Page 32 of Wicked Devotions: Part 2

HARPER

Watching the friendship between Banks and Cy blossom makes my heart explode. I never thought about Cy needing the same type of grounding that I need from Banks. But it makes so much sense, and seeing it work makes me feel so profoundly grateful for Banks.

I know that Cy and Emerson have their own dynamic going. They provide each other comfort on a level that no one else can touch, but I’m so happy to know that when Emerson can’t be there, there’s another who can step in.

“Now that we’re alone, are you going to tell me what you’re going to say to the guys?” I ask Banks as I watch him pack his bag back up.

He pauses to look at me. “No. You can wait a little bit longer.”

“Ugh.” I toss myself back on the bed dramatically even though I figured he wouldn’t budge. “Fine.”

Gentle rain is coming down outside, the patters of raindrops fill the air as he zips his bag. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“I don’t want you to go either.” The bed dips beside me as he lays down. “I love you.”

He wraps his arms around me and pulls me back against his body. “I love you, too. Being apart sucks.”

We lay there for a while listening to the rain and soaking up each other’s company while we wait for Declan and Emerson to get home. Occasionally we’ll hear Cyrus moving around upstairs while he works on one of his paintings, but otherwise it’s peaceful and quiet. I’m just about to doze off when I hear the sound of the Jeep pulling into the driveway.

“Guess it’s time for you to spill your idea.” I sit up and pat his thigh. “You ready to face them all?”

“Yep.” He runs a hand through his hair and stands up.

“Nervous?” I smile up at him.

“Nope.” He holds out his hand for me and pulls me to my feet when I take it. “They don’t scare me.”

“What does scare you?”

He steps in front of me, looking straight into my eyes with an intensity I’ve never seen from him before. “Losing you.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Damn right.”

Cyrus has already made his way downstairs by the time we get to the living room. Banks takes a seat while I go into the mudroom to greet the guys. Declan looks up as soon as I enter the room like I have a homing beacon on me just for those gorgeous green eyes. He stands to his full his height, leaving whatever he was doing in his bag behind to come to me.

His fingers weave through the hair at the nape of my neck as he tilts my head back. Our lips meet in a soft kiss as he gentlypulls my hair to tilt my head back further, allowing deeper access to my mouth. My lips part beneath his as he slides his tongue against mine.

The kiss is full of dark promise laced with the slightest bit of longing. What he has trouble expressing with words, he always communicates with his lips. He breaks the kiss first, resting his forehead against mine.

“Hi,” he says quietly.

“I missed you.” My whispered confession hangs between us as he looks deep into my eyes. I drop any walls I’ve erected between us so all he sees is the truth behind the words. If we’re going to do this, we both have to allow ourselves to be vulnerable with each other.

“I missed you, too.” He pulls me into a tight hug, kissing the top of my head while I breathe him in.

“My turn.” Emerson grabs my hand and tugs me out of a reluctant Declan’s embrace over to him. He presses a chaste kiss to my lips as he hugs me. His lips have the lingering taste of Cy’s peppermint lip balm, leaving mine to tingle just a bit. “He’s not the only one who missed you.”

“He’s not the only one I missed.” I grin back at him. “But now we can finally hear Banks’s plan. Come on.” I pull him into the living room behind me.

I sit down beside Banks. Declan takes one of the armchairs directly across from us. Cy and Emerson sit on the other couch, side by side, and look over at Banks expectantly.

Banks shoots me a glance and then clears his throat.

“Before I start explaining, I just want you to promise to keep an open mind.” He looks directly at Declan as he speaks. “The most important thing is to keep Harper safe, right?” He waits until he sees nods from the other three guys. “The stalker seems to think he has the right to marry her, which we know isludicrous. I’ve been thinking, what if we made it so he couldn’t marry her?”

Declan goes still. “How do you suggest we do that?”

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