Page 61 of Devoted

I was oddly struck by that. Most people would assume that just because something didn’t physically affect you, you wouldn’t carry any scars. But stuff like this left marks. Even someone with perfect mental health would think twice about making sure their doors were locked after a break-in.

Not that it had done me any good this time.

“About that,” I said slowly. All the obvious questions I should’ve asked when Zeke first arrived came screaming to the forefront. “How did you find my house?”

Zeke gestured at the door. “Nate, one of my housemates, is a tech wizard. He was able to track your phone’s location.”

“Ah. That’s who you were yelling for as I hung up.” I paused. “And you just…dropped everything and came?”

“Of course.” His eyes were blazing now. “You were in danger, Sam. Of course I came.”

I eyed his chest. “And you’re shirtless because…”

“You were in danger, Sam.” His voice dropped an octave as he took another step closer. “I wasn’t stopping to do anything. Not put on a top, or anything else. My only priority, my onlythoughtwas getting you to safety.”

Fuck, it was hard to breathe with him this close. I dragged in a deep breath, but it just filled my lungs with more of his drugging scent. It was some addictive combination that made me think of fresh washing right out of the tumble dryer. I used to love getting the towels out and wrapping myself up in them, just to inhale the scent. “You could’ve been hurt, Zeke. It would’ve been my fault.”

“Nope.” His expression didn’t waver. “Nothing can hurt me, Sam. And even if it could, it wouldn’t have been your fault. I chose to come here, just as those men chose to break in. You didn’t make any decisions, therefore none of this is your fault.”

“I wish I could believe that,” I said sadly. “But that’s not how my brain works. If something had happened to you and your friends?—”

“Then it would’ve been on us. They decided to follow me here, just as I decided to come. Well, it wasn’t so much a decision on my part, but listening to my instincts.”

There was a fluttering in my stomach. “Your instincts told you to protect me?”

“Yes.”

“Wish my instincts would do nice things like that.” I let out a dry laugh. “Usually mine are telling me to murder people.”

Zeke met my dark humour without missing a beat. “I can show you the best ways to kill someone. May as well give your intrusive thoughts a bit of colour.”

I glanced at the door. “Are you sure they’re gone?”

“Yes. My friends…they’re very thorough. They wouldn’t have left unless they were certain you were safe.”

“How many of them came with you?”

“Nine.” Zeke ran a hand through his hair. My gaze followed the movement hungrily, my mouth drying out at how it made his biceps bulge.

“Nine?” I reluctantly pulled my attention from Zeke’s muscles. From the smirk dancing around his lips, my staring hadn’t gone unnoticed. “That explains how they got the situation under control so fast.”

Zeke coughed, and I frowned at him. Was he trying to disguise a laugh? What had I said that was funny?

“Umm, yeah. Although, full disclosure? Any of them would’ve been able to handle it alone. It’s why I felt comfortable coming straight up here.”

My nose wrinkled as I tried to picture a bunch of staid academics trying to negotiate with people who were off their faces on fuck knows what. Micah, like Zeke, had been built, but dressed in a shirt and chinos. It was all too easy to picture him behind a lectern. “You are talking about your housemates, right? The professors?”

“Ah, right.” Zeke’s expression turned cagey. “Well, technically they are professors, but we all have quite physical…hobbies.”

My gaze dropped to his pecs again. Fuck, how I’d have loved to bury my face there, to press my tongue against his nipple. “You’re telling me.”

“I’m glad you approve.”

My eyes shot up to see Zeke’s crinkled in amusement. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said. “You can look at me as much as you like. I’ll even let you paint me if that floats your boat.”

I laughed. “Unless you’re happy being just a blob with red hair on a canvas, I think I’ll pass.”

---