Page 5 of Wicked Devotions: Part 2

“Are they worried?” My brow scrunches.

“Yes.” The answer comes both from Banks and Declan.

I nod, and after a brief moment of searching my face for certainty, he switches the call to FaceTime. When I look into thescreen, I see all three of them crammed together. Declan’s eyes are tight, Emerson’s lips are pressed into a straight line, and Cyrus looks sad. My chest tightens knowing I did this to them.

“I’m sorry,” I say through trembling lips. My watery eyes move from the phone to Bank’s face for comfort. “I didn’t think you’d be that worried. I just needed Banks. I was scared.”

“It’s okay, we understand,” Emerson says.

The looks on Declan and Cyrus’s faces say differently though. Before I can apologize again or try to address their sadness or disappointment or anger, Declan continues.

“I called my cousin and got everything sorted with the video. It’s already been reported to news agencies as a deep fake video and is being scrubbed from websites. I’ll tell Dad and Annabelle to pick you up.” His voice is flat. He disappears as he hands the phone over to Emerson.

“The most important thing is that you’re okay,” Emerson says, taking over. “You can trust us to be there for you when you need us.”

I want to tell him it’s not a matter of trust, I do trust them. My eyes meet Banks’s, and he mouths that it’s okay, that I’m okay. He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and wraps his foot around my waist, tucking me closer to him.

“Thank you,” I tell Emerson. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, baby.” His eyes soften as he hands the phone to Cyrus.

“Didn’t know you had it in you to steal my bike for a little joyride.” Cyrus gives me a cheeky wink and a smile. “Next time leave a note,asteraki mu.”

I nod and hand the phone back to Banks, who ends the call. All of a sudden I’m so tired, my whole body aches with fatigue. I wish I could melt into the floor.

“Let’s lay down until your mom and Cillian get here.”

“Don’t you have class?”

“Just intro to psych. Trust me, I can miss a class and be fine.”

He pulls me up and folds the covers back for me to slide in next to the wall. The bed sags as he gets in beside me and slides his arm under my neck. I turn into his body, sliding my arm over his chest and clinging to him while he runs his fingers over my scalp.

“Do you want to talk about anything?” he asks.

“Did you see the video?”

“Yeah, not the whole thing though. Who would do that to you?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it, to be honest. I just woke up and saw your texts, clicked on some headlines and got sick in the sink. Coming here to you was just an impulse decision. I don’t even remember the drive.”

He sighs heavily and kisses my forehead. “That isn’t comforting to hear.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to keep apologizing.”

“I feel bad for all this. Scaring everyone. Putting you in this position. Being an embarrassment. The world must think I’m a whore.”

“You’re not. Who matters more, the people who know and love you or a bunch of people who only know who you are because of the vile shit your dad did?”

“Obviously the people who know me,” I mumble as my eyes drift closed.

“Exactly, so just hold onto us and screw anyone else’s opinions.”

The soundof murmured voices in the living room area of Banks’s dorm pulls me from my fitful slumber. I can’t make out the words, but I hear my mom’s voice. Checking my reflection in the mirror, I realize my hair is a tangled mess. I finger comb out the snarls as best I can before going to see Mom and Cillian.

Mom has her arm wrapped around Banks’s waist, giving him a little hug while Cillian stands stoic in the corner. My stepfather looks so out of place in a college dorm room in his expensive suit with a severe expression on his face. When he notices me that expression immediately softens into concern.

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