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“That’s good.” Bishop didn’t bother asking where. The fewer people who knew that sort of information, the safer those damaged souls would be. “Six?”

“Kensley is obviously staying with us.”

“Of course, he is. And Malori?”

King’s left eyebrow twitched. “He’s coming with us, too. He’s still medically fragile, and I want him close to Dr. Melish.”

Just to Doc Melish? Bishop didn’t voice the thought. It wasn’t his business, and Kensley would love knowing Malori was staying with them. “And we are going…?”

“Back to the city. Despite everything that’s happened these last few weeks, barring attack by helicopter, my penthouse is the safest place for us right now. I hate taking Kens out of one prison and putting him in another, but even if I thought he’d go back to the abbey, it’s not safe anymore.”

“No, he definitely wouldn’t go back.” He’d likely be excommunicated because of his pregnancy, once it was known. “And your penthouse is a far cry from that apartment.”

“But not quite as luxurious as a beach house on a private island?” King’s lips twisted, hinting at his teasing.

“Definitely not. But your rooftop patio is a great place for a tan when the weather warms up.” Bishop leaned forward and braced both elbows on his knees. “Boss, now that we have Kens back and everyone is safe, are you really okay with us being together? Me and him?”

“Yes. I wasn’t blowing smoke to make you feel better in case Kensley was lost to us. You know that’s not my style. If you make each other happy, if this is real and you are actually charum, then you have my complete blessing.”

I need to hear that now more than you know. Not the time or place to lay the baby bomb on him, though. Kensley more than deserved to be present when King’s head metaphorically exploded. “So, when do we go home?”

“Tomorrow afternoon. I want everyone to get a good night’s sleep before we travel again.”

Bishop nodded. “And Marta’s organization?

“Ziggy’s on top of it. With us taking down Decker, they’ll be hyper-vigilant. Probably go underground for a while. I also want to know who told them Kensley was on the island.”

“I thought we assumed it was someone on the market island we visited.”

“That’s one assumption, but it’s also possible someone within our organization sold us out. Our island is so remote that the odds of anyone recognizing Kensley from two visits to the market is extremely slim, unless someone squealed.”

“That’s sobering.”

“Hence why Hartford is overseeing the others and their relocation. The fewer people who know a secret…”

“The fewer people can screw you over.” Something King had drilled into Bishop’s head since their earliest days running street weapons. “Can I tell Kensley where we’re going?”

“You can tell him once we’re on the road and in a private car. I love him, but he’s chattier than a gaggle of grandmas at a church potluck.”

Bishop smiled. “Since when do you go to church potlucks?”

“I went to a few when I was a kid. My mom made amazing potato salad for those potlucks.” A rare moment of vulnerability peeked through with those words, but it passed quickly.

King rarely spoke of his earliest childhood, and Bishop imagined he had secrets that fueled his need for power, money and control.

Few people went into King’s line of work for the fun of it. Most went in with something to prove.

“I’ll keep our travel plans to myself until tomorrow,” Bishop said. “I assume Malori will be okay to travel by then?”

“He will. He hasn’t said much in my presence, but he has a fighting spirit. His body is weak, but his mind is sharp.”

“If he ended up in that place, I assume it means he has no family.”

“None that want him.” King’s face hardened. “Ziggy is digging into his background for me. Any connections or family who owed debts. In case I need to pay a visit to someone and show them what a mistake it was to sell Malori into sexual slavery.”

Bishop nodded his agreement. People did awful things to save their own skins.

Sometimes they got away with it; other times, karma caught up with them in the form of physical revenge.

Or worse. Bishop had disposed of more than one body during his tenure as King’s lieutenant, and he’d gladly dispose of a few more, if it brought Malori peace.

“That’s it for now,” King said. “Get some sleep.”

“Will do if you do.”

King winked then waved him off, his attention already back on his phone.

Bishop returned to the dining room, where four of the rescues were playing cards.

Kensley was chatting with the other omega, whose name Bishop couldn’t remember.

He was young, too, like Malori, but he had more energy, and he seemed more alert than some of the other victims. The young man also clutched his belly protectively, which raised Bishop’s curiosity.

It wasn’t his business, though. It was between the omega and Dr. Melish.

“Are you ready to clean up and retire for the evening?” Bishop asked Kensley, when the pair reached a lull in conversation.

Kensley blinked dumbly at him a few times, and then he grinned. “Sure. Actually, a shower would be great, just to get the last of that place’s smell off my skin.”

“Oh, that sounds fantastic,” the other omega said, his voice much deeper than Bishop expected for his youthful face. “I hope this place has plenty of hot water, because I need to get the feel of that last man’s hands off my skin.”

“I’m sure we’ll have enough to go around.” Kensley squeezed his wrist then stood. Smiled at Bishop. “So, do we have a plan for tomorrow?”

Bishop pulled Kensley’s arm through his and led him out of the dining room, down the hall to the main staircase. “We do. I can’t give you details yet, but I think you’ll be pleased.”

“What about Malori?”

“Again, I think you’ll be pleased. But it’s safer if I don’t tell you yet.”

Kensley squeezed Bishop’s arm. “In case something happens in the meantime?”

“Exactly. The odds of anyone finding us here are very small, but they are not zero. Once we are in a secure, untraceable vehicle, I’ll tell you where we’re going, I promise.”

“I trust you, Bishop. You’ve never failed me.”

Bishop still wasn’t so sure of that. Allowing Kensley to be stolen off the island felt like a huge personal failure to Bishop, despite Kensley’s (and King’s) reassurances that he couldn’t have prevented the ambush.

Bishop was lucky to be alive, period. He was also still alive for a reason, so Bishop would do his best to protect his loved ones, love his charus, and rain justice down hard on everyone who had and ever would try to hurt them.

Period.