Crossing to the closet panels along the wall, I tuck the contract out of sight beneath a stack of shirts on a low shelf. Rubbing the back of my neck, I return to the bed.
So much of my energy is focused on fighting for control, but I don’t have it. I never did. Not just over Blair, but over myself, too. Everything I’ve done is a futile attempt to gain control.
It’s always been easier to strive for it than face the reasons I want control so badly.
Blair is here, but now what? If I keep on the same path, she’ll only meet a monster at the end. Blair deserves more than that.
If she sees my demons head on, there’s no question about it—she’ll walk away, just like the others.
Maybe I can change that.
Twenty-Four
Blair
Waking up in an unfamiliar room makes me jolt out of bed in the morning. It takes a few seconds to catch up with my reality: living with Devlin.
Climbing out of bed, I tug on a pair of leggings and a gray wide neck t-shirt that drapes off my shoulder.
Turns out, Devlin is easy enough to avoid in such a big house. I give him the slip as I explore it more in the light of day. I learn where the exits are and commit them to memory, mapping out the giant property until his commanding voice fills the house over an intercom system.
“Get your ass to the kitchen for breakfast, troublemaker,” Devlin demands. His wicked chuckle fills the room. “Don’t make me come find you. I’ll hunt you down and take whatever I want as a finder’s fee.”
I scramble to the kitchen, wary of what he might do.
Devlin stands at the stove with a fresh pan of eggs. The shock of him making food stalls me in the doorway. The savory scent of bacon makes my mouth water, and I inch closer. A strange warmth blooms in my chest at the sight of him dishing out the food he made.
“Do you want to eat or not?” He sounds amused.
“It smells really good. Thanks for cooking.”
Devlin hums, setting a plate of toast down. Circling the island, he clasps my wrist and pulls me over, where he has two plates set side by side.
It’s so…domestic. Normal. Like a family used to eating together. I’ve only ever had that with Mom.
The blooming warmth expands.
“Wow, you really cut up fresh fruit, too? I don’t think I ever pictured someone like you cutting up your own fruit.”
“I like cooking. My aunt taught me.” Devlin takes the seat next to me, the one he tied me to the first time I was here. “You’re not going to starve while you’re here. Eat.”
“You didn’t poison it, did you?”
Rolling his eyes, Devlin crunches into a piece of bacon.
It smells divine. Who knew the devil could cook?
I take a bite and clap my hand over my mouth, groaning involuntarily.
A small satisfied smirk curls Devlin’s mouth.
We eat in silence for a few minutes. I’m having a full on experience. It’s a surprise that he would lift a finger, but finding out he actually is a good cook is blowing my mind.
“I’m going to go for a run before the party later,” Devlin says, breaking the quiet.
“You are?” I perk up.
Devlin quirks a thick brow. “I assume you'll follow me on the trail anyway, so you might as well join me. Did you bring shoes?”
“Yeah.” I don’t mean to sound so breathless, but I haven’t gone for a real run in so long. “I want to come, too.”
We finish eating and the world doesn’t grind to a halt. It’s a miracle. Maybe we stopped being bitter enemies when I wasn’t looking, but it’s hard to keep hating the guy who fed you gloriously fluffy eggs and paid for your mom’s medical expenses.
We’re not friends, but maybe we could be. If he can apologize for being the world’s biggest jerk for the last few years. I’ll even say I’m sorry for attempting to steal his car.
When we’re on the trail an hour later, the fresh air fills my lungs.
Stretching my legs and pumping my muscles as we jog through the mountain trail is amazing. It’s the most I’ve felt like myself in months.
My legs burn in a way I love as we push on.
Devlin keeps pace with me as I learn the unfamiliar path. His perfect running form is as precise as the rest of his cultivated habits, only giving the impression he’s loose and effortless while he cuts through the trail with amazing speed.
I find myself watching him more than the trail at some points. He’s a beautiful runner, his tousled black fringe pinned back from his face by an elastic band.
When we near the end and his house comes into view, he darts ahead.
“Hey!”
“Race you!” Devlin throws over his shoulder.
I follow, thriving on the burst of competition. I pull on my reserves to close the distance. Once I pass him, he lets out a grunt as he chases me. I look back, finding him in hot pursuit with a wicked gleam in his eye.
Our race ends with me beating him to the front step by a hair.
“Yes!” I gasp.
“You cheated,” Devlin snarks.
“You cheated! You started without saying anything. I won fair and square because I’m fast.”
An easy laugh puffs out of Devlin. “Yeah, you are.”
As we pant, I can’t hold back a wide smile while I catch my breath.
Maybe living with Devlin won’t be such a hardship.
Twenty-Five
Blair
By early afternoon, the sun is baking the world alive as Lucas pulls the Jeep into the parking lot at the beach. Party music drifts through the air, along with boisterous laughter from people already here. The sun sits high in the sky and a slight breeze makes small waves lap across the surface of the lake.
“Oh my god, I can’t wait to dive into that water,” Gemma groans, fanning herself on the bench seat beside me. “I hope it’s frigid as fuck.”
“Mood,” I agree quietly, tying my hair into a sloppy bun on top of my head to keep it off my neck. “Where is fall?”
“That pumpkin spice bitch better show up soon,” Gemma says. “I just want to wear flannel and my leather jacket.”
I smile. I really missed Gemma and her sharp humor.
Devlin and Lucas hop out of the front of Lucas’ Jeep to grab the cooler they stocked before we left.
When we arrived at Lucas’ place earlier, Gemma had blinked in surprise that Devlin showed up with me in tow, then gave me a goofy grin, hooking her arm with mine. “What the hell is going on?”
I shoved her as we got into the Jeep to ride around the lake to get to the beach. “Nothing.”
“Uh huh. Sure.” Gemma and Lucas had exchanged a look of silent communication in the mirror. They certainly have come far from when they first met and were at each other’s throats constantly. “So much changes when you leave for college, huh, babe?”
Lucas cut a sly glance at Devlin, who flipped off his cousin. Lucas chuckled. “So much.”
Devlin wouldn’t let me skip this beach party. I tried hiding in the closet, but he found me and dragged me out, hoisting me over his shoulder while I protested.
A few high-pitched squeals pierce the air, followed by splashing.
As we hover by the back of the Jeep, I twist my hands on the strap of Gemma’s beach bag. She takes one of my hands and tugs me toward the beach.
“We’re grabbing a spot!” Gemma calls over her shoulder.
“Right behind you, Gem,” Lucas says.
I never told Devlin I hadn’t packed a bathing suit, but somehow a bikini in my size was waiting for me on my door handle when I woke up this morning.
It’s fucking red.
At least I have Gemma with me for moral support. Her pretty blonde hair falls to her shoulders in french braids. She picks out a semi-shaded spot on the soft sand—totally shipped in, a high altitude lake like this should have a rocky beach—and gestures for her striped bag.
“I packed a ton of sunscreen. I’m not dealing with a sunburnt L
ucas. He got so sulky on our vacation to Jamaica over the summer. The first day, too! Pitiful beefcake.”
Gemma shakes her head, but she sports a fond smile, and her eyes are faraway. She’s in love.
I hand over the bag, losing my reason to stand around and keep my oversized t-shirt on to cover up.
“Take that off.” Gemma gestures to the shirt that hits above my knees. “I’ll do your back.”
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I cast a glance around the crowded beach. Bishop chases Bailey, Nina, and a third girl through the shallows, splashing around. Half the soccer team is here, plus most of the popular crowd that bow down at Bishop and Devlin’s shared throne.
They don’t matter. It’s fine.
Crossing my arms and grabbing the hem of the big shirt, I peel it overhead, tossing it down on the blanket Gemma spread in the sand.
“Damn, girl,” Gemma says admirably. “Will you pose on the rocks later? You know I have my camera with me. This look is killer and I need to capture it.”
“Stop, it’s not even mine.” I cover my face. I peek between my fingers. “It’s okay?”
“Dude.” Gemma gives me a once over. “You look hot.”
A relieved exhale leaves me. I peer down at the red bikini. It’s bold, something I’d never have gone for. The sun kisses my pale skin. I’ll probably have fresh freckles dotting my cheeks by sunset.
Gemma shucks off her white shorts and strips out of her Oak Ridge College tank top, revealing a military green bikini that crosses over her boobs. I feel less out of place with Gemma beside me. She’s used to the party scene, but it’s never been for me. I kind of wish Lucas brought his sweet pug dog, because he’s my best friend at these things.
“So,” Gemma drawls, squinting at me. “What’s the deal with you and Dev? Are you, like, a thing now?”
“I, uh.” There isn’t a straight answer I can offer. “It’s…complicated.”
“Hah, I know what that’s like,” Gemma says with a burst of laughter. “But seriously. Is he being chill? Do I need to kick his balls into his teeth?”
“No. He’s a smart ass dick, but I handled it.” I’m not about to have Gemma fight my battles for me.
“Good. You’d tell me if you needed help, right? Because I have your back, even if I’m not in Ridgeview.”
“Yeah.” I grant her a thankful smile.
“Cool. Now come here, pasty.”
“I’m coming for you, sweetheart!” Lucas interrupts before Gemma has the chance to apply the sunscreen.
He grabs Gemma in his big, muscular embrace. With a deep whoop, he scoops her up and runs for the lake.
“Lucas, no!” Gemma shouts, breaking off into laughter. “You freakin’ caveman!”
“Ayyy!” Bishop cheers further down the beach, following up with a coyote howl. “Get her, Saint! Watch out, a king and his queen coming through!”
Once they hit the water, she screams, wrapping her arms and legs around his waist as he free-falls backwards into the lake. The splash they make as they breach the surface is huge, spraying high. They look like the perfect couple, the handsome ex-football-star-turned-architect-student and the sassy photographer he fell hard for. No one would know their start was rocky and fraught with tension.
Bending down, I grab the abandoned tube of sunscreen. Strong arms wind around my waist, and a solid, warm bare chest plasters to my back. My heart skips a beat as Devlin’s decadent, spicy musk envelopes me.
“Fuck,” Devlin rasps in my ear, his lips pressed to my lobe. “I’ve changed my mind. No one else gets to see you like this. I have a dock. We can swim at the house. How much would it cost me to drag you home right now?”
The way he says home makes my stomach flip over.
“Too rich, even for your blood,” I sass, turning my head to view him in my periphery. “You did everything to make sure I was here, so I’m staying. Plus, Gemma wants to take photos of me later.”
Devlin splays a hand low over my stomach, skimming the bikini bottoms with his pinkie.
He groans in my ear. “You’re in my color.”
“You put me in this color.”
He hums and nuzzles his nose into the crook of my neck.
His color.
Red, like the Porsche I attempted to steal.
I shouldn’t like the sound of that, but it sends a thrill through me.
The pull of attraction is undeniable. He’s hard to resist when he’s being sexy like this. The thing between us has been steadily growing since that fake kiss. It’s close to the breaking point. I can’t ignore the way I feel when he’s like this with me.
“Now I’m picturing you wearing my number.” He sucks in a breath and I can feel a hardness pressing into my ass. “Shit. Add that to the list of what you should wear around the house. The cutoffs, those duck shorts, my soccer jersey.”
He squeezes me and presses his dick into my ass.
“Devlin!” I swat his arm and put an inch of space between us. My heart thunders in my chest. This is the first time I’ve felt his attraction. We’ve been dancing around it. The elastic band that draws us together is pulling tighter. “That better not be what I think it is.”
“No one can see.” His exhale coasts over my neck, eliciting a shudder. I squeeze my thighs together. “If we were home, we could skinny dip.”
I don’t know where this is coming from. He’s flirted a little with me, but this is the first time he’s taken it farther than flirtation. The first time he sounded serious about taking a step over the line. Is he joking?
“Don’t tease me.”
“I’m not,” he swears. “I’m not playing around at all. Christ, if I had you to myself right now…fuck.” The muttered curse seems directed more to himself than to me. He drags his finger over the edge of the bikini bottoms. “Am I making your heart pound? Are you getting wet knowing I’m hard for you? What would I find if I slid my fingers into your bathing suit right now, little thief? Would you make my fingers as sticky as yours if I filled your pussy with them?”
My breath leaves me in an uneven gust, face flaming hot. Anyone could look over and see this going down. Devlin chuckles, the sinful sound vibrating against my neck, plucking at every string inside me, threatening to leave me a puddle of goo.
Licking my lips, I wriggle out of his hold. “I have to put sunscreen on. I don’t want to burn.”
“Hold up.” Devlin plants his hand on my stomach and tugs me back against his body, keeping me in a possessive hold. “What’s this?”
I shiver as his fingertips trace between my shoulder blades, mapping the outline of my star tattoo. I got it somewhere it wouldn’t be seen often, since it was for me, not to look cool. Kind of like Devlin’s, hidden on our bodies. A private piece we keep tucked away.
“You have a star,” Devlin murmurs, wonder filling his tone.
“So do you.”
Devlin traces the tattoo twice more. His touch ignites a thousand tiny sparks. They erupt across my skin in a rush. My breathing becomes shallow.
Across the beach, Bishop entertains the in-crowd. Nina and Trent sneak off to a secluded spot in the tree line. Gemma and Lucas share a kiss in the water, wrapped around each other in their own little world.
The whole time my body trembles as Devlin lavishes my tattoo with his rapt attention. It’s not an erogenous zone I was aware of, but it’s sending electric heat straight to my core. I slide my legs together, enduring the sensual torment for as long as I can.
“Devlin, what are you doing?” My voice is unsteady.
“Learning something new about you. Why a star?”
“I like them. I don’t know, they were my thing when I was little.”
Devlin pauses. “Is that all?”
I don’t know what else to tell him. The truth is I was obsessed with stars to the point I would use them in my handwriting the same way other young girls put hearts on their I’s.
“It was just a thing. My mom promised me they were magic. It reminds me
of her.”
I still like the stars, even though I know the magic Mom filled my head with as a kid isn’t real.
If it was, I would’ve gotten Mom and I out of our troubles countless times over with all the wishing I wasted on stars.
“That’s it?” Devlin presses.
I shrug and it breaks the moment enveloping us in a bubble.
“Whatever. Forget it.” Devlin sighs and takes the sunscreen from me, slathering it on my back where I can’t reach.
I return the favor for him. Keeping my breathing even is a struggle as my palms glide over the muscles and sharp planes of his back. He keeps still for me, angling his head so I have a view of his chiseled jaw and a hint of his profile.
“Going to cop a feel while you’re back there?” Devlin taunts.
“No,” I mutter, pinching his side.
His deep laughter rolls over me like the blanket of the night sky, speckled in starlight. I like the sound of his laugh. Curling my fingers in hesitation for a beat, I let myself be as bold as my red bikini, soothing the spot I pinched and skating my touch up to his shoulders.
Devlin goes still, reaching back to brush his fingers against my hips.
Bishop interrupts, plopping onto Gemma’s blanket with his attention glued to his phone.
“Thought you were chasing Bailey around,” Devlin says mildly.
Bishop hitches a shoulder seconds later in a delayed reaction, humming. “Sean’s into her. I’ve got something better, anyway.”
As Bishop sprawls on his back, I catch a glimpse of his screen. My brows fly up.
“Holy shit. Is that—?”
Devlin steers us away before I finish my question. I’m pretty sure Bishop had a risqué photo of Thea Kennedy filling his screen. But that couldn’t be right, Thea isn’t the type to send a photo like that.
Especially to someone like Bishop, who is awful to her with his constant taunting.
“Pick your chin off the ground,” Devlin murmurs, arm slung over my shoulder possessively as we approach Sean and Bailey near the smoking grill.
Bailey lights up. “Dev! You have to try Sean’s kebabs, they’re, like, so awesome.”
Tempting Devil: Sinners and Saints Book 2 Page 17