Page 44 of Wicked Devotions

“Ready?” He’s got a leather duffel bag over his shoulder and dark aviator sunglasses pushed on topof his head. I’m glad he’s a menace most of the time because he is so freaking good looking. Even in a graphite polo and black golf shorts he looks like a model instead of a rich prick about to hit the golf course.

“Yes.” I hold my bag up. “Just finished.”

“Good. Make sure you have sunglasses, ideally with polarized lens.”

“O-okay.” Weird, but I set my bag down and walk over to my closet to grab a different pair than I originally had.

He’s picked up my bag and slung it over his shoulder when I come back out of the closet. “Those will do. Come on.” He turns and walks out of the room with me tailing him.

Emerson is studying, and Cyrus isn’t home, so we just walk out to the car. He puts our bags in the back, and I get in the passenger seat. He drives the same way Banks does, using one palm to turn the wheel. Something about the confidence that type of maneuvering exudes is so hot. Which is an irritating thought to have about Declan.

All day my thoughts have been on what Cyrus and I did last night. I don’t know what it means for us. If it means anything at all. He clearly knew whathe was doing, so he’s obviously much more experienced than I am. Does he want more? Was it pity? I’m in the dark on everything except knowing what an orgasm feels like.

I definitely want more of those.

Many more.

The sight of the exit sign for the highway we need to take back home flies past us. I spin to Declan. “You missed the exit.”

“We’re not going that way.” He looks over at me with a mischievous smirk that makes me uneasy.

I don’t say anything else though. I’m at his mercy. So I just settle back against the seat and let my mind wander some more.

Knowing that I’ll be home I can’t help but think about Banks. It’s a given that Mom will ask about him. Aside from a few short text exchanges, we haven’t spoken much. I’m going to honor his wishes and not tell anyone aside from Declan and Cyrus, who he knows have been told.

“Have you talked to Cyrus today?” Declan asks out of nowhere.

“No. He came by my room last night, but I haven’t seen him since.”

“He came by your room?” He puts a weird emphasis on came.

“That’s what I said,” I’m snappier than I meant to be. I just hate the cat and mouse games he seems to love to play with me. If he knows what happened, I’d rather he just say so.

Not that it matters because he doesn’t own me. I can do what I want, with whomever I want. My life is finally my own. I finally get to make the rules.

“Okay.” He lifts his hands off the steering wheel. “Damn. Touchy.”

“Where are we going?” I ask as he drives past the only other exit that could lead back home.

Just as I ask that, he slows and turns onto an outer road. We follow it for about half a mile until we come to a small private airport. He pulls up to a gate and rolls down his window, waving a card in front of a reader. The gate creaks as it opens, and he drives through, turning down a row of metal buildings. They’re each enclosed on three sides leaving one completely open for planes to move in and out of.

He puts the car in park and looks over at me. “I’m going to pull the plane out, when I give you the all clear signal, pull the car in behind me to park it where the plane was.”

I nod and walk around the car to the other side while I watch him walk around the plane. He pullsblocks from in front of the tires and spins the propeller. I keep looking around for a pilot to come up to us, but it’s just Declan walking around the plane doing who knows what. He puts a vile to some sort of spout and then holds the liquid up to the light. Finally, he climbs up on the wing and opens the door. To my shock and surprise, he starts the plane himself and begins pulling out of the building.

He turns the aircraft in the opposite direction from me and then motions with his hand out the window, pointing at the empty space left behind. I park in a daze and turn the car off. By the time I join him, he’s already got the bags and is putting them in the back of the plane.

“Where’s the pilot?” I ask as he begins to lead me toward the wing.

“Oh shit.” He looks around like he lost something. “I knew I forgot something.” His gaze meets mine, and he cracks into the most charismatic smile I’ve ever seen on his face. “Just fucking with you. I’m the pilot.”

“Are you old enough to fly on your own?” I watch as he climbs up onto the wing and opens the door. “Like you aren’t even old enough to rent a car on your own.”

“I was flying before I could drive.” He holds a hand out to me. “I have to get in first.”

I take his hand and put my other hand where he instructs me as I step up onto the wing. I’m equal parts terrified and excited. Which seems to be a common experience with these guys.

“Don’t be scared, I’ll take care of you.”

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