Page 112 of Bad Bishop

“And what do you think?”

Enzo ran his knuckles along his jawline. “I think if anyone could melt the iceberg also known as Tiernan Callaghan’s heart, it’s you, sis.”

_______

My blissful lucky streak came to an abrupt end one morning when Tiernan was pouring me a cup of coffee and Imma was huffing and puffing, scrubbing the same spot on the already pristine kitchen island with a frown.

“You have to visit your mama today,” she declared in Neapolitan, her stern glower warning me off arguing. “It’s her birthday, and she misses you dearly.”

I grabbed my phone and texted Imma since she didn’t know ASL. If she misses me so, she is welcome to visit me. Write a letter. Maybe even an email. I have an address now.

Imma read the text, her scowl deepening, and shook her head. She blew away the silver flyaways framing her tanned face.

“She is a prideful woman, and she spent her entire life protecting you. You’re being a brat.”

She took away my chance to go to school. To gain an education. To have friends.

“She did what she thought was right at the time.”

Tiernan slid my coffee across the island, leveling me with a questioning look.

“There’s a formal dinner at the house. Tonight at seven,” Imma said. “You should go.”

With that, she turned around and left the kitchen, leaving her phone behind so I wouldn’t be able to answer her. Iwatched her back disappear behind a door. She was completely unreasonable. Mama was the one who cutmeoff for wanting to live a normal life. I felt like I was living in an upside world.

Tiernan slid onto the stool next to me. His smirk was as menacing as nightshade.

“What’s funny?” I scowled at him.

“Your attitude.” He grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl, taking a juicy bite. Even the way his white teeth sank into the flesh of the apple made my insides clench with desire. “You act like a rebellious teenager. You sass back. You’re growing the fuck up.”

I didn’t like his patronizing words, though I privately admitted he was much older than me. Beyond the ten years that stood between us. He was forged in a work camp, grew up orphaned and haunted. He built businesses, destroyed lives, orchestrated entire operations.

Meanwhile, I was still figuring out how to get a high school diploma so I could pursue a higher education.

I took a sip of my coffee, shrugging off his comments.

“What’s going on?”

I put my cup down. “Imma is making me go to Mama’s birthday dinner today.”

“Is she now?” He gave me a wry once-over. “Maybe you should stop taking orders from the help.”

“I think we should go.”

“I’m going either way,” he surprised me by saying. He didn’t ask me how I felt about it or invite me to come. And it was yet again a reminder that he may worship my body, but he didn’t care one iota about the rest of me.

“That’s news to me.”

“Brennan’s gonna be there. We have some Bratva shit to discuss. Tierney is also bringing the Keatons.”

He intended to go without me. That infuriated me. It wasmyfamily. And he knew how I felt about my mother.

“How dare you make plans with my own family behind my back?”

“Careful now, Lila.” He put his coffee cup down. “That was never a part of our agreement.”

“I don’t recall ever agreeing to anything other than sitting on your face.” Anger tainted my cheeks pink. “Everything beyond this scope is open for negotiation.”