Page 33 of Wicked Devotions: Part 2

“I marry her.”

My heart picks up speed. Is he really suggesting we get married? I honestly haven’t given marriage much thought, especially since I’m currently involved with four men. It doesn’t seem like a possibility for me, nor is it something I need. Not that I haven’t spent years thinking I’d eventually be married to Banks.

“No.” Declan shakes his head vehemently.

“Explain your thought process further,” Emerson says quietly.

Cy doesn’t say anything, he focuses all his attention on me, studying my reaction.

“It wouldn’t change any of this.” Banks motions around at the five of us. “You still have your relationships, it just gives her an added layer of protection. Maybe it will make him lose interest in her.”

“Or piss him off even further.” Declan scoffs and looks at Cy. “You can’t be okay with this.”

Cy shrugs. “I just want what’s best for everyone. I don’t care if she marries him, it wouldn’t change my relationship with anyone.”

“Setting aside all of that. How would this even work? What would your parents think?” I ask. “You’re going to school hours away.”

“Mom and Dad know. I’ve explained everything, in limited detail, to them. They love you, they love me. They want us both to be happy even if it isn’t exactly traditional.”

His parents are wonderful, especially considering how conservative their views tend to be. They’ve never been judgmental, though, instead keeping their focus on their familyand offering compassion to those around them. I mean, they closed ranks around Mom and me when Dad was arrested and the scandal exposed. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that they’d be open to this.

Banks pulls out a small black box and opens the lid. “Mom even gave me Granny Great’s ring to propose with.”

The emerald cut diamond sparkles in the sunlight, along with the smaller diamonds surrounding it and covering the vintage filigree gold band. It’s absolutely stunning. He takes it out of the box and slips it down my ring finger.

“Perfect fit,” he says quietly. “Like it was meant to be.”

Declan shoots to his feet and leaves the room without saying a word.

I start to move to follow him, but Emerson holds a hand up to stop me. “Give him some time to calm down.”

I want to go reassure him that even if I did choose to marry Banks, it wouldn’t change my feelings for him. I trust that Banks is only bringing this up to know we have the option. Right now, it’s just a possibility. An idea not yet set in stone.

“I don’t want to start any trouble,” Banks says. “I won’t do this if everyone isn’t on board. It’s just an idea.”

“We don’t even know what Mom would say.” I can’t lie, though, as I look down at my finger, it feels right in a way I wasn’t expecting to be wearing Banks’s ring.

“Actually, we do.” Banks looks at me nervously. “I called her first, just to bring it up. She’s on board if it’s what you want.”

“Oh.” I blink several times, surprised that she’d be okay with it when she was married so young and look how that turned out. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Thought of everything, didn’t you?” Emerson looks at Banks with a blank look on his face, hiding his thoughts completely. “And you’d seriously give up your scholarship to move here and go to Trinity?”

“Yes. You’d all have to be okay with me moving into the house, though.”

“I’m okay with it.” Cyrus gives a decisive nod. “As long as it’s what Harper wants, I’m good.”

“Do you want it?” Emerson asks me.

“I don’t know.” I look from the ring to Banks. “Can I think about it?”

“Of course.” He kisses my temple. “Keep the ring and think it all through.”

“Take the stalker out of the equation, would you still want to marry her?” Emerson surprises me with the question, but I want to hear the answer from Banks, too.

“Yes. I’ve known I wanted to marry her for years now. I don’t want you guys to feel threatened by it, but it would cement our,” he points back and forth between himself and me, “unconventional relationship.”

Emerson nods as he mulls everything over.

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