always better."

  "You're right," I laugh. He always cracks me up.

  There is quite a bit of money in this league, and that's why it's caught the eye of the FBI. With this much money and tech at hand, it's no wonder they want to shut us down. That, and the fact that we have a bunch of dirty cops on our side.

  Our car races by, and everything looks good. I think we may even have a chance at winning this thing. I just need to implement some minor details, and we should be all set.

  Our car will at least be a force for Braden to reckon with. He won't win so easily like the last time.

  I do, however, need to get my hands on his secret. Only then can I determine how dangerous it would be to reveal.

  I wish I could tell Braden all of this.

  Once again, my heart is heavy with threats about the future. I don't see a way out of this yet, and even the racetrack can't bring me an answer.

  What has been normally so rewarding has become a thorn in my side. This track just reminds me of how it could all be gone in a second. Usually, I'm the most focused out here, but not today.

  Just then, my phone buzzes and I hand Neil the timer so I can take the call.

  "Jenna?"

  "Oh, hi, Braden. I was jus
t thinking about you."

  14

  Braden

  "Hi, baby, what's up?

  "Nothing. I'm just at the racetrack, getting some things done."

  Her voice is breathy and full of possibilities. If I'm honest, it makes my cock harden against my pants, even though this is a phone call of deception.

  I know what she's up to. I got the text, and I know she's been pretending to like me this entire time.

  It makes sense; Jenna has never once dated a racer, and now she's so fully into me? I think not.

  I believed it at first, and I even believed she was different, that I could fall for her. But now, knowing what I know, I'm thinking Jenna has betrayed me and that she's working for the FBI.

  "So, have you been there all day?"

  "Yes, same as always. We're trying to come up with the technology to beat you."

  I laugh, "That will never happen, Jenna. You might as well give up right now."

  A part of me wonders if she's plotting how to get my technology to hand over to the authorities.

  I'm still attracted to Jenna, and I don't want to believe that she would do anything behind my back, but the reality is staring me in the face. I know for a fact that she's been approached by the feds.

  "Oh, Braden, just you wait. We’re going to figure you out, that's for sure."

  She's joking with me, and yet―is it really a joke? She'll never get her hands on my methods, because I am the sole keeper of those secrets, but all this new information about Jenna is just filtering through my brain.

  She seems so good-natured, so honest. She's always had a good reputation in the racing league, and I think everyone would be surprised to know she's working for the enemy.

  I don't want to believe it.

  "Jenna, you can try to find my superpowers, but you never will."

  "Try I will, Braden. You can count on it."

  Talking to her makes me excited and I still have hopes despite this new information. I guess there are two sides to every story, and I’m hoping her side explains everything. But how in the world will I ever bring it up? I need to play coy with Jenna until I understand the full scope of what she's doing.

  I just got a text. That was it. I can't accuse her of something this serious because of a text alone.

  I have to hide my fears for the moment.

  "What are you doing later?" I ask, hoping she'll go out with me.

  "Um, probably taking a bath and calling it in early."

  "Why don't you come out with me instead? I'll make it worth your while."

  "What did you have in mind?"

  "Skybar?”

  "What bar?"

  "You'll see when we get there."

  "Okay, well, I'd love to see you, so yes."

  Would she really love to see me? Now I'm questioning everything. I want to believe Jenna on all fronts. I want to know that she’s really attracted to me, but these damn rumors have put doubts in my head.

  "What time will you pick me up?" she asks.

  "Around ten."

  "A late dinner then?"

  "You could call it that."

  "See you then."

  She has no idea what I have in mind. Skybar is a unique location in NYC. It's a restaurant and a bar that fringes on the edge of a skyscraper. The balcony is made of pure glass, so when you look down, it feels like you’re falling, even though you’re suspended in mid-air by a sheet of glass.

  It's a rush, and it's sexy, so I know Jenna will love it. She's like me―attracted to anything that gets her blood pumping.

  I'm going to arrange it all perfectly. Tonight, I have to have Jenna, and that means putting the finishing touches on all my plans.

  I'll have the limo ready to pick her up, and I'm going to lift some weights, take a shower, and make sure I'm in top form for her.

  Despite my reservations, I know that I have to make Jenna mine. I’ll fuck her no matter what. Then, after I've had my fill, we can sort out all the details. Besides, fucking her will get me one step closer to understanding if she's for real or not. I'll be able to tell whether or not she's faking her attraction to me.

  I start to head out to get some things done and to get ready for dinner. It's been a long but good day. When you're doing what you love, work doesn't ever seem like a bad thing. Getting my hands dirty around cars and dealing with my new mechanism is blood, sweat, and tears―but it feels so fucking good.

  I'd hate to have a 9-to-5 job. I'd hate to do anything that doesn't involve racing.

  My new car is sitting in the center of the garage on a spinning platform. She's gorgeous, and she’s bound to take my performance to an even higher level.

  If the FBI even knew one shred of what went on behind these closed doors, they'd be set with technology for the future. They've been after me for years; it comes with the territory of hosting an underground racing league.

  Jenna should know that. She should know I'm used to having the cops on my back. Some of them understand the excitement, and some of them operate on some preconceived notion of justice that frankly shouldn't apply to me anyway. I'm a billionaire with technology that could change the face of the nation.

  They should be politely knocking on my door, begging me for favors, not trying to shut my operation down.

  Jenna must get this.

  One of my crew members approaches me.

  "Hi, Bill," I say.

  He's a senior member of the crew and also the one that tipped me off about the feds.

  "What's going on with you, Braden? Why do you have a smirk on your face? Please don't tell me you're gonna go out with Jenna."

  "Is it that obvious?" I smile.

  I can't help it. The idea of being with Jenna exhilarates me. She's a feast for the eyes, and she's fun to be around. What harm could lie in that?

  "You're playing with fire, Braden. You know I think it's a bad idea."

  "Oh, come on Bill. You think everything's a bad idea. Hell, you considered my new afterburner mechanism a bad idea, remember?"

  "Yeah, alright, Braden You got me there. I had to see it to believe it. But trust me on this one: Jenna is bad news. Everything about what she's doing screams disloyalty.

  “People in this league know what they're getting into when they start. The feds are always an issue and if she gives sour secrets to them, this will all be over, and we'll all be in jail."

  "Wow, Bill, you never fail to say it like it is." I tell him.

  There's a reason he's one of my best crewmembers. He's conservative and cautious, and I need that in someone if I'm not gonna be that way.

  "You're playing with fire, Braden. I promise you. And if you're not careful, it's going to end badly for everyone, not just you. Now, I have a family to think about―"

  Damn. I didn't mean to make the old man worry.

  "It's okay, Bill.” I say before he goes any further. “I have it under control. I'm just trying to get close to her so I can see more accurately what she's up to. I'm going to get to the bottom of this. You can trust me. Have I ever failed you?"

  He looks at me skeptically. This is why I love Bill. He's a straight-shooter and always tells it like it is.

  "Don't worry. I promise I’ll be careful. Besides, I'm going to figure out her game before she can pull one over me."

  "Alright, Braden. I just had to say what's on my mind."

  "I'm glad you did, Bill. I'll see you tomorrow."

  I leave, and I hate knowing that I've worried him. He's gotta know that I will always do everything I can to protect him and our crew from destruction. The problem is I'm just so wrapped up in Jenna that it's hard to see what side she's really on.

  I like to think that, from watching her over the past few years and being with her now, that I know her...at least even a little bit.

  And she seems loyal to a fault. She doesn’t seem like somebody who would ever hurt another person.

  I don't know. I may be wrong. But I have to give her a chance so I can find out. I'd kick myself forev
er if I didn't at least try to see where Jenna's coming from.

  I hope though, in the back of my mind, that I'm not making a mistake. I hope to God she has an explanation and that she proves us all wrong.

  For now, I have to get home and get ready to see her. That's foremost on my mind.

  15

  Jenna

  I'm naked and alone in my apartment, examining my body in the full-length mirror.

  I look into my own eyes and search for signs of deception. Am I the kind of person who can do this?

  Should I betray Braden? Betray my team? Or do nothing and let us all go down in flames?

  The questions torments my mind and prevent me from getting ready for my date. I really do want Braden. But now our relationship is confusing and on another level.

  How did things get so complicated? We just started seeing each other, and now there's this conflict of interest preventing our potential happiness.

  I spent years wanting Braden, waiting for him to notice me, and now on the brink of what is possibly the best relationship of my life, this happens. Stupid FBI, I curse them in my head.

  I run my hands over my body and try again to think if I'm the kind of person who can do this. Can I betray the very racing league that has given me a purpose in this life? Can I betray my family? My home?

  I don't know what the fuck to do, and this makes me sulk.

  I smear on some lipstick and coat my lashes in mascara. I let my black hair flow freely over my shoulders, curly and untamed, much like my personality. Then I pick through my closet, searching for the perfect frock to make this evening special.

  I want to impress him. I want him to think of my body and of getting me naked.

  This in itself should tell me my answer. I want Braden and I want him to be happy...with me, and that means not betraying him to the FBI.

  I sigh. If these issues plague me all night long, I won't be able to concentrate on what is sure to be a very sexy date.

  I choose to believe that nothing can be decided tonight. I'm not going to spend my precious time with Braden worrying about the feds. I'm just not.