Page 171 of Bishop

I turn cold. Fingers. Arms. Chest. “Dealing with her?”

He shrugs. “Your guess is as good as mine on what she meant. I didn’t ask for specifics.”

I try to remain calm. Composed. “Tell me what she said about her.”

“Not as much as she said about you. I was told how you love to spread your legs to keep your father happy. And that you were practically whoring yourself out to his friends and business colleagues.” He raises his hands in placation. “Those were Adena’s words, not mine.”

Alarm bells ring in my ears. I can’t tell if he’s taunting me or perhaps setting an expectation. Either way, I’m forced to swallow down the unease and keep my head high.

I can’t play this game as a victim. I’ll lose too much power. Egotistical men don’t like damaged goods. They want to break a hard-ass, not a pathetic fool. So I smirk. “I wouldn’t call it whoring. It was all a bit of fun in the name of progress.”

He chuckles. “That’s my dirty girl.”

My dirty girl.

He’s staking a claim.

At least that’s a good sign.

“I’ve always liked you, Abri. You’re my type of woman.”

“You’ve never skipped my attention either.”

“Is that so?” One brow raises. “Then why don’t we stop beating around the bush and get down to why we’re both here. You want information on your daughter and…”

“And you want?” I hedge.

“You.” He grins. “I could keep lying and tell you how badly I want to get on the right side of this war, but the truth is, staying around here is only going to get me killed. I was a witness to the bloodbath at your uncle’s house. Now I’m drinking coffee with the enemy.” He grabs his mug and takes a sip. “I’m already living on borrowed time, and I knew it the entire car ride with your mother. But if I could just get a taste of the sweetness every other guy in town has already had, I could leave this place a happy man.”

I still can’t figure out what he’s up to. I’ve only ever played successful, wealthy men before and those types all have the same M.O—class, subtlety, and underlying professionalism, at least in public.

Clearly, Geppet is different.

“Why don’t we take this conversation back to my place and we can both get what we want?” he asks.

“Your place is compromised, Aaron. You can’t go back there.”

“I know. I’ve got another place my father left me when he bit the dust. It’s quieter. More room to breathe. No neighbors in sight.”

Isolated. Hidden. A billowing red flag.

Fuck. Is this seduction or an ambush?

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I palm my glass of juice, the cold soothing my sweating fingers.

“You want to know where your daughter is, right? I know exactly where that is.” He rakes his gaze down my chest, his eyes lingering on my cleavage before returning to my face. “I also know Adena plans to see your kid real soon.”

The chill in my veins turns arctic, freezing every part of me.

“And for total transparency, I don’t think her plans involve quality time with her granddaughter.” He rakes his tongue over his bottom lip. “So what do you say, baby girl? Are you interested in getting out of here? Just you, me, and an exchange of favors?”

31

ABRI

I keep my expression in check while my brain works in overdrive.

I need a bump. But the mere thought of coke reminds me of Bishop. And his sister. Which in return makes me wallow in guilt.

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