Chapter 21
Too much! Everything was just too much. Jenny shoved clothes into her suitcase and glanced at the clock. She was meeting Stoney in five minutes. Zipping up her suitcase, she hoisted it off the bed, extended the handle and drug it behind her down the hall of her cabin at StoneCrow. She’d officially had enough.
Two days ago Bishop had finally woken up in StoneCrow’s infirmary. She’d been there, but he’d immediately sent her away.
After watching him nearly die she’d decided she was done staying away from him, but when he woke he was adamant that he’d wanted her gone. Hell, he’d even had Ash escort her out of her own exam room. She’d wanted to argue, wanted to rage, but he’d only just woken, and she was afraid to stress him out. So, she’d left. She’d done as he’d asked and gone back to her cabin only to find Law waiting for her on her porch. There’d been no hope of hiding the tears that streaked helplessly down her cheeks. Law had demanded to know what was wrong, but she couldn’t tell him the truth. He was a Walker though so she’d had to offer him something really damn close. She’d told him about the attack on Bishop, which of course, he’d already heard about. She’d also told him about her near capture, and because of their history, he assumed that was the reason for her tears.
Instantly, he’d gone all battle-hardened warrior, prepared to rush off and fight and die on her behalf, which only made her cry harder. Apparently, her hysterics were jarring because Law tried to calm her offering soothing words and offering to get her into her cabin and get a hot cup of tea in her hands. She let him.
He’d stayed only long enough to ensure she was okay because she’d told him she needed rest. He’d acquiesced immediately and left her alone.
That had been two days ago and she hadn’t seen him since. She hadn’t seen Bishop either, which hurt almost as much as watching him being torn apart by Megalya. They’d been through something together and that was it. That was the one thing that she though could finally salvage any relationship they might have. But for two whole days he still hadn’t asked for her. He hadn’t even had the decency to send word how he was doing and when she finally contacted Stoney and found out that he’d been discharged yesterday, she felt gutted.
Now, she let her suitcase clunk its way down the front steps of her cabin. Outside, Stoney stood with arms crossed, hip resting against her bright yellow Challenger as she waited on Jenny.
“Thanks for the car,” Jenny said as she rolled her suitcase to the trunk and waited for Stoney to open it.
“I don’t think you should go.”
Stoney was the only one who Jenny had fully confided in. She’d done so partly because Stoney already knew Bishop was afflicted and on injections, she just didn’t know who his Angel was…until now. The bigger part of Jenny telling Stoney everything was that Stoney was her only true friend, and the last six months had been hell trying to keep everything to herself.
“Sometimes you’re just too damn scientific about everything, Jen. Just feel!” Stoney shoved off the car and used her key fob to pop the trunk. “Why can’t you do that? Why can’t you see yourself as a woman instead of a Doctor and just go with your urges?”
“Because at the time I started all this, my biggest urge was to prevail for those who have faith in what we can make possible,” she explained. “I didn’t try for me. I tried for them, and every single Walker who is privy to what’s been going on is telling me I’m wrong. I fucked up. I didn’t help anyone. Even worse, Bishop hates me.” She hefted her suitcase into the trunk and lurched forward, her arms bracing on it as a searing pain stabbed her chest. All the fight left her, and she whispered, “He hates me, Stoney. I don’t know what do to. He hates that I’m his and wants nothing to do with me.” She pushed up out of the trunk and let her head fall back, eyes pinching closed against the anguish as tears slipped down the sides of her face. “This is what I’d been hoping to avoid. I didn’t want this damn affliction forced on anyone.” She jumped when the trunk slammed closed.
Law stood there scowling at her. “You takin’ a piss right now? You ain’t leavin’ like ‘is!”
“Fuck,” she swiped at her cheek and turned for her cabin, but Law caught her arm and spun her back to him.
Already hypersensitive from being away from Bishop for too long, Jenny screamed at the hand locked onto her bare arm. A jolt of intense pain shot straight through her, and she tried to rip out of his hold, but Law wouldn’t let her go.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, and because he didn’t know any better, he hoisted Jenny up into his arms. One arm touched the back of both of hers, and when he pressed his forehead against hers, Jenny screamed an agonized sound as she started fighting.
“Put her down!” Stoney yelled. “Jesus Christ put her down!”
Law didn’t. He didn’t understand what was happening, so he held Jenny tighter.
A loud bang sounded and through her tears, Jenny could barely make out Bishop vaulting himself over the railing at a cabin just two down from hers. His matte black eyes were locked on her and Law as he raced toward them.
“Get your fucking hands off of her!” he bellowed.
Law spun and seeing Bishop barreling toward them, he set Jenny down just in time to catch Bishop as he launched himself into Law’s chest. The impact was jarring, and both men went down in a heap of fists and fury.
“Jenny!” Stoney rushed her and looked down at where Jenny was rubbing her arms, her body still quaking. “Are you okay?”
Jenny’s eyes were on Bishop and Lawder though. “Stop!” she shouted, but neither man listened. “Stop!” she yelled louder. Still in too much pain, there wasn’t anything she could do to make the men listen. “Stoney, do something.”
Without hesitation, Stoney walked up to the men and kicked Law hard right in the center of his back.
“Stoney!” Jenny screamed. “What in the hell are you doing?”
“You’re Bishop’s Angel,” Stoney bellowed jabbing a finger at the still brawling Walkers. “Law shouldn’t have touched you.”
Jenny’s head fell back, “Oh, my fucking God. Stop, stop! Everyone just fucking stop!” But she was speaking quietly now like she was only talking to herself.
“Wait!” Law yelled, grabbing one of Bishop’s wrists to keep his fist from connecting with Law’s face. “What you mean she’s ‘is.”
“His Angel,” Stoney pointed. “Look at his neck.”
Law’s eyes dipped to the double-helix halo around Bishop’s throat, and he groaned, “Bloody fuckin’ ‘ell. Get off me mate!”
Bishop let him up.
When Lawder stood, he looked at Jenny accusingly. “You’re ‘is?”
Jenny nodded, not bothering to explain the complications of their relationship.
“Christ,” Law planted his hands on his hips and heaved a great sigh. Blood dripped from his nose, and he looked from Jenny to Bishop then to Stoney. “Bloody hell,” he said again and then stomped off.
“Thanks,” Bishop muttered, drawing Jenny’s attention.
He was staring right at her, and she wondered why he was thanking her, but when he crossed to her and bent, lifting her off her feet before tossing her over his shoulder, she realized he’d been speaking to Stoney.
“Hey!” she protested as he stalked back the way he’d come, leaving her suitcase in the Stoney’s trunk. Shoving hair back out of her face, Jenny raised her head to stare accusingly at Stoney. She knew now Stoney had simply been stalling her earlier when Stoney mouthed ‘sorry’ and folded her hands in a clear plea for forgiveness.
Jenny’s shoulders slumped. “Bishop.” She spoke calmly, attempting to mask her quickly swelling emotion. “Put me down.” Damn it! Her voice actually broke, and she knew he’d heard it when he stopped for just the briefest of moments then continued on.
“No.” Was his only response.
She couldn’t even fight him because she was too busy struggling to keep from losing her shit. Any second she was going to burst into hysterical tears, and she was using all of her strength to keep from doing so. She didn’t need Bishop feeling sorry for her or seeing how affected she was by their failed relationship.