“Rushed?” Roman laughs, the sound like gravel. “You’ve had her for weeks now. You telling me you haven’t fucked her yet? Because if that’s the case, I’m starting to think you don’t have what it takes to be a real Bishop man.”
“What I do with my wife in private isn’t family business. And besides, the fucking is supposed to be at the ceremony. I remember that much.”
“Everything in this family is family business.” Roman’s voice drops to that dangerous register that I know too well. The one that means he’s losing patience. “The ceremony happens Friday. Full moon. All the brothers present. That’s tradition, and tradition is what keeps this family strong.”
I think of Saint, of how hard she’s fought to survive everything we’ve thrown at her. Of how this might be the thing that finally breaks her. “I’m asking for more time.”
“And I’m denying that request.” Roman stands, towering over the table, hands planted on the wood. “Next Friday. Main barn. Ten o’clock. You’ll claim your wife properly, with your family as witnesses, or I’ll start to think this marriage isn’t what you say it is.”
There it is. The threat, barely veiled. If Roman thinks the marriage is a sham, if he suspects I married Saint to protect her rather than to own her, we’re both dead. Betrayal isn’t tolerated in the Bishop family. One fucking week.
“She’ll be there.” I keep my voice level, eyes locked with his. “We’ll be there.”
“Good.” Roman sits back down, satisfied. “Because I’m starting to wonder where your loyalties lie, son. You’ve been different since you brought that girl into our family. Distracted. Soft.”
“Nothing soft about me.” I stand, not wanting to spend one more second in this room with him. “Anything else, or are we done here?”
“We’re done when I say we’re done.” Roman reaches for his coffee. “Wayne’s causing problems. Says you told him Saint was dead. Says he’s wondering what else you might have lied about.”
My stomach tightens. I knew Wayne would be an issue eventually. Loose ends always are. “Since when is Wayne allowed to question a Bishop? I told everyone she was dead. He’s not special. He needs to keep his mouth shut since I paid the price for that lie. I’ll take care of it.”
“See that you do. Before Friday.” Roman’s eyes are cold, calculating. A smile crosses his lips. He does love when he sees himself in me. “Can’t have any distractions, anything going around town that we are divided or, worse, weak.”
I nod once and turn to leave, feeling the weight of four pairs of eyes on my back. I don’t turn around. Don’t give him the satisfaction of seeing the anger on my face.
Just push through the door and head for my truck, mind already racing through scenarios, contingency plans, ways to get us both out of this alive. Of course he doesn’t consider how he almost broke my ribs punishment enough.
I’ve barely made it halfway to the truck when I hear footsteps behind me. Levi is jogging to catch up.
“Hold up,” he calls, and I pause, waiting for him to reach me. He looks troubled, eyes darting back toward the house to make sure no one has followed him out. “We need to talk.”
“Not here.” I jerk my head toward my truck. “Follow me to the north pasture. I need to check fences, anyway.”
Twenty minutes later, we’re parked at the edge of the property, out of sight of the main house, the fence line stretching ahead of us like a border between worlds. The land drops away to the valley below, Bishop property sprawling as far as the eye can see.
Levi leans against his Jeep, face uncharacteristically serious. “You know what Friday means, right? What Roman’s really asking you to do?”
“I know.” My voice comes out harder than I intended.
“And you’re going to go through with it? Make Saint do that in front of everyone?” Levi shakes his head, disgust evident. “I knew you were ruthless, but I didn’t think you were cruel.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I? I’ve seen how you look at her when you think no one’s watching. Like she’s something precious, not just property. And now you’re going to throw her to the wolves to please Roman?”
“I’m trying to keep her alive.” The words come out more honest than I intended, sharp with frustration. “You think I want this? You think this is what I planned?”
“I think you need to figure out what matters more to you—Roman’s approval or Saint’s well-being.” Levi’s eyes are hard, accusing. “Are you willing to sacrifice her for him? Why? He’s never done anything for you except use you as his attack dog.”
“Why do you care, brother? You’ve been on me about her since the night of the rodeo. Is there something I should be worried about?” I pitch my voice low, let him see how much I’d love a fight right now.
“I care because you’re fucking turning into him!”
The accusation hits too close to home, prods at wounds that have never fully healed. I move into his space, backinghim against the Jeep. “I protect this family. That includes from itself.”
“By destroying the one good thing that’s happened to you? By letting Roman turn another woman into our mother?” He doesn’t back down, doesn’t flinch, even with me crowding him. “I thought you were different. Thought you wanted to break the cycle, not perpetuate it. I like Saint. I don’t want to see her reduced to a fucking shell. If I were lucky enough to have a woman like her, I’d kill anyone who got in my way to keep her safe. Keep her happy.”
I step back, the anger draining away, leaving only the cold reality of our situation. “You don’t understand what’s at stake.”
