Page 65 of I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell

The air between us rings with my words. From how he doesn’t immediately refute them, I know I’m right.

“Silicon Valley,” he says after a pause punctuated by more honks as cars pick up speed around us. “That’s where the devil resides. And the veil.”

“So after Beliar’s, I’m supposed to leave you behind?”

“Don’t sound too excited.”

I couldn’t be less. All I can think about is his thumb still rubbing soothing circles on my thigh. His fingers running the length of my neck in the motel room as concern shone in his eyes. His warm body pressed up against mine in the bed. I still haven’t found out if he was dreaming, or what about.

“What about Tarrentown?” I ask around the lemon-sized lump in my throat.

Because what I really mean is, What about me?

“I took care of the demon I tracked there. After fixing the veil, Beliar shouldn’t be an issue. Even if I don’t stay in the underworld, I don’t have a reason to go back to Tarrentown.”

It’s an honest answer, but it hurts. You have me! I want to scream. But it’s not like I’m his. He probably doesn’t even want me. I’m kind of a mess.

Maybe I could believe it if not for last night. My name fanning across the back of my neck. His mouth so close to mine he’d be a liar if he said he hadn’t thought about kissing me, too.

I want to call him out on it, but I’m not brave enough. What comes out isn’t much better.

“Not even for the niece Carol’s trying to set you up with?”

A soft chuckle rumbles out of him as we turn down an open road. “Not even for her, though I’m sure she’s lovely. But I’m not interested.”

“What about Curated Care?”

“Well, I left Ted in charge—”

“A truly demonic thing to do,” I interrupt. “He spends more time flirting than working.”

A smile lifts the corners of Luke’s lips. “Telling you to switch the water cooler has to be top five for worst pick-up tactics.”

I hate that he’s making me grin. “Not to mention the weaponized incompetence at being convinced I’m the only one in the office who can fix the faulty fucking fax machine.”

“You do have a knack for it.”

“God, not you, too!”

His laugh bursts out of him, spurring my own. It’s a beautiful sound, unabashed and infectious, brightening his face to reveal dimples in both his cheeks.

When he glances my way, his eyes reflect something I can almost mistake as fondness. “Well, Brianna, add me to the list.”

Twenty-one

The lilac horizon is hazy with dusk when we finally cross into California.

We stopped back in New Mexico—the Department of Research and Development—at a gas station. Luke filled the tank and I raided the shelves of the attached store for more snacks. While my appetite has again disappeared, Luke’s is stronger than ever. In between checking the map to ensure we’re still on track for the star marked over Death Valley, I’ve been opening bags of chips and bottles of water for him to guzzle. I’m learning he’s a nervous muncher.

Conversation between us has been a blur of office gossip and hell facts and playing out different scenarios of how tonight might go. Our easy banter trails off as we enter what’s Death Valley National Park in the overworld, a solemn air souring the mood.

“You’re sure Beliar lives here?” I ask Luke as we wind down a narrow desert road. “It doesn’t exactly seem habitable.”

“Demons prefer arid climates,” Luke explains. “Just be grateful it’s not summer.”

“We’d be cooking,” I agree. Once we hit the desert, we rolled up the windows to block the swirling dust, so we already are.

As if hearing my thoughts, Luke shrugs off his jacket, passing it to me to put in the back. As I do, something tumbles into the cup holder between us.