Chapter 57 TO CONQUER WITH EASE
MERRIELYNN.
Those words.
Something about the way he said them made my defenses falter.
Cormac never asked; he demanded.
But this? This wasn’t a demand.
“Cormac,” I started, shaking my head, “this is crazy. You don’t even know if I can—”
“I know you can,” he interrupted, his voice low but resolute. “And if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be asking you.”
There was no sarcasm in his tone, no smirk on his face.
He wasn’t teasing me, or testing me, or trying to make me look like an idiot. He was serious.
I swallowed hard. “Why me? Why not Juniper? Or literally anyone else here who knows how to drive?”
His jaw tightened. “Because I trust you with my car.”
The weight of his words hit me harder than I expected.
The irony.
Still, I hesitated. My hands trembled slightly as I looked down at the keys. This was insane. Completely insane.
But then I glanced back at Cormac, and for a split second, I saw something in his eyes. It wasn’t the usual cold detachment or irritation he showed most people. It was…earnest.
Genuine.
“I’ll guide you if you need it,” he added softly. “But I don’t think you will.”
I stared at him, torn between wanting to run and…well, wanting to believe him.
“Fine,” I said, more to myself than to him. “I’ll do it.”
A thick bead of sweat trickled down my back.
Cormac nodded, and I swear I saw the faintest flicker of relief cross his face.
Sliding into the driver’s seat felt surreal.
The car was sleek and intimidating, with buttons and displays that looked far too complicated for someone who had never driven before.
Cormac climbed into the passenger seat, his presence somehow both comforting and nerve-wracking.
“How do you feel?” he asked, watching me carefully.
I hesitated, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “Nervous. Terrified. Like this is the worst idea you’ve ever had.”
He smirked faintly, but there was no humor in his eyes. “Take a deep breath.”
I did as he said, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly.
“Now,” he continued, his voice calm and steady, “put your foot on the brake and press the start button.”
I followed his instructions, and the engine roared to life beneath me. The sound sent a jolt through my entire body, but instead of panic, I felt…something else. Something strange.
Familiarity.
It didn’t make sense. I’d never driven before. I barely even understood how cars worked. But as my hands gripped the wheel and my feet found the pedals, it felt natural.
Right.
“How does it feel now?” Cormac asked, his gaze fixed on me.
I glanced at him, my confusion clear. “Weirdly…good? I don’t know. This shouldn’t feel normal, but it does.”
His expression darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might say something. But he didn’t. He just nodded, his jaw clenched tightly.
“Cormac?” I prompted, but he shook his head.
“Focus on the road,” he said. “We’ll talk later.”
I frowned but did as he said. Slowly, I eased the car forward, the wheels rolling smoothly beneath me.
Every movement—turning the wheel, pressing the pedals, shifting gears—felt intuitive, like muscle memory I didn’t know I had.
“I don’t get it,” I muttered, more to myself than to Cormac. “Why does this feel so…easy?”
Cormac didn’t answer immediately. When I glanced at him, his expression was grim, his eyes distant.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said finally, his tone clipped. “Just focus on the race.”
I wanted to press him further, to demand answers. But there was no time.
The other racer was already lining up, engines revving loudly, the air buzzing with anticipation.
“Cormac,” I said, gripping the wheel tightly, “are you sure about this?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation.
I exhaled shakily. “This is insane.”
“Just drive,” he said. “And don’t think about anything else.”
Easy for him to say.
The race began with a deafening roar as the cars surged forward, their engines screaming.
Adrenaline flooded my veins as I pressed down on the gas pedal, the car leaping forward with startling power.
“Careful on the first turn,” Cormac said, his voice calm despite the literal chaos around us.
I nodded, my focus narrowing to the road ahead. The track twisted and turned, but somehow, I navigated it with ease.
It was like my body knew what to do before my mind could catch up.
“You’re doing good,” Cormac said, his tone almost…proud.
I didn’t have time to respond, too focused on the car in front of me. The driver was aggressive, swerving to block me at every opportunity.
“Don’t let them intimidate you,” Cormac said. “Wait for the opening and take it.”
His confidence in me was baffling, but it was also reassuring.
I waited, biding my time until the driver made a mistake. The moment they drifted too far to the left, I seized the opportunity, accelerating past them with a burst of speed.
“Good,” Cormac said.
I risked a glance at him, half expecting to see a smirk. But his expression was serious, his focus sharp.
“You’re a natural,” he said, almost to himself.
I wanted to argue, to tell him this was insane, that I had no idea what I was doing. But the truth was, it didn’t feel that way.
It felt…right.
As the race continued, the track grew more challenging. Sharp turns, narrow lanes, and steep inclines tested my limits, but I handled each one with surprising ease.
“Why me?” I asked suddenly, the question slipping out before I could stop it.
“This again?” Cormac said, his eyes still on the road.
“Why didn’t you ask someone else? Juniper, or one of your other friends. Why me?”
Cormac was silent for a moment, his jaw tightening.
“Because I trust you,” he said finally, recycling the same anwer.
Again, it made no sense.
I wanted to ask more, to press him for answers, but the finish line was approaching, and there was no time.
“Almost there,” Cormac said. “Keep going.”
I nodded, my focus sharpening as I pushed the car to its limit.
The final stretch was a blur of speed and adrenaline, the roar of the engine drowning out everything else.