Page 123 of Cuffed By Love

“Mira, that’s not love; it’s brutality. How could you believe someone that loves you would ever dream of hurting you like that?” Devin affirms, squeezing my hand a little.

“Had I recognised the signs early on, maybe it wouldn’t have gotten so bad. I thought his jealousy was sexy at first because he was crazy about me. But it just went from little things to absolute paranoia and him accusing me of sleeping with Wyatt or anyone that would look twice at me. But I still chose him over everyone. I lost my friends one by one because I loved him, and I thought he loved me too, but I was never anything more than a doormat or a punching bag to him.”

I hear Devin exhale audibly and look at him. He’s gripping the steering wheel tight. “Everything makes so much sense now.” He utters, his jaw twitching; he stares at the road ahead broodingly. “Everything you said about love being a waste of time. Why you’re so wary about letting someone in or possibly allowing yourself to feel something, to fall in love.”

“Between losing you and then Scott, I lost what little faith I had in love. It’s just easier this way. No expectations, no disappointments.” I reply with a shrug and turn to look out of the window.

“Mira, I would never intentionally hurt you,” Devin tells me austerely, and I nod. I know he wouldn’t. “I’m nothing like him. Had I been around, and I found out what the son of a bitch was doing to you, I would have killed him without batting an eyelid.” The gravity and sincerity in his voice made me look at him. His brown eyes were shining with a mixture of anger and affection. I rest my head against the headrest and lick my lips.

“You have no idea how many times I was curled up on the floor beaten, wishing you were around. Just to have you hold me and whisper those words I so desperately needed to hear.” I admit, my eyes swimming in tears. “I’ve got you, Mira Evans,” I add with a whisper.

Devin’s eyes glisten, and he lifts my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the centre of my palm. “One phone call, that’s all it would have taken, and I swear to you I would have been there, Mira.” I nod, rubbing his jaw with my thumb.

“You’re here now.”

* * *

After we gotto Devin’s place, I took a long shower to wash the anxiety and trepidation off me. I stood under the rainfall shower for ages, eyes closed, head back while the hot water beats down on me. I think back to Devin’s words in the car. If I had found a way to reach him, would he have come? If the years have taught me anything, it’s that love is nothing like the fairy tales you read growing up. Love hurts, and it devastates and makes you crazy. Love is like being dehydrated in a desert and drowning in the ocean. No matter how hard I tried, I never could cut those ties. I couldn’t make myself forget; I couldn’t make my heart forget. How do you erase a love that’s been permeated into your every cell, carved into your very soul? You just can’t. No matter how much you beg your heart to listen to reason and move on, you won’t. I haven’t.

I’ve loved Devin since I was old enough to understand what love was. I’ve loved him from afar, silently, innocently. I’ve just never been able to admit that to myself.

“Mira.” I open my eyes and see Devin standing by the glass door of the shower. “You’ve been in here for a while, and I was starting to worry.” I hold his gaze, and he holds mine penetratingly. I walk over to him slowly, and he watches me diligently until I reach him. Devin looks down into my face. He doesn’t move an inch, his eyes fixed on mine, trying to figure me out.

“I want to be yours,” I whisper to him. I see the fire ignite in his eyes instantly, but at the same time, I detect some uncertainty too.

He swallows hard, keeping his eyes firmly on mine. “Mira, are you sure? Because you need to know, if I make you mine, I’m keeping you. I’m not letting you go this time.” Devin tells me intently.

“I want to be yours, Devin King.” And with those words, the uncertainty drops away, and all I see is the devotion and desire glowing in his astonishingly sweet brown eyes. I take his hand and pull him into the shower with me.

The water falls over his larger frame, soaking him instantly. He keeps his eyes on me, presses his forehead to mine and whispers. “I’m nobody’s but yours, Mira Evans.” I sigh and let those words sink in.

“I don’t want to go through life without ever really knowing what it feels like to be loved,” I admit to him truly. I’m standing naked before him, but I have never felt more exposed to him. Devin cups my face with his large hands and stares steadfastly into my eyes.

“Don’t say that to me, Mira, because I’ll fall for you. I’ll fall for you blindly, and so hard it will wreck us both.” He declares openly, and all I can do is look up at him.

“Dev, if we’re making a mistake, let’s make it together,” I whisper to him, curling my fingers around his wrists.

Devin bites his lip and nods. “If we’re going to burn, we’ll burn for it together.” Devin dips his head, and his mouth sweeps over mine with slow deliberation. His remarkably soft and sensuous lips brush mine apart, and our tongues glide over one another. Much like our first kiss, well—second first kiss in the club, this was full of passion and unhurried. We break the kiss for a second so I could pull his soaked white t-shirt up and over his head.

While he kisses my neck, I unbutton his jeans and push them down his narrow hips and finely toned bum. He kicks them off to the side and lifts me into his arms, sealing our lips together for another feverish kiss. The water cuts off, and Devin steps out of the shower and walks through to his bedroom. I watch him after he sets me down and grabs some towels for us to dry off. I wander over to the huge floor to ceiling window overlooking the river and London skyline and see it’s pouring out. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, unexpectedly blinding me. A moment later, the low rumble of the rolling thunder takes me back to the night we first made love.

Devin comes up behind me and kisses my neck, his arms circling me. I smile and close my eyes, enjoying the feel of his lips peppering kisses up the side of my neck. “I’ve missed you like crazy.”

“I’ve missed you, too.”

I feel him grin against my cheek. “Are you sure? Because, if we go by the song you sang at the bar which was so evidently aimed at me, you claimed to be moving on, no?” He burrs playfully, squeezing his arms around me a little.

“I’ve been trying to move on for nine years.” I sigh and lift my eyes to look up at him. “I’ve come to realise there’s really no getting over you, King.”

“You’re an impossible girl to get over, Evans,” Devin replies, turning me so I could face him. “And yet here we are, another stormy night, naked and in each other's arms. On the same date, same time, exactly ten years later.”

I blink up at him, surprised. “No, it’s not.” I lift his hand to look at his watch and gasp. He was right; it’s almost nine.

“July twenty-first, just after eight-thirty at night, I came over to yours. Right about now, I’m pretty sure I was about to make you mine, Tinks.” He murmurs, tilting my head so he could press a sweet kiss to my lips. I coil my arms around his neck and kiss him slow and deep. He moans and lifts me into his arms, and we move over to his bed. Devin lays me down and crawls up over me.

Our eyes connect; his large, muscular body covers mine so perfectly, so impressively, those long fingers lace with mine. My free hand curls around his chain—the key to my heart and I pull his lips to mine. Devin moans and kisses me so slowly and with such affection, I’m sure I felt my soul quiver. We take our time, just like we did that very night. I gasp when Devin slides himself into me. It’s been almost a month since we last had sex, and I forgot how big and thick he was. While my body adjusts to the intrusion, we continue to kiss until our bodies begin leisurely rocking together.

It was one of those nights I wouldn’t forget in a rush. Devin King, well and truly made me his in every way possible. I shook with supreme pleasure in his arms while he whispered sweet nothings to me.

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