I squeezed into the limo, because now all the Kings, plus the slut was in the back. Slut being right beside Bishop and me on the other side. Remembering it was close to midnight, I yawned. My body was aching and my eyes were heavy.
“Bishop, can you take me home?” I needed sleep, stat.
“Gladly,” Khales snickered, her hand going to Bishop’s thigh. I turned rigid, then my eyes went to Jase.
“What were you two lovebirds doing? You’re both still alive, which is a good thing…” Jase chuckled.
“Getting tattoos,” I admitted as if it was no big deal. Their eyes scanned me up and down, and then went to Bishop, finally seeing the swan on his neck. That became the topic of conversation and I took this time to gaze out the window, wallowing in the empty feeling that had settled in my gut. I hated feeling like this, I hated feeling like I didn’t matter to him. I still didn’t have any answers, and like usual, everything was moving at Bishop’s pace—not mine.
“Mal is a fucking dope artist,” Cash nodded, gesturing to the swan.
“Thanks,” I muttered, my eyes closing. “I don’t think I’m too bad either, but last I checked, I owned a vag.”
“Wait, you did that?” Jase exclaimed, Hunter was still silent beside him. Probably still glaring at me.
“Yes.” I opened my eyes onto Bishop. “But that was after he stamped his initials over my ribs.”
They all started laughing, all except Khales. He still hadn’t moved her hand from his thigh. His eyes searched mine briefly and then his arm went behind my neck as he pulled my face into his, his lips now pressed against my ear. “I should make you pay, Kitty. Fucking badly, and I will, because you don’t get away with that shit easy, but for now…” His lips dropped to my neck and my eyes closed again as his tongue slipped over the most sensitive parts of my throat. “I’ll play with you a bit.” Then he sat up straighter, moved his thigh out of Khales’ grip and called out to the driver. “To mine, man!”
We pulled into Bishop’s driveway, and when the car came to a stop he got out with Khales, but I stayed in my seat. I needed sleep and food asap.
“Kitty…” he growled.
“I’m tired! Can we do this cat-mouse thing tomorrow? I don’t feel like fighting.”
“Get out. Now.”
I grumbled. “Bye, guys,” then stopped, just as I got out of the car and leaned back in to look directly at Hunter. “You and I are going to have words!” Then I shut the door and left Bishop behind, heading straight for the side gate. I spun around and looked directly at Khales, fuck my aching feet and drowsy eyes. “You can fuck off.”
“What?” She looked at Bishop, who was still looking at me.
“She’s right. Leave.”
“But—”
Bishop turned his eyes to her. “Leave. This is between her and I.”
I grinned, an eyebrow quirked and ran my eyes over her body. “You won’t wanna get blood on that pretty little outfit.”
Bishop snorted and shook his head, then I turned back around and sauntered to the pool house, opening the door and slamming it behind me when I noticed he wasn’t following me straight away. What the fuck was his deal with her. There had to be something else other than the fact that they were friends or whatever when they were young. She had to be of value to Bishop, or she wouldn’t be alive right now—that much I’m certain of. I rummaged through the kitchen pantry and pulled out a bag of potato chips, popping them open and then hopping onto the little kitchen island. I had mad food munchies going on right now.
“Bishop! I’m heading back to LA, can you please—” the voice cut off when it hit the kitchen, probably seeing me on the counter.
“Sorry,” I sucked the salt off my fingers. “Not Bishop.” I swung my eyes to where it came from, to see who it was when I paused. The woman was beautiful. She had razor sharp short hair that hung to her angular jawline, dark honey eyes, and a sun-kissed tan that actually looked natural. Oh holy shit. This was Scarlet Blanc, as in Bishop’s mom, as in A-lister star of all time. And I was sitting here, still slightly drunk, chomping down on potato chips and sucking salt off my fingers.
A smile curled her lips. “Well, considering my son doesn’t bring girls home, I’m gathering you’re Madison?”
I beamed embarrassingly, but my damn mouth. “Well, there is one other exception,” I finished with an eye roll. “I’m sorry, I’m still a little drunk and it’s been a long night, which is far from over, and I’m rambling. Yes, I’m Madison, so nice to meet you. I would give you my hand to shake, but it’s covered with salt and saliva, so I guess…” she hated me. I could tell.
She erupted in laughter, displaying her straight teeth. “It’s alright. I don’t need to. I’ve been wanting to meet you for some time.”
“Really?” I squeaked, slightly scared about why she would be wanting to meet me for ‘some time.’
She nodded. “Yes, of course. The girl who pushed my son into a frenzy, my very unattainable son and stable son, may I add…” The words seemed harsh, but the tone in which she said them was harmless. I heard the door open and then close.
Bishop strolled in and paused, taking in the scene. His mom winked at me and then eyeballed Bishop. “Bring her to Thanksgiving. I’m sure the family would love to meet her.” She paused at the threshold where the kitchen meets the living room. “Oh, and that’s no girl. I believe the correct term for her is… slut?” Then she left. I was speechless, but uncontrollable laughter escaped.
Bishop snatched the potato chips out of my hand.
“Hey!” I scolded him, but he dived in, grabbing out a handful.
I flopped forward, my shoulders hunching from fatigue. “I’m so hungry, and your mom is awesome.”
His eyes remained on me, shoving potato chips into his mouth. May as well get this war over with, Mr. & Mrs. Smith style.
I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth and dropped the smile. “Bishop, I’m sorry, okay, I messed up majorly and I know that.”
“How far did you get?” He went to the fridge and pulled out a bottled water and then back to where he was standing.
“Um, not that far. Kissing, touching.” His jaw ticked. Abort, abort. “Ah, it lasted like three minutes before Jase walked in.”
“And if he hadn’t?”
Okay, there was his issue. “I wouldn’t have let it get that far, Bishop.”
“And I’m supposed to trust you?” He set the water beside my thigh, the cool moisture melting against my warm skin. I grabbed it, suddenly parched.
“I guess you have every reason not to,” I explained, my head starting to thud from the lack of sleep. “But I’m new to all this, Bishop. I’ve just found out all this new shit about my life, I made a fucking mistake, okay?”
His eyes searched mine. “Yeah, you keep saying that.”
“What the fuck am I supposed to do!” I didn’t even feel the tears leaking out of my eyes. “I find out that my mom wasn’t really my mom and oh yeah, the guy I loved fucked her, and then he had been hiding his first love—whatever the fuck that slut is to you—all these years and didn’t actually kill her like he was supposed to!” I sagged, my eyes feeling heavy. I jumped off the kitchen counter. “I’m going to bed.” I went to brush past, but his hand caught mine and he tugged me into him.
His fingers hooked around my chin and he tilted my head up to look at him, his eyes searching mine. “You love me?”
My eyes started darting around the room. I said that? Shit. I did.
Defeated, I shrugged. “Yes, Bishop, thought that much was obvious. I’m tired.”
He pulled me under his arm and I followed his lead up the stairs to his bedroom. Everything was throbbing so bad that as soon as I belly flopped onto his puffy blankets, my eyes closed and sleep took hold.