Page 67 of My Cruel Salvation

“You really don’t mind?”

“Are you breaking up with me?”

I cock my head and give him that look.

“Am I going to have to resort to cold showers?”

“Definitely not.”

“Then I think it’s just fine. Truly. But you still have to come with me to my place today. I have something for you.”

I perk up. “Really. For me? What is it?”

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be surprise, would it?”

It’s silly to be so happy over something so small, especially when I don’t even know what the surprise it, but it’s been a stressful few days, and the thought that Devlin has gotten something for me in the midst of chaos makes me undeniably happy. “Thank you.”

He laughs. “You haven’t even seen what it is yet.”

I lean forward and kiss him. “It doesn’t matter. You thought of it. You were thinking of me. It will be amazing.”

He cups the back of my head and kisses me again, this time using his tongue to urge my mouth open. The kiss deepens, and I start to lose myself in it, to crave more. Then he pushes me away with a devilish grin. “That’s something to look forward to.”

“Jerk.” But I’m smiling as I say it.

We play twenty questions on the way to his house. I don’t manage to guess what it is, though I have learned that it is bigger than a breadbox, it’s not alive, and it’s something I want. Beyond that, I’m clueless.

We’re in his Tesla, and he pauses before the turn onto his street. “I want you to close your eyes, and I’ll tell you when you can open them.”

I do what he says with complete obedience. I feel the car move, and as we go down the street, I notice when he turns into the driveway. The car stops, and it’s only then that he says, “Okay. Open your eyes.” I do, then turn to him with a frown. All I see is his garage door.

“Unfair. You got me all riled up about nothing.”

“Oh ye of little faith.” He takes the clicker for the garage door and taps the button. It starts to scroll up and, to my delight, Devlin taps a button on the radio and Beethoven’s Ode to Joy starts to play, making me laugh.

The sound catches in my throat though when I see what’s being revealed. My Shelby, looking as brand new and shiny as the day that Uncle Peter presented her to me. I sit in shock for a moment then turn to look at Devlin. “She’s fixed. You fixed her?”

Devlin knows better than anyone how much Shelby means to me. She’s part of our history, and I realize as I’m looking at her in the garage that I’m crying. I turn back to him, a tear-stained mess. “You’re amazing.”

“I told you I was going to fix her. Did you think I was joking?”

“I didn’t think it would be this fast.”

“Well, she’s part of the family. We had to make sure she had the best, most expeditious care possible.”

I don’t know what to say, so I just gaze in wonder at my beautiful car. Then I turn and gaze in wonder at the man I love, almost unable to believe that with the life I’ve had, I managed to get so lucky.

He takes my hand and squeezes it, and I’m sure he’s reading my thoughts.

“Come on. Let’s take her out for a spin.”

I’m so giddy at the idea that I actually clap my hands. He parks the Tesla in one side of the two-car garage, and while he runs inside the house to grab something, I slide behind Shelby’s wheel and sigh, then bend over and kiss her steering wheel. I brush my hand over her dashboard, then I get out of the car because I just have to walk all the way around her. She’s in perfect condition. Her blue paint sparkling. Her tires brand new. Her headlights shining.

The moment he returns, I throw my arms around Devlin again. “You are amazing. You are getting as much sex as you want tonight, just so you know.”

He laughs, then pulls me close. “If I’d known that would be your reaction, I would’ve had her fixed even sooner.”

“Just don’t go crashing her so you can fix her again. I’ll tell you a secret. You can pretty much always get sex anytime you want. But don’t let it go to your head.”