Page 35 of From the Ashes

BISHOP

Istifle another yawn as I walk up to Camilla’s building.

Without breaking and entering, we have no chance of getting to her at home, and I have little doubt that that’s exactly what Kovu did last night. But if we want to get her back to the compound, we need to go a little easy on her.

Which is why I’m bringing her breakfast at work. I have a coffee in each hand and a bag of baked goods under my arm, ready to do something very uncharacteristic for me. I’m going to go into a situation not as the most powerful person in the room.

I use the keycard Wyatt organized for us yesterday and head up to the fiftieth floor. Okay, I know I said there was no breaking and entering involved in this plan, and technically that’s still true, but when you can get assistance with this kind of thing, you’d be stupid not to take it.

My phone vibrates in my pocket again, and I sigh. The group chat has been radio silent for the last twenty-four hours, why the hell did they choose this moment to blow it up? Those assholes better not be making her angrier than she already is right as I’m about to try to mend some of the fences we’ve decimated.

I balance one cup on top of the other and reach into my pocket, fishing out my phone and righting my position before I can spill them all over the white marble floor.

I unlock my phone and read through the messages, my stomach sinking with each one I read.

Camilla: You’re all still assholes. But we might have a problem at Hills Global. Just a heads up.

Kovu: What the hell does that mean?! I’m on my way.

Crew: What kind of problem?

Crew: Camilla?

Crew: For fuck’s sake, I know you’re pissed, but can you please fucking respond?

Kovu: If you thought the punishment you got last night was bad, you wait for what you’re owed after this.

I roll my eyes and quickly tap out a message.

Bishop: I’m at Hills Global. I’ll let you know what’s going on once I know.

Crew: I thought you were at the casino?

Bishop: I was. And now I’m here trying to get our girl to talk to us without threatening her.

It’s more than a little obvious that our serious relationships have been few and far between. None of us have a clue how to navigate this thing between us, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to let a decision we made before we even met her tear us apart.

The elevator doors slide open, and I survey the waiting area, but when I spot no one in the area, I move forward and drop the coffees and bag of croissants onto the desk before checking that my gun is in my waistband.

I move down the hallway with careful steps until I reach the closed office door that still says John De Marco across the solid wood.

Voices on the other side pique my interest, and I push the door open to find Camilla standing on the other side of the desk, her arms folded over her chest as she glares at the two men sitting across from her.

Her eyes flick up to meet mine, and the relief that flashes through the gray gives me a little more satisfaction than it should. I’m fucking glad she feels safe with me, even after finding out we were the ones that killed her dad.

“Bishop,” Camilla greets with a smile, her eyes flicking from me to them and then back again.

“I’m sorry I’m late, love.” I stroll into the office without missing a beat and round the desk. I press a gentle kiss to her cheek before facing the men sitting at the desk and school my features to not show any of the surprise I feel.

Charles Davenport sits beside my uncle, both in well-fitted suits, and my stomach rolls at the sight of the man we all watched die. Or, more accurately, that we rushed to the hospital as he bled out in the back seat of my car.

Knowing he’s alive and seeing him in the flesh are two entirely different situations, and I don’t know how to process what’s happening before my eyes. It makes sense why Kaos has struggled to accept that his father is a part of the plot to take us down.

“Charles, Caleb.” I nod at each of them, holding my mask in place.

It’s fucking exhausting always having to be put together.

Camilla wraps a delicate arm around my waist and curls into my side like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “As you can see, I have very little interest in your proposition, gentlemen.” She flicks her eyes from them up to me. “Was there anything else I could do for you before I get on with my day?”

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