Page 168 of Bad Bishop

“Think about it.” Lila jumped to her feet, chasing me across the too-small apartment. I hated that she didn’t have a sprawling mansion, a proper nursery, and a walk-in closet she could get lost in.

Not that she’d ever complained about it despite her plush upbringing.

“He threatened he’d tell the world our secret. Reveal that you are not the real father if I don’t come there on my own.”

“First of all, he wouldn’t be alive to do that.” I slipped into my smart shoes. “Second, even if he did tell, it wouldn’t change a thing. I’d still be married to you, and the baby would still be mine.”

That seemed to placate her as she stopped by the door, placing her hands on my shoulders.

“Promise?”

I stared at her, aghast. “Just fucking try to get rid of me, Lila.”

That earned me a precious smile from my favorite girl.

“Thank you,” she said.

“I love you.”

“Good for you.”

She was still mad. I yanked her close, kissing the tip of her nose. “Hey. Say it back.”

“Fine, I love you, too. That being said, I want to be there, please.”

I leaned down, catching her lips in mine in a sweet kiss. She’d be pissed when she found out I directed all of her incoming messages and calls to my phone. “Never fucking happening. Have a good day,Gealach.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

LILA

The clock struck ten thirty when I put my sketchbook down and rose from the couch.

I couldn’t sit around twiddling my thumbs while my husband was having a showdown with my rapist.

Fury and exasperation swirled in my gut. I knew Tiernan wanted to keep me safe, and I appreciated his protectiveness, but I was my own person, and I wanted to confront my attacker. I deserved to give him a piece of my mind. I even fantasized about telling him everything verbally. Watching his shock as he realized I could speak.

Tiernan made me promise I’d never follow him, never put myself in harm’s way, but we’d never discussed this rule in the case thatIknew his life was in danger. He was underestimating the man who raped me. Sure, his actions so far were a little chaotic, but ultimately, he had managed to sneak under everyone’s radar undetected this many months into the pregnancy.

Obviously, he was doing something right.

I was going to break my promise to my husband. Just this one time.

I grabbed my pink gun and tucked it in the satin ribbon holding together my pink maternity dress. It was easily concealed between the rich fabrics of my frock. I slid my phoneinto my purse and took the stairs down to the pub. Fintan and Tierney weren’t there, and it was still closed to the public. An ocean of scary-looking Irish soldiers looked up from their pints and game of cards. I shot them a glare and punched my phone’s keyboards, using a text-to-speech app.

“I want to go to 7-Eleven to get some chocolate.”

They looked between them, hesitant. I wasn’t one for rash decisions and didn’t have a sweet tooth. And I never asked my bodyguards to take me anywhere. In fact, I usually pretended they didn’t exist.

A bulky guy named Flynn stood up. “Give us a list, will you? I’ll go grab whatever ya fancy.”

Shaking my head, I typed on my phone, transferring my text into words.

“I don’t know what I want. I need to go there and see.”

“It’s late,” he argued.

I tossed a shoulder up.