Page 59

Crew

“Y ou’ve torn open your stitches twice now,” the nurse says as she draws the last of the needle and thread through my skin.

My ribs should hurt, but as I flex my fingers and search the waiting room for Liv, I hardly feel anything.

She should be discharged soon.

“I’ll be more careful,” I say. She gives me a knowing look, lowering my arm at the sudden knock at the door.

“Mr. Bishop,” she dips her head in greeting, and as Taylor leans against the doorway and watches her patch my side, I smile. “I’ve heard your daughter is doing well.”

“She is. They’ve moved her out of Intensive care. Unfortunately though, I’m here to see this prick.”

The nurse smiles as I drag my shirt back over my head. She drops the bloody gauze and needle into a bin before washing her hands and thrusting a clipboard my way.

Her mouth is stern. “I’ll give you a minute to sign those. Then I don’t want to see you back in my ER for this again.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I say as she strolls outside.

Taylor’s body still bars the doorway, and I can tell from the tired look on his face that we can’t put off another conversation. After everything that happened… It's finally time.

"I have to admit, I never took you for someone to go behind my back."

I deserve the blow. I deserve everything he give s me.

“How long?” he asks quietly, and I feel the weight of this conversation come down like a kick to the gut.

This is about Liv. No, this is about my shitty decisions when it came to the woman I love.

“Since Credence,” I answer truthfully.

“You’ve had feelings for her for longer.” He says the words like a question, but really we both know the answer.

“I didn’t plan to. After Winter, I didn’t think I could- or would. But it happened,” I admit. “I should’ve told you.”

“You should’ve told me a lot of things,” he scoffs, looking down.

I understand his bitterness. I made too many calls without consulting him. Without giving him a choice. This company is just as much his as it is mine- but I made the decisions I did anyways.

I blow out a breath. “I’m sorry.”

He nods slowly. His eyes wander over me, and I’m sure he can see the toll the past few days have taken on me. Charlotte and Liv have been in the hospital since yesterday. I was discharged easily enough. I went home. Showered. Tried to get my mind off of things to no avail.

"You knew she was off limits."

"I did."

"You told me there was nothing going on between you."

"At the time, there wasn't."

He scoffs. "Fuck that, Warden. If I pulled that shit with you, you'd be the first to kick my ass."

"You're right." I sigh, my head dropping to my hands. I scrub a hand over my shoulders as he releases a sigh. "I'm sorry... No excuses. No displacing the blame. I fucked up. I should've done things differently."

"You mean that," he says, shaking his head. "I really wish you didn't. It would be easier to be mad at you."

I say nothing... because I don't regret her.

Liv is...

Liv is everything.

But that doesn't give me a free-pass.

“I’m not mad at you for loving her, by the way,” Taylor says, and at the words, I sigh. “I’m mad at you for hiding it from me… and for talking to Harvey behind my back. I’ve never known you to be that guy. It caught me off-guard.” He smiles, scrubbing his beard in thought. “But damn, I was blind not to see it.”

I can’t deny it. I fucked up. And it nearly cost us more than just a job.

“You’re going easy on me,” I say.

“Damn right.” He laughs again. “Have you told her? About talking to Harvey or how you feel?”

I still need to have another conversation with Harvey... but after Liv being gone, I can put that conversation on hold. I'm more concerned with talking to Liv.

“No on both accounts.”

His answering nod is small before he finally pushes off the door. He stalks forward, reaching a hand toward me. I take it, and he pulls me into a hug.

He claps my back before tipping his head toward the door. “Should probably get to it then.”

I squeeze his shoulder for good measure before crossing the hall to the waiting room.

"Oh and one more thing," he calls, and I twist to look at him. I can see the serious in his eye. "You owe me a hell of a fucking favor."

I don't bother trying to get out of it.