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Bishop

“She told Dulvaney where Eden was out of spite?” Rook asked.

We were sitting in a bar on the opposite side of the street to the hotel I’d just come out of. After Susannah’s admission that her plan was to give me a job to ‘help’ me feel good about my work and had expected me to go back to her out of gratitude when she told me she had organized it, I laid down a number of truths.

I wasn’t in love with her.

I wasn’t even in like with her.

Her husband knew about our affair, and I had no interest in making him think it was back on.

Then I’d raised the fact I knew she met with Dulvaney. That’s when she started to cry. And I felt nothing other than irritation.

“Apparently, Eden was the reason I didn’t go crawling back to her. She decided that since she was responsible for putting her on my radar in the first place, she’d take responsibility for removing her.”

“By contacting the violent ex-boyfriend?”

I nodded.

“And people claim we’re the ones who are morally gray. At least we’re honest about what we do.”

“Did. You’re retired, remember.” I lifted an eyebrow.

Rook smiled. “Did, then.” He took a sip of his drink. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Well, you have a wife now. Are you planning to retire?”

“It’s not like that.”

My brother snorted. “Of course, it’s not. Lie to yourself, if you must, but you don’t go to this much trouble for a woman ever. And must I remind you that you claimed you married her out of love. Are you now saying that wasn’t the case, and I was right all along? That the marriage is a sham?”

I didn’t reply.

“I knew it.” He tipped his glass toward me. “What are the contract terms, Bishop?”

“Four weeks.”

“When are they up?”

“Two weeks, give or take.”

“How much thought have you already put into extending the terms?”

“If Dulvaney was still alive, that would be possible. But she doesn’t need me to fulfill my part of the contract anymore.”

“You must have something to bargain with.”

My lips twitched. “Good sex?”

“You’re sleeping with her, then?”

“It wasn’t part of the plan, but yeah.”

He looked at me, then threw back his head and laughed. When he showed no signs of stopping, I kicked him.

“Are you done?”

“Okay, fine. What are you going to do about it?”

“I think she’s going to want to go back to New York. That’s where her life was.”

“ Was being the keyword there. She could make a new life for herself here … with you, if that’s what you want?” He drained his drink and stood. “For what it’s worth, I think she could be good for you. Just like Dally is good for me.”

***

Rook’s words stuck with me the entire ride home, and I was still thinking about them when we walked up to the house.

“I’ll grab Dally and get out of here. You should talk to your girl and let her know what you want.”

“What if I don’t know what I want?”

Rook laughed. “Bishop, I’ve never known a time where you didn’t know exactly what you wanted. You just don’t want to admit it.”

I didn’t answer that.

We found Magdalena in the living room, curled up on the corner of the couch. She jumped to her feet when she saw Rook, staggered a little, then smiled brightly.

“How much of that wine did you drink?” Rook caught her when she swayed.

“Little bit.” She pinched her thumb and finger together.

Rook’s shoulders shook with his quiet laugh. “Let’s get you home.”

She nodded. “That’s a great idea.” She stopped beside me on the way past and leaned up to kiss my cheek. “You be nice to Eden. She’s my friend and I like her.”

“Where is she?”

“Kitchen. Looking for paper.”

“Paper?” I turned toward the door.

“Yep.” She popped the p.

“And that’s our cue to leave. Come on, darlin’, let’s leave the newlyweds to work their shit out.”