Page 16 of Wicked Devotions
“Harper.”
“Nice to meet you.”
After a little small talk, we discover we’re going to the same class. She makes jokes about school and college life, immediately putting me at ease. Conversation flows effortlessly between us as we wait for the professor to arrive.
After class we grab lunch together and share the normal icebreaking conversations. The one thing I do leave out is who my father is. I don’t want to carry that label around here when I already lost all my friends back home due to the scandal.
The past few months have been so lonely. Aside from Banks and my cousins in Texas, it feels like I’vebeen lost in a sea of isolation. I didn’t realize how much I missed the simplicity of female friendship. Maybe I should look into joining some student organizations to make more friends. It would give me a reason to be around the house less.
The only thing that gives me any pause where Emilia is concerned is the fact that she recognized Declan. I hate that I even had this thought, but she could be using me to get close to him. Just walking across campus with him for ten minutes this morning, it’s clear that people know who he is. It’s likely that awareness extends to Cyrus and Emerson, too.
I never used to be suspicious of others’ motives. Just one more thing to add to the list of damages my father inflicted with his lies. Every time I think about the horrible things he did to us and to others the urge to talk to Mom overcomes me.
Just wanted to say hi
My first day went well
Mom
That’s great, sweetie. I knew it would.
Have the boys been helpful in getting you settled?
Yeah
Good
Declan is letting me drive his Range Rover home while he’s at practice. I should go for now.
Drive safe! Love you
Love you, too
It doesn’t looklike anyone is home when I pull in the driveway, which is fine by me. I prefer it that way. I’ll be able to relax for a bit in the living room before they get home. The bananas were looking very ripe this morning, so I could make some banana bread as a nice gesture.
I don’t know which of Declan’s keys opens the back door to the house that’s by the detached garage, so I walk around to the front door and use my key. As I step onto the porch, I notice a letter slid into the door with justmy name on it.
I grab it and open the door, making sure to lock it behind me. Before I open the envelope, I go upstairs to drop my bag in my room and change into comfier clothes. The guys keep the house so cold I have to dress like it’s the middle of January to be comfortable.
Once I’m layered up, I drop down onto the bed and open the letter, completely confused as to what it could be. No one knows I live here, and it couldn’t be from Dad because it wasn’t sent through the mail.
Dearest future wife,
Enjoy the short time you have left but remember you’ll be mine soon.
Stay pure.
What the heck?The only person who could think he was going to be my future husband is obviously Banks, but he would never say anything like this. Plus, he’s three hours away at school in Georgia. Just to be sure I check his location on my phone, and,sure enough, he’s in the university natatorium exactly where he should be.
Did one of the guys plant it as some kind of sick joke? It’s not funny in the least. I’ve spent my whole life feeling unsafe, and while I’m not comfortable here yet, I never felt threatened. But as I look down at the note and the sinister slant of the handwriting, my stomach churns with unease.
Any plans I had of relaxing and baking go right out the window as I stay holed up in my room. With every passing moment I become more and more certain that it had to be one of them. Anger replaces fear as I stew in solitude.
By the time I hear voices downstairs, I’m ready for a fight. I fly out of my room, letter clutched in my hand as I descend the stairs and come upon Declan and Emerson, both shirtless and sweaty chugging water in the kitchen and Cy with a dish towel thrown over his shoulder while he pounds at a few chicken breasts. They all look up at me in unison.
“Whose idea was this?” I hold up the note.
Declan’s eyes harden as soon as he sees it. He reaches across the island and plucks it from my hand. “Where did this come from?”