Page 21 of Wicked Devotions: Part 2

“She’s not going to want any added attention, so regardless of your intent, she’s going to be annoyed.” Banks sighs into the phone. “Did she seem scared when she got it?”

“She seemed more in shock than anything,” Cy says. “How was she at the stables?”

“She acted normal. Maybe a little quieter than usual but nothing extreme,” Emerson says.

“Annie is her baby, she’s never happier anywhere than with her horse,” Banks says. “It’s good that she worked today to take her mind off it.”

“I think we should start accompanying her to classes, not just walking her to them.”

Cy looks at me. “Will they let us do that?”

I shrug. “Does it matter? I’m sure they’ll let us do whatever we want for the right price.”

“She’d hate that,” Banks says.

“What if we hired a bodyguard for her?” Emerson asks.

“She’d really hate that.” Banks shoots the idea down. “Did you talk to the person who gave her the note?”

“I didn’t, but she and her friend did. He said it was passed to him from behind, and he didn’t see where it came from.”

“We need a class roster, so we can ask everyone if they know anything.” I make a note to ask Nolan to break into the school system and get it for us. Fuck knows they won’t just hand it over the easy way.

“I’ll be out there to spend the weekend with her next Saturday,” Banks says.

I share a look with Emerson. “That’s great. We have an away game in Connecticut that we’ll leave for Friday afternoon and won't be home until Sunday afternoon. But the next weekend, Cy has to leave for a night. It will be good to have you here to keep her safe.”

“If I were you guys, I would frame it as a choice for her. Either she gets a bodyguard she doesn’t know, or one of you stays with her all the time just until this guy is found. She’ll choose you without a doubt because she’s not comfortable with strangers. Then when she calls me to vent about it, I’ll subtly support your decision.”

We spend a few more minutes hammering out details and schedules and just after Banks gets off the phone, Harper comes into the living room. She’s wearing a pair of leggings and my Trinity soccer hoodie. It makes me want to peel her pants off and eat her pussy until she screams.

“What have you all been talking about?” she asks, taking a seat beside me.

Emerson and Cy look at me to break the news.

“We were trying to figure out what the best way to keep you safe is.”

“Without asking for my input?” Her hackles rise.

“No, we do want it.” Cy is the first to break. As usual.

“Which is why we have two ideas. Either we hire a bodyguard for you temporarily?—”

“No.”

“Or one of us goes with you to classes.”

“Or none of them.” She looks between the three of us. “I don’t think it’s that big of a deal that I need all three of you always hanging around. You have lives. You have classes.”

“None of that matters if we don’t think you’re safe.” Emerson leans forward. “I can’t focus on bio chem if I’m worried some guy is stalking you through campus.”

“I can’t focus on practice,” I add.

She folds a leg up and rests her chin on her knee. None of us speak while she sits and thinks. “I’ll agree on one condition.”

“Anything,” I say, shocked at how easy this was.

“You guys can’t freak out when I go see my dad.”

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