Page 73 of Devoted

Yeah, that was hot as fuck.

Listen, I was well aware that a therapy visit was in my near future. But my inability to recognise Zeke’s red flags for whatthey were wouldn’t even feature in the top ten things I needed them to deal with.

“Why did you want me to be, well, me?”

“Because you were,are,the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid eyes on,” Zeke said without hesitation. “Something happened to me when I saw you, Sam. It was like my soul latched on to you and saidyou were meant to be mine.”

What the fuck was I supposed to say to that? I shouldn’t find that hot, right? “Bit intense, but okay.”

“Yeah, this is why I didn’t want to discuss all that tonight.”

I froze. “Seeing that man, seeing me, that’s why you were going to end things?”

“No.” Zeke paused. “But it is connected.”

Suddenly, all the exhaustion I’d been feeling earlier in the day returned. “You’re right, it’s too much for tonight.”

He squeezed my knee. “I’m happy that man was you though, Sam. So unbelievably fucking happy.”

I nodded, unsure what to say. I was officially reaching the end of my social battery, every small noise suddenly too loud. “What’s your address?”

He rattled it off as I typed it into my phone. I let out a low whistle as the sat nav confirmed the address. “Knightsbridge? Very fancy. Don’t know if I’m posh enough to stay with you.”

“Trust me, you’ll fit right in,” Zeke said drily. “I don’t think any of us have ever been calledposh. Micah, maybe. The rest of us though? Definitely not.”

I pulled out onto the road. “I’m assuming the fact you’re in the car with me means you didn’t drive yourself over here.”

“I did not. But even if I had, I would’ve insisted on coming with you.”

“I can drive by myself, Zeke.”

“I know.” His hand returned to my knee, squeezing gently. “But you don’t have to now. I’m here.”

We didn’t talk for the rest of the journey. Zeke’s hand stayed on my leg, not trying to arouse me, just resting there. Like he was reassuring me that he was with me.

That I wasn’t alone.

Thanks to the late hour and lack of traffic, the journey passed quickly. I followed the directions from the sat nav, finally speaking as a grand stone gate came into view. There was a church off to one side, but that was the only other building on this side of the road. Just how bigwasthis place? It was unusual to find a patch of land this big in London. Aside from the parks, palaces, and old country estates, it wasn’t like there was much real estate going. “Is this it?”

“Yep,” Zeke said. “You can see the road, right?”

I side eyed him. Why would he think I couldn’t? My headlights were clearly on. “Obviously.”

He let out a breath, tension leaving him as he grinned. “Great.”

Too weary to overthink his odd behaviour, I pulled through the massive gates.

When we turned around the first bend in the road, the house came into view. I sucked in a quick breath.

I hadn’t missed the mark when I’d teased Zeke for living in a mansion. The one building was as big as my entire fucking street.

“See what I mean about not needing to worry about us having the room?” Zeke said wryly as I parked outside.

“Yeah,” I said, dazed. “I’m definitely not posh enough for here.”

He patted my thigh before getting out of the car. I was too busy staring up at the grand windows and pillars, wondering if I was dreaming. I had to be, right?

Stuff like this didn’t happen to me.

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