Dark Devotions by Nichole Greene
29
OLIVIA
90 DAYS LATER
“Ready to get out of here?”Jacinda, my counselor, asks.
“Yes.” I smile at her as I zip my suitcase up. “And no.”
I blink back unexpected tears as a wave of fear washes over me.
She leans her head against the door jam and gives me a gentle smile. “That’s a common reaction to that question. It’s scary to leave the comfort of this warm bubble.”
“It really is.” I chuckle to myself as I look around the room one last time. “I was so uneasy at first, and now it feels like home.”
“Again, a common reaction.” She walks into the room and helps me with my bag. “I think you’ll be just fine. We’ve sent referrals out for you, and you have a strong support network.” She glances at her watch, “Speaking of, what time will they be here?”
I opened up to her early on about the type of romantic situation I had going on, and to my surprise and relief, she was all for it. It helped me be able to trust her early on and completely open up. There were parts of my marriage that I still haven’t shared with the guys, and I’m not sure I will, but laying it all out on the table for her was more helpful than I ever imagined.
“It’s just going to be Nolan, and he should be here now.”
“Let’s get going, then.” She grabs the handle of my suitcase while I grab my duffel bag and camera.
Early on they pushed me to find a hobby. I tried painting for a few days but no. I tried gardening and again, no. Then I picked up a camera and started snapping photos. It clicked with me, no pun intended.
At the front door, Jacinda stops and turns to me. “From a professional standpoint, I hope I never see you again.”
I laugh and hug her.
“But from a personal and highly unprofessional one, I slipped my cell number in your suitcase. Call or text me when you get settled back in,” she whispers in my ear as she squeezes me.
My lips stretch into a huge smile when I walk out into the warm spring sun and see Nolan waiting at the end of the sidewalk. He sees me and gives me a similarly large smile. He stays rooted to the spot he’s in. A pair of black jeans and a gray t-shirt compliment his lean physique and edgy tattoos.
Damn, he looks good.
“You look incredible, Livvy.”
I do flirty little spin in my lavender sundress knowing I now fill out my clothes with feminine curves. “Thank you, as do you.” I throw my arms around his neck and hold him tight. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” He gives me a chaste kiss on the cheek. “So did everyone else.”
“I’m ready to get back and see everyone.”
“I bet, but we’re going to make a quick pit stop first .”
I look up at him trying to figure out what it could be. He grabs the duffel bag off my shoulder and puts it on his before grabbing the handle of my suitcase and rolling it back toward the airstrip where the plane is waiting for us.
I gasp when I step into the cabin and see the beautiful flowers sitting on the table. It’s an elegant arrangement of blush peonies, white hydrangeas, and light pink roses. I stick my face in them, dragging the lush scent deep into my nose. There’s a card, so I pull it out.
Liv-
We can’t wait to see you!
-Sawyer, Lake, & Grant
I turn and smile at Nolan. He walks over to me and wraps me in his arms again. I tilt my head back and look up at him. I know exactly how I feel about my relationship with the guys, but I feel like it’s something that should wait until we’re all together. I can tell looking up into his eyes that he wants to kiss me as bad as I want to kiss him.
He pulls away with a growl of frustration. Then he reaches up into one of the overhead cabinets and pulls out a small, wrapped package. He hands it to me with a smirk.
“What’s this?” I ask as I take it from him.
“Open it and find out.”
I rip it open and find an old iPod box. I look up at him with confusion. I didn’t even think these were still in circulation. “What in the world is this for?”
“It’s clue number one for the surprise.” He flops down on the sofa and pats the spot beside him.
I sit and curl myself against him, his arm wraps around my shoulder and holds me close. The flight will last a few hours, so we pick a movie and settle in together.
At some point I doze off, so I’m awoken by him singing good morning in his delicious tenor over and over until I open my eyes. I look down, slightly embarrassed to realize that I’ve drooled on him. He notices me looking and smirks.
“Don’t worry, the drool is less embarrassing than snoring,” he teases.
“Pshhh, you’re one to talk.” I smack his stomach lightly. “Are we about to land?”
“Yeah, that’s why I wanted to wake you up.” He reaches down beside him and hands me a blanket. “Clue number two.”
An iPod and a blanket. I think about it for a minute, my eyes darting back and forth between the two. Then he hands me ear buds on a chord. As soon as I understand, I turn around and look out the window.
“Are you taking me to Founders Prep to lay on the lawn and listen to music?”
“Yes ma’am.” He chuckles at my enthusiasm. “I can’t think of a better way to spend an hour or two than laying in the grass, listening to music, and watching the clouds roll by with you.” He lifts my hand to his lips and presses a kiss to my knuckles.
A car picks us up on the tarmac and takes us through the downtown area of Founder’s Ridge. There are more mid-rise buildings now, all modern and sophisticated as this community was built for and by the exceptionally wealthy. It looks the same in many ways but also different, smaller now that I’ve lived what feels like a hundred years in one decade.
The school looks exactly the same. The buildings are well maintained and stately, grooming the next generation of CEOs and politicians. Nolan spreads the blanket out on the quad. He lies down and slides the left earbud in his ear, giving me the right for mine. He turns on the iPod and hits a playlist that starts with “Yellow” by Coldplay.
The nostalgia of this moment has me grasping his hand as a tear falls. I didn’t know if I would ever feel this free again. He starts singing, and while Chris Martin is amazing, he’s got nothing on my man. I look over at him, his eyes are closed as he sings along in perfect harmony, and I know there is no way I would ever let him go. I won’t let any of them go.
We lie like that until the final song on the carefully curated playlist ends. He pulls the earbuds from both our ears and looks over at me. He leans down. I think I’m finally going to get the kiss I’ve been dying for, but instead he kisses the tip of my nose and then stands. He holds his hand out for me, pulling me to my feet. We fold up our blanket together and walk hand in hand back to the driver waiting for us.
* * *
We take a helicopter from Founder’s Ridge to the city. It’s dark by the time we touch down on the roof but that doesn’t stop the welcoming committee. Sawyer, Grant, and Lake are all out waiting for us. Nolan helps me out of the chopper, and I rush over to my other three loves. Grant is the closest, so I wrap myself around him pressing a kiss to his lips. Lake is next, and he gets the same treatment. Then it’s Sawyer's turn; I launch myself into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist.
“Thank you for sending me away,” I whisper in his ear. “It was terrifying and hard and emotional, but I’m so much better now.”
He rests his forehead against mine. “Thank you for understanding. I only ever want the best for you.”
I nod against him and then give him the same kiss everyone else got. I link our hands when he sets me down. We all go downstairs and into Sawyer’s place. There’s a lot of nervous energy in the room as we all look at each other. No one knows how to start, so I take a deep breath and jump right in.
“Do you still want me?” I look at all four of them.
“How is that even a question?” Nolan asks. “I’ve always wanted you. Where you go, I go.”
“I’m with Nolan,” Grant states, a sparkle of mischief in his eye.
“Of course I do.” Sawyer squeezes my hand.
“Desde ahora hasta el fin de los tiempos.” Lake answers in Spanish, from now until the end of time.
“The question is, do you still want all of us?” Grant asks.
“Yes.” I cry and laugh at the same time. “Forever.”
Before I can say another thing, I’m lifted in Sawyer’s arms, his hands in my hair and his lips fused to mine. He tastes like mint and whiskey. I feel him walk down the hall to the bedroom, the others following behind us. Sawyer sets me down on my feet and rips his shirt over his head, revealing an even more defined chest and abs.
As I get my fill of watching Sawyer strip, long fingers untie the bow at the back holding the top of my dress in place. “I’ve wanted to untie this bow all damn day,” Nolan growls into my ear. “It was fucking torture.”
I turn my head and capture his lips in the kiss I’ve wanted all day but was denied. If anything was torture, that was. My dress falls to the floor, leaving me standing in my panties. Nolan reaches around, palming my breasts and teasing my nipples. Sawyer drops to his knees in front of me, pulling the scrap of lace covering me down my legs with reverence. He runs his hands from my ankles up to my thighs before caressing my sex.
I look down my body at him as he teases me with soft, gentle strokes, and Nolan becomes rougher with my breasts. My back arches when Sawyer slides a finger inside me, pumping in and out of my slick heat. He finally leans forward and begins laving his tongue over my swollen bundle of nerves. I haven’t come in so long that it doesn’t take longer than a minute until I’ve collapsed against Nolan in boneless bliss.
He lifts me and lays me on the bed face down, lifting my hips high into the air. I feel his cock tease my entrance once and then twice. I cry out when he thrusts into me, an accompanying groan vibrates deep within his chest. Then I hear Grant say my name, I look over and make eye contact as Nolan continues his relentless thrusting.
“Take Sawyer deep into that pretty throat, Liv,” Grant commands from the other side of the bed. I can see his erection straining against his zipper, but he’s making no move to relieve the pressure.
I push up off my elbows to my palms, so I’m the right height for Sawyer. His cock is as gorgeous as he is, long, thick, pink, and perfect. I flick my tongue over the drop of cum glistening on the tip before dropping my jaw and taking him all the way back.
“Fuck,” he grips my hair in his and holds me still as he starts to move back and forth between my lips. “Fuck, Liv.” I keep my jaw open and moan around him, anxious to feel him fill my throat.
My walls start to flutter around Nolan’s cock as my orgasm crests. I’m clenching around Nolan when his fingers dig into my hips, pulling them back against him as he floods my pussy. Sawyer follows soon after. They both collapse to the same side of me.
Lake and Grant lay down on either side of me as my eyes start to droop. I try to fight the drowsiness, but Grant starts running his fingers through my hair while Lake rubs soothing circles on my hip.
“Go to sleep, Liv,” Grant tells me. “We have forever to explore each other.”
With those words, I fall into a deep sleep, surrounded by the comfort of my lovers and the knowledge that we’re going to be together, forever.