Page 119 of Bishop

She cringes. “You’re embarrassing yourself. Just fix my car so I can get out of here.”

“Nobody is touching your car.” I stop in front of her, sneering down my nose as she remains on the bed. “You’re going to march your ass out to the kitchen and spill your guts to Langston and Lorenzo. In return, they’re going to show you the support you never thought you had. How you’re not alone. Then you’ll see I did right by you.”

“Aww.” She pouts. “It’s sweet that you think I’d actually care.”

I clench my jaw, my impatience a ticking time bomb. “You want to keep playing this game? Fine. Go ahead. But if you’re going to act like a petulant child then I’ll treat you like one.” I reach for her, prepared to throw her over my shoulder.

She scrambles out of reach. “Although I appreciate the kinky dominance from a born-again virgin, I’m done using you. I prefer men who know how to fuck.”

“I didn’t need to know how to fuck to be the first man to make you come though, did I?”

She laughs. “Oh, honey. Do you want to know how many men think they were the first?”

“Enough,” I roar.

Her façade doesn’t falter. My rage doesn’t either.

Footsteps skitter down the hall, Layla’s pale face entering the doorway. “Please stop fighting. Matthew is refusing to remain at the table, and it’s not good for him to be moving so much.”

“Stay where the fuck you are, Langston,” I yell, then lower my tone to spew my ire at Layla. “You’ll keep them out there until we’re ready. You hear me?”

“I can’t—”

“If they come down here, Layla, all hell will break loose, and I’ll be the last man standing. Do you understand?”

She glances between me and Abri, her concern for Langston’s sister obvious, yet not enough to risk the health of her lover. “We’re worried.”

“You’re impatient,” I correct. “Now, like I’ve already said—fuck off and give us some space.”

She stands tall against the command, denying me for numerous heartbeats before she backtracks. “You’re such an asshole.”

“Yep,” Abri mutters. “The biggest.”

Layla looks at her with a wince. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. But I’d be better if you got my brother out of here.”

The wince deepens. “I’m sorry, I—”

“Leave,” I bark. “Now.”

A string of barely intelligible curses flutter from Layla’s mouth as she turns for the door. “You’ve got five minutes.”

I wait until her steps fade down the hall, then lunge for Abri, grabbing her ankle to drag her along the bed toward me as she squeals. “Did you take note of that conversation, belladonna? Do you understand what I risk by threatening those men for you?”

“I don’t care.” She thumps my chest while I climb on top of her, my weight trapping her against the mattress.

“Such sweet fucking lies from the most beautiful lips.” I lower my attention to her mouth, aching to kiss the deception out of her system. To leave her gasping and clawing to admit the truth. “You opened up to me. I understand how hard that must have been.”

“Get off.” She bucks her hips. Thumps my arms. “Or I’ll—”

“You’ll do nothing.” I grab her pummeling hands, yanking them above her head. “It’s time for you to listen.”

“Get—”

I smash my mouth to hers, immediately drowning in the softness of her lips as she turns rigid beneath me.

It was meant to be a brief peck. A barely there brush of contact to shut her up. But it’s been too fucking long. A damn lifetime. And she’s become so undeniably pliant beneath me. A frigid little lamb.

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