Page 217 of Revv

“This one I can keep.”

And for once, I don’t immediately start picking apart all the ways it could go wrong.

I just believe him.

That might be the scariest part.

I lean up and kiss him again, slower this time, until a deeply offended meow cuts through the room.

We both look toward the hallway.

Guacamole is sitting there staring at Revel like he personally orchestrated every shitty part of tonight.

Revel sighs. “Your son still fucking hates me.”

“Yeah, well, he’s had to listen to me cry for hours because of your dumb ass.”

“Well, shit.” He looks back at me. “And here I thought we were having a moment.”

“We were. He ruined it.”

Guac meows again.

Revel points at him. “See? Judgmental little bastard.”

A real laugh finally slips out of me, and when I look back, Revel is wearing that stupid soft expression again.

I take his least-destroyed hand carefully and start pulling him toward the kitchen.

“Come on.”

“Where we going?”

“I’m cleaning your hands before you bleed all over my floor.”

His grin comes back instantly. “You gonna kiss them better too?”

I stop and slowly look over my shoulder at him.

“Do you want me to unblock you just so I can block you again?”

He laughs as he follows me into the kitchen. “Missed you too, Mama.”

“Cállate, cabrón.”

Chapter Twenty Three

Revel

The grid feels different today.

Same heat bleeding up through the asphalt. Same engines snarling around me, vibrating through the frame and into my bones. Same sharp smell of fuel, rubber, sweat, sunbaked concrete. Same grandstands packed with people waiting for one of us to do something brilliant or stupid enough to remember.

But I’m different.

That’s the fucking problem.

Or maybe it’s the point.