Griffin rolls his eyes and leans forward, elbows braced on the table as he turns to Bishop. “So, you got anything useful on Sokolov’s new location or did you just come here to embarrass me?”
“Both.” His gaze flickers to me then back to Griffin. “And to meet this pretty lady. See what the fuss was about.”
Griffin gives him an impatient look but doesn’t push, instead he turns to me. “You hungry? They have great food here.”
“Great food?” Jax scoffs. “He eats here twice a week.”
“It’s better than that crap you get from that taco truck you’re addicted to.” Griffin glares at him.
Jax opens his mouth to argue but Bishop cuts in smoothly. “Order everything, I’ll pay.”
Griffin gives him a look but doesn’t argue, leaning back in the seat. His hand finds my thigh under the table.
“I could eat.” I answer him. I watch the comradery, observing how comfortable Griffin is with them. They fit together.
His fingers give my thigh a subtle squeeze before he flags down the waitress again and orders half the menu without looking at the prices. Steak, scallops, truffle fries, and some fancy salad that makes Jax gag just hearing about it.
Bishop watches Griffin with an amused smirk before turning to me. “So, he tell you yet how he came up with your nickname?”
Griffin chokes on his water. “Bishop.” The warning in his tone is unmistakable.
Jax perks up. “Can’t wait to hear this one.”
“What?” My brow furrows and I look at Griffin. “Which one? Sunshine or Wildflower? I assumed it was because my clothes are bright colors.”
“Oh, this is priceless.” Jax leans in, relishing in Griffin’s suffering. “Sunshine is pretty self-explanatory. But Wildflower? That one has a story behind it.”
“Wait? How is Sunshine self-explanatory?” I frown, not understanding.
“Because no matter how shitty the day is,” he says as his thumb brushes over my knuckles, “you’re the first goddamn thing that makes it brighter.”
Jax fake gags, Bishop chuckles into his whiskey. I don’t know what to do with that. I suck at taking compliments, usually opting to pretend they didn’t happen. Which is better than the alternative, straddling him at the table. This kind of sweet has me rubbing my thighs together.
I clear my throat before asking, “And Wildflower?”
“Oh, that one’s even better.” Jax wiggles his eyebrows. “See, Grumpy over here had this whole speech about how you were ‘soft in all the right places but somehow sharp enough to cut him—”
Griffin smacks him upside the head before he can finish. Jax laughs as Griffin growls under his breath. “Christ, do I need to muzzle you?”
Bishop shakes his head and takes another drink of whiskey before he finishes the explanation for Jax. “Meaning you grew on him like something stubborn and impossible to kill. Which is high praise coming from him, believe me.”
Griffin lets out an exasperated sigh before leaning in close to my ear. “You grew where you weren’t meant to and you did it beautifully, like a wildflower.”
I freeze and my breath catches. His words make the desire to drag him off to the bathroom and jump his bones harder to fight. I opt to change the subject into safer territory for me and for Jax. “Do you guys use call names? I’ve heard they usually have a story attached to them.”
Jax sits up at that, looking like an eager dog wanting to play fetch. “Oh, we do. You gotta hear Bishop’s story. It’s gold.”
“Jax.” Griffin growls in warning.
Jax ignores him, turning in his seat to grin at Bishop. “Come on, man. Can I tell it?”
“I know I’m going to regret this,” Bishop sighs, looking like a parent who can’t say no. “Go ahead.”
Jax rubs his hands together with a dramatic flourish as the waitress sets down plates of seared steak, scallops glistening with butter, and truffle fries that smell like heaven. He waits until she’s gone before leaning in.
“Okay, so, Bishop’s call sign? Reaper. Sounds badass, right? Totally earned.” He pauses for effect, grinning when Bishop rolls his eyes. “Because once, on a job in Caracas, this dumbass Italian arms dealer locked himself in a panic room thinking he was safe. Three hours later?” He pretends to check his watch. “Dude walks out screaming about how the AC vents were playing funeral dirges on loop while Bishop sat outside drinking coffee.”
Griffin snorts into his whiskey, but doesn’t deny it.
