Page 67 of Wicked Devotions

I look over at Emerson. “You make me feel cared for. If I need something, I know I can go to you, and you’ll do your best to help me.”

He runs his hand along my thigh. “I will.”

“Most importantly, you guys make me safe. I trust you with my bodily safety, and I trust you with everything else. I know we’re all different places within this bond we’re growing, but I want to explore it with you.”

No one speaks for a moment as we all look ateach other, and dread surges within me. Have I said too much? Are they trying to figure out how to let me down easy? The need to flee rises within me, and I turn to crawl off the bed over Declan.

His arm wraps around my waist and hauls me back. “You’re not running now.”

“If you don’t feel the same, just leave. I’ll be fine, I promise. I just need to have a moment alone.” Or a week. Maybe a month or year to let the embarrassment and rejection settle. I’ll get over it eventually though. I squeeze my eyes closed, so I don’t have to watch them walk away.

“We’re not going anywhere.” Declan’s lips brush mine as he speaks. “Open your eyes and look at me.”

I do as he says and find him giving me the same type of smile that lights up his face when he’s flying. “You’re not?”

“Nope.” He looks over at Emerson and Cy, who both nod in agreement.

“So you want to try this, too?” I look at Emerson. “Even you?”

“Yeah. I do.” We haven’t moved as fast as I have with Cy and Declan, but there have been moments I’ve felt something growing between us on the drives to and from the stables. “But you shouldknow that Cy and I have a somewhat complicated relationship.”

“How so?”

They share a look. “We’ve been friends for a long time, but we’ve started hooking up occasionally. Is that a problem for you?”

“No, I don’t think so.” I let myself really take in that piece of information, seeing how it sits inside of me. It doesn’t make me uncomfortable. In fact, the idea of them being together in some sort of romantic relationship makes sense. Emerson makes me safe, and I have to assume it’s the same for Cyrus. “Do you want to be together?”

“It’s not something we’ve really spoken about.” Emerson clears his throat nervously. “Though we probably should.”

The silence that settles around us is thick. After a few minutes of lying together on my bed, Cy and Emerson excuse themselves to go talk. I scoot over into the center of the bed, so Declan doesn’t have to keep laying on the edge.

“Can I tell you something?” I ask.

“Of course.”

“I don’t know if I want to sleep in here. Even with everything new I just keep picturing the knife in my bed.”

He slips his arms around me, rolling us, so I’m firmly pressed against his side. “That’s understandable. The way I see it we have two choices. The first is to grab some of your stuff and go into my room and you can sleep in there as long as you want or need.”

Tempting. “And the second option?”

“We stay in here and erase the bad memories with good.” His lips tilt upward in a cocky grin.

If I thought the first option was tempting, this one is downright sinful. “Those are both good options.”

“Which one sounds better?”

“I think I like the second one best.”

He rolls on top of me and pulls his shirt off in one smooth move. “I was hoping you’d say that.” His shirt lands on the floor beside the bed.

This should feel so wrong, watching my stepbrother undress on top of me. It doesn’t. It’s exciting. I want to watch him strip every article of clothing off. I want to feel his skin against mine. I’m not even ashamed of this desire.

He lowers himself over me and covers my lips with his. Every stroke of his tongue against mine sends tingles through my body. His hand moves up my side, pushing my shirt up until my bra isexposed. He sits back on his knees as he looks down at me like I’m a long-awaited gift.

“Take your shirt off.” His voice is thick with lust as I do what he instructed. “This is pretty.” He runs his fingertip over the sheer lavender bra I’m wearing.

I squirm beneath him as he toys with my nipples. My back arches off the bed when he covers one with his mouth, sucking on the hardened tip through the thin mesh covering it. One of his hands sneaks around behind my back and unhooks the clasp. He tosses it aside as soon as my breasts bounce free.

---