Sweet Devotion (Sins of the Father #4)

Prologue

Aislin

Fall

“Hi. I’m Aislin,” I say to the stunning girl with the braids when class is over.

I noticed her the second she walked through the door.

How could I not? She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.

Her eyes are a whiskey color—her lashes dark, her brows perfectly sculpted.

Her hair is long like mine, only in hundreds of braids, each of them curled at the ends.

She’s curvy, with a confident but kind smile and gorgeous, warm-brown skin.

To say I was instantly attracted to her is an understatement, but more than that, she just has me curious, and I’m not even sure why.

“Zuri,” she replies, holding her hand out to me.

I shake it, her touch sending a jolt of electricity up my arm.

“Aislin,” I say, before I remember I already told her that.

“Sorry.” My cheeks heat, which is a totally new response for me.

I’m not the type who typically gets embarrassed or shy.

I’m good in the moment, can think quickly, but Zuri has my brain feeling like mush and my heart beating overtime.

“Do you have another class right now?” I ask her, still vibing out what exactly I mean by that question.

Am I asking her on a date? Does one even ask someone on an immediate date seconds after meeting them?

This is all so new to me, but that’s part of the reason I’m in college—for the experiences I was protected from having thanks to my now-dead father being a mob boss and all.

“I do,” she answers.

My body immediately deflates. I want to talk to this girl more. I want to get to know her, learn about her, be friends with her, and maybe more.

“I’ll take your phone number, though,” she says, and yeah, I should have thought about that. I was about to walk away defeated. Who even am I right now?

“Okay. Only if I get yours too.” I test out the flirty reply, and luckily, she grins in response.

And then I grin.

I really like smiling with Zuri.

She takes out her cell, then adds my number in as I give it to her. My phone buzzes a second later with a text.

I check it, even though I know it’s from her, and all I see is a simple heart emoji.

It makes my heart race in response.

I send one back.

“I have to go,” she says.

“Me too.”

“I thought you didn’t have class?” Zuri cocks a brow.

“Oh no. I do. I was going to skip. You would be worth it,” I say, then watch her bite her bottom lip.

“You’re going to be trouble, aren’t you, Aislin?” she asks.

“Depends on your idea of trouble,” I tell her, then stand there and watch as Zuri walks away.

I stare at my phone for hours that afternoon, trying to decide if I should be the one to text her first. When I finally realize I don’t care if it looks like I’m excited to talk to her, I stop trying to talk myself out of sending a message and actually do it.

Me: Hanging out with you would have been way better than going to class.

Zuri: Would it have been? Why is that?

This time, it’s me biting my lip while I look at my cell and try to figure out how to respond.

It doesn’t take me long to send a flirty message in reply, and the two of us continue that way—not just tonight, but all day, every day afterward.

I have no idea if she’s queer or not. I hope she is, but even if she’s not, I have fun just chatting with her. Zuri is easy to talk to, funny, wicked smart, and just…kind. I can use more kind people in my life.

I can use Zuri in my life, even if all we ever become is friends.

*

Zuri

I never expected to fall for someone in college the way I’ve fallen for Ash. We started as just friends, but I was interested in her from the start.

I’d always told myself I wouldn’t get serious with anyone in college, though. That’s not why I’m here. I came here to get an education and become a doctor, but from the first conversation I had with her, I knew she was different.

We’ve been talking for a few months now, and what started as a friendship has grown to cuddling, kissing, touching, and exploring each other’s bodies.

And tonight, she’s taking me on a date.

Things have been a little hectic lately; between school and Ash’s family, it feels like something is always going on.

We did hang out at her brother Tiernan’s house a couple of weeks ago.

It was the first time I’d really gotten to spend much time with all of them.

Ash is really protective of her family. It’s clear there are some secrets there, secrets she can’t or isn’t ready to share with me, but partying and then sleeping over at Tiernan’s house feels like a step in the right direction.

“Where are we going?” I ask when we drive toward the other side of Ashford. The destination soon becomes clear. “Ash…” I say when we pull up in front of the Mexican restaurant.

I’d mentioned it to her once, how it’s been in Ashford since my father came here for college; that he used to tell me how it was his favorite place to eat in town; that he would sit in a booth and do homework while eating chips and queso.

One time. I told her that once, but she remembered.

While Ash and her family have secrets, she’s good at things like this.

“I thought we could come here together and make some memories of our own,” she tells me.

Reaching over, I cup her cheek, pulling her close, and kiss her soft lips. “I like that idea. I want all the memories with you.”

“Good. Because I want all of them with you, too.”

I’ve come here one other time since moving to Ashford, but it feels like a whole new level being here with Ash.

As soon as they take our drink orders, she asks for chips and queso, which couldn’t be more perfect.

The food is good, but the company is better. And the only thing I can think the whole time we’re laughing and eating together is how much I like her, how much I want to be with her, how lucky I am to have found her.

Ash gets tacos while I get enchiladas, but really, we just end up sharing our food—some of mine on her plate and some of hers on mine.

We talk about school and life.

When dinner is done, Ash insists on paying, and I let her know that I’m getting it next time. She agrees before taking me to our next stop, which is an ice cream parlor—despite the fact that it’s winter and cold as hell in Ashford.

“Are you going to give me all my favorite things tonight?” I ask. She knows that ice cream is my favorite dessert.

“I’ll always give you your favorite things, baby,” she says, before offering a dramatic wink, then the two of us dissolve into laughter.

“That was so bad,” I tease.

“I think you secretly liked it.”

She’s right. I secretly like everything about her.

And I hope like hell I never have to lose her.

I could easily fall in love with Aislin O’Shea…if I’m not already there.