Tempting Devil: Sinners and Saints Book 2

by Eden, Veronica

  “Yeah,” I gasp, arms wound tight around his shoulders.

  The emotion rises, misting my eyes. I capture Devlin’s lips, kissing him tenderly as we move as one, climbing higher and higher. As I reach oblivion, Devlin tenses with parted lips, rumbling as he comes. I hug him tighter, smiling against the side of his face as he strokes my back.

  With an attentiveness Devlin only shows when we’re alone, he shifts us to the bed without breaking our embrace. He strokes my hair back from my face and places a soft kiss on my lips. So much devotion fills his eyes when he looks at me without any masks.

  “Rest for a minute. Then we’re starting again.”

  I chuckle, curling into his side. “Again?”

  “Always.”

  Our fingers trace lazily as we catch our breath. Gradually, our touch grows more insistent, more purposeful, until we’re chasing release again.

  And again.

  Devlin doesn’t stop touching me, even when we finish, too exhausted to go another round. He tugs my thigh over his legs and brushes his lips on the crown of my head as I rest my cheek on his chest, mapping my own path on his skin. His heartbeat drums beneath my ear.

  A smile curves my mouth as his hand finds mine, tangling our fingers.

  We’ve always matched. Our bruised hearts are intertwined and mending, tender and in need of the kind of love we give each other. We fit together, two broken shards showing off our damage by fusing together like my favorite Japanese art tradition, a delicate gold glue binding our hearts as one.

  Fused together, we make a more beautiful work of art with proof of everything we’ve been through.

  Forty-Six

  Devlin

  On the night of winter formal two weeks later, Blair is a knockout in a sleek fitted dress that steals my breath as smoothly as she’s stolen everything else—my pain, my walls, my heart.

  Beneath the silver and white decorations that transform the gymnasium into a winter wonderland, the dark gray material of Blair’s dress sparkles when it catches the light, like tiny diamonds are woven into the fabric. She places her hand in mine as I offer it to her.

  “Want to dance?” I ask.

  A slow song filters through the speakers and other couples fill the dance floor. Mr. Coleman hovers at the edge of the room, smiling through his chaperone duties. Surprisingly, Bishop dances with Thea Kennedy, who looks amazing in a sweet pink, flowing dress.

  “Prepare yourself for some truly uncoordinated awkwardness.” Blair waves her free hand with a flourish as I take her to an open spot. Color fills her freckled cheeks as I tuck her close, leading us in a smooth sway. She rests one hand on my bicep and the other curls around the back of my neck. “Well, actually. You seem to know what you’re doing.”

  “You’re light on your feet and among all of your other troublemaking skills, you’re telling me you can’t dance?”

  “Not a lot of opportunities to bust a move while liberating wallets. Want me to moonwalk away next time?”

  Blair smirks and I give into the urge to kiss her. I can taste her smile and her joy as we spin in the middle of the dance floor.

  We dance for a few more songs. Blair grows more comfortable, letting loose with me.

  When a break in the music comes, she fans her face. “Sustenance?”

  “Come on, let’s grab a drink.”

  I rest my palm at the base of her spine and lead her to the drink station set up in front of a fringe curtain of silver mylar. The table has an explosion of snowflake confetti. Blair picks some up and tosses it high enough to land in my hair, nodding with satisfaction flaring in her eyes when some sticks in my hair. I get her back, picking up a snowflake and pressing it to her cleavage.

  Leaning in, I murmur, “I’ll be back for that later. With my teeth.”

  She bites her lip around a grin and presses onto her toes to kiss me, grabbing my lapels. I squeeze her waist.

  “How much later? Maybe I’m not too good for a little action in a deserted classroom after all.”

  A devious chuckle drops from my lips. Before I can retort with something alluring, Trent and Sean amble up to the drinks table with cocky swaggers. Sean darts a wary look my way. Trent nods to me, his attention quickly turning to Blair. These idiots eye her with a leering appreciation I don’t like. Possessiveness rears up in my chest and I slip my fingers beneath the low cut of her dress to stroke her back.

  Sean doesn’t miss the move, his brows jumping up.

  “Looking hot as fuck, Davis,” Trent says.

  “You really clean up,” Sean adds. “For…you know.”

  I nearly growl, ready to teach him another lesson, but Blair presses her hand to my chest. We exchange a look. She silently gives me an I’ve got this expression.

  Knowing she can hold her own, I let her take the lead, ready to enjoy the show of these two morons getting eviscerated by my feisty girl.

  “Really? Thanks, guys.” She inspects both of their suits. “Can’t say the same for you, though. I can see the condom stash sticking out of your pocket, Sean.” Blair tsks, shaking her head with mock sympathy. “A bit ambitious, and I don’t think Bailey’s DTF anymore after you started that rumor. You know, the one where you wanted a live-in sex slave to fulfill your needs.”

  Sean blinks stupidly. “Wh—You little—”

  “Stop.” The command in my tone pulls him up short before he can reach out to grab Blair. Sean flinches and Trent seems surprised by my expression. “You don’t touch her. Or look at her like that.”

  Blair leans into me. We fight our battles together, balanced and unified as one.

  “Shit—hold on to that thought.” Blair peels away, hurrying to the other side of the room, where Bishop is in Thea’s face, pinning her against the wall.

  Trent scoffs. “What a bitch. Dude, when are you ditching that gold digging clinger?”

  White-hot anger unfurls in my chest. I reach out and snatch Trent by the collar, jamming my thumb into the hollow of his throat. Trent’s face melts into shock as he clutches my arm in an attempt to throw me off.

  “Never. If you keep talking shit about my girlfriend, you’re going to regret it.” My gaze snaps to Sean. “Both of you. I hate repeating a lesson. Do I make myself clear?”

  Trent and Sean nod. I press my thumb harder, enjoying the panicked way Trent’s beady eyes flick around the room. A beat later, I release him with a shove.

  “Get the fuck out of my face.”

  They leave, stumbling over themselves. I scan the room and find Blair jabbing her finger into Bishop’s chest.

  I can’t see her face, but he is stunned, probably surprised she doesn’t fear his reputation. Whatever she says pisses him off. Bishop stalks off from Thea and Blair with a thunderous expression. His shoulder slams into Mr. Coleman’s on his way to the double doors draped in shimmering curtains. A worried frown tugs the corners of my mouth down.

  Blair rubs Thea’s back and leads her to the refreshment table to dab her tears away with a napkin.

  I send a quick text to check on Bishop.

  Devlin: You good?

  Dots appear and disappear for a minute, then my phone vibrates with his response.

  Bishop: Yeah. Whatever. Heading home.

  Bishop: Make sure Thea gets home safe.

  My eyes narrow. He should do that himself if he brought her here.

  Bishop: Don’t leave her there alone.

  Devlin: Is that not exactly what you just did???

  Bishop: [middle finger emoji] [middle finger emoji]

  Bishop: Seriously, I don’t trust anyone else. Give her a ride home.

  I glance up. Blair has Thea smiling reluctantly as she chats. It does something to my heart to see her opening herself up to more people.

  Devlin: Yeah fine. We’ll take her.

  Bishop: Thank you. Owe you one.

  Pocketing my phone, I go to Blair’s side, playing with her hair. She sends me a fond smile while Thea peeks at me shyly.

  “Look, I was j
ust showing Thea this dog account Gemma and I love on Instagram.” Blair flashes me her phone.

  “Is that the pug dog you’re obsessed with?”

  Blair sighs wistfully. “Sweetest, lumpiest prince. Here, Thea, watch this one.”

  Thea takes Blair’s phone and soon enough the sadness lingering in her shoulders disappears as she laughs at the video.

  I nudge Blair. “Ready to get out of here?”

  “Yeah.” Blair scrunches her nose. It’s adorable and I have to struggle not to drag her in for a kiss. “I’ve had about enough of the whole winter formal scene.”

  “Come on, we’ll give you a ride home,” I say to Thea.

  She glances at Mr. Coleman as he walks by. “Oh, I was going to ask…”

  Blair shakes her head. “We’ve got a way sweeter ride. Are you hungry? We should stop for a pizza.”

  “Dressed up?” Thea peers down at her gauzy pink dress.

  “Hell yeah!” Blair nods to me. “Last time we did it, we made up crazy stories about why we were decked out. It’s fun.”

  Thea purses her lips expressively. “Well, okay. Thanks.”

  “Anything for a friend of Bishop’s,” I say.

  Thea’s expression falls and Blair elbows me.

  “All I mean is he asked to make sure you had a good time and made it home safely.” I rub my jaw. “Since he left early.”

  Thea studies me for a beat. I blink, taken aback by the perceptive shift in her eyes. Maybe she’s not the quiet, mousy nerd we’ve all taken her for.

  “All right.” Thea gives me another challenging flick of her eyes. “I like pineapple on my pizza.”

  Blair lets out a laugh. “You and I are going to get along just fine.”

  I follow the girls out of the winter wonderland with a soft smile, hands tucked in my pockets.

  * * *

  The night air is cool, but we’re wrapped in a cocoon of blankets on the roof. Blair nestles between my legs, her back to my chest as we gaze at the stars.

  I don’t feel like I’m escaping from an empty house, because the girl in my arms is the only home I need. It no longer seems like a cavernous, isolated prison because Blair is with me.

  A profound sense of peace surrounds us. For so long this was a private ritual I did in secret, but now I can’t imagine doing this without Blair, not when she was the one to give me this piece of hope in the first place.

  I’m happy. The anger I grappled with for so many months has finally subsided. It doesn’t have to rule me.

  We’re not watching the night sky because we need to make wishes, but because we want to show the stars we made our wishes come true anyway by finding love in each other.

  Blair hums, turning her head when I kiss her cheek. “For a school dance, tonight was pretty fun.”

  “Teenage staple experience, check.”

  Blair snorts, shifting to get more comfortable. “Do we have to do the whole prom thing, too?”

  “Only if you want.”

  “We should. You can go out with a bang. We’ll really sell the dark devil of Silver Lake High.” Blair shoots me a wry smirk over her shoulder. “Plus, you’d look super hot in a red velvet suit.”

  My chest vibrates against her back with my deep laugh. “Will you wear a dress like you did tonight?” I drag my teeth over my lip, picturing the sexy, sleek material hugging her body. “You’d look great in red, too. Maybe something with a slit.” I move her hair aside and murmur more of the fantasy against her throat. “For easy access when I sneak you away to fill your pussy with my cock.”

  Blair tips her head to give me better access. I can hear the grin in her voice when she says, “I was thinking more like tight red leather pants and little demon horns.”

  The image she puts in my head makes my dick jump.

  “Oh god. Fuck, I love you.”

  Blair reaches back, lacing her fingers behind my head to pull me down for a kiss. When we part, a smirk tugs at my lips. I press them to her ear, dropping my voice low.

  “Want to play cops and robbers? I still have those handcuffs somewhere in the bedroom.”

  “Should I go to the garage? I can steal the car for old times’ sake,” Blair jokes. “Or pick your pocket.”

  I capture her hands and nip at her fingers. “You know what happens when you try to get in my pants, sticky fingers.”

  “That’s what I’m counting on.” Blair peeks over her shoulder, a playful mischief flickering in her pretty whiskey-colored eyes.

  My heart thuds with devotion as heat spreads over my body.

  “You’ve got a five minute head start.” I kiss my promise against her cheek.

  “Come get me.” Blair gets up, luring me with a flirty look. She crooks her finger as she backs toward the window. “Catch me if you can.”

  “I’ll always chase you. Five minutes,” I remind her. “Then I’m coming to capture you again, little thief.”

  Forty-Seven

  Epilogue

  BLAIR

  2 Years Later

  Ridgeview is blanketed in fluffy heaps of snow, frosting the boughs of pine trees as I drive up to Mom’s new house. It’s a cute little cottage in the mountains. Mom was able to buy it earlier this year, before my fall semester at Oak Ridge College started.

  Thanks to Devlin’s financial advisor working pro bono with Mom and I in the second half of senior year, we created a plan to tackle the debt. Devlin offered to help, but it was something we both had to do for ourselves. We’re finally free of the burden Dad left us. It’s been liberating to have that weight lifted from our shoulders.

  Mom is happy and healthy. At the end of summer before I went back to school with Gemma and Lucas, she found work as the manager of the new bakery in downtown Ridgeview. Her time at the clinic did her a world of good. Devlin’s parents might have a complicated relationship with him, but their medical expertise gave Mom her life back. I’m grateful to have her living her best life.

  The stone chimney emits a curl of woodsmoke. Mom must have a fire going. I smile as I hop out of my car, inhaling the fresh mountain air and the scent of firewood. My boots crunch on the snow as I head for the front door.

  I’m home for winter break and I plan to spend the first few days with Mom until Devlin’s break starts. We go to different colleges, but his is close to Oak Ridge. He’ll drive down to Ridgeview from the townhouse we live in between both campuses at the end of the week after his developmental psychology final finishes.

  I love my life in a way I never knew was possible. More than that, I love sharing it with Devlin. The things we face, we grow through together. I always think of the glittering gold that fuses over our old, healed cracks, not forgetting them, but making them shine.

  We’ve barely been separated since graduation. It made sense to live together in our spacious townhouse when we already lived together at Devlin’s house in Ridgeview. He picked it out specifically because it had plenty of room for my growing book collection. I tease him about it, since his library of books for his psychology degree rivals mine.

  “Hey, Mom!” I call as I kick snow from my boots.

  Her cottage is warm and inviting, the fire crackling in the stone fireplace filling the comfortable home with a drowsy sort of heat. I unwind my scarf and hang my coat up.

  “In the kitchen! I’m making muffins.”

  “Smells great.”

  “How was the drive down?” Mom pokes her head out from the arched door to the kitchen. There’s a smudge of flour on her cheek and my heart expands with a bloom of happiness. She beams. “Good to see you, baby girl.”

  I cross the room and envelop her in a hug. Our old tradition hasn’t died. I’ll always hug her when either of us walk in the door. She smells like sugary batter and cinnamon. Her arms close around me, squeezing me tight.

  “Missed you! The video chats aren’t the same as the real deal.”

  I laugh. “I know. I’m here now, though. The drive was good.”

  “I hope Devlin’s dri
ve isn’t bad. They’re calling for another storm.”

  “Oh, trust me, he’s hoping for it. He’s got a new addition.” It’s a BMW X1, perfect for driving in all terrains. Lucas has been by our townhouse to drool over it several times since Devlin bought it. I shake my head, affection lacing my tone. “He’s been dying for a good snowfall to see what it can do.”

  Mom chuckles. “That boy and his cars.”

  “I know, tell me about it.” I go about making tea on autopilot. “You should see what I rode here in. I was going to take my car, but he wasn’t having it and made me drive the Land Rover instead.”

  The Corolla is no more. It died a pitiful, sputtering death days before our senior graduation, but Devlin had something waiting for me. He called the shiny red Audi Q7 a congratulations for getting a scholarship to Oak Ridge College present. I teased him that he wanted me to have my own red ride so I’d stop stealing his. Devlin’s mouth had curled up at the corners and he reminded me how great he thinks I look in red.

  Mom checks on the muffins baking in the oven and accepts the mug of tea I hand her when it’s ready. “I like that he’s so protective of you. It gives him the Mom certified stamp of approval.”

  I bite my lip around a fond smile. Secretly I like it, too. But it keeps him on his toes if I sass him with my independence.

  We take our tea to the table.

  “Well, go on,” Mom encourages, relaxing in her chair. “I can see you’re buzzing with it. How was your art history final?”

  My grin breaks free, along with an elated sound. “Well, I don’t know the official scores yet. But my professor said he was very impressed. He’s recommending me for the internship at the museum over the summer!”