“Pope…Bishop is who saved me. I wouldn’t be here without him,” she says, pulling completely out of my embrace and despite my need to hold her close, and leaving me in shock as she does it.Bishop saved her? After everything?
When Bishop motions for me to follow him into the kitchen, I let Sienna go and follow my brother. I wait until we’re alone to turn to him. "What the fuck happened tonight?" I grind harshly, despite knowing he saved my girl, I can’t let my anger go.
Instead of responding, Bishop takes out a piece of paper from his jacket and slides it on the island. I glance at the folded paper for a full minute before picking it up. I don't know what to expect when I unfold it and start reading but I find myself shocked when I see my father's handwriting.
It’s Bishop’s letter. Its contents have been eating at me for weeks and here lies the answers to all the questions I’ve had. I already knew Bishop has been cut from inheriting anything my father left behind but what surprises me is the fact that he gets nothing even if I fail to fulfill the requirements of my letter. If I fail to marry and produce an heir then…
“Ryder took her,” he says, as if reading my mind. “Dad left both Ryder and me a check, buying us out of staying involved in the Elysium. It was insulting and blatant favoritism for him to leave everything to you but our father was always one for entertainment. A cunning bastard that’s probably enjoying all the entertainment we’re providing him right now.”
There is nothing but disdain in my twin’s voice as he talks about our father.. "Ryder was set to get everything in the end if I failed to fulfill the conditions in my will. Why wouldn’t you tell me?” Why the fuck didn’t it say so in my letter?
“I was pissed,” Bishop says, his eyes firing up with emotions I saw that day in our father’s office after he’d read his letter. “I’ve worked on Elysium for as long as you have. What right did he have to cut me off? Then you were going on along with the will and it's conditions without complaint so I figured you were on board with cutting me out of the MC.”
“And you didn’t think to talk to me? Demand your share?”
"As I said, I was pissed and wasn’t in the right headspace to have logical thoughts.” He doesn’t look pissed now which confuses me. “But when I calmed down, I realized I wasn't theonly one getting cut off. Ryder was too. He probably thought everything would be divided in three but you got it all. When things started happening to your bride, I knew it had to be him.”
I throw my hands up in frustration. “And what, you didn’t think to tell me?”
“I couldn’t accuse Ryder without proof. Which is why I waited outside Sienna’s apartment tonight. I knew he was running out of time; it had to be tonight or never.” Fuck!
He’s right. His wait and see approach has saved me.
“So, what exactly happened tonight?” I follow-up.
“I’ve been following Ryder for weeks, trying to collect evidence that he’s the sneaky bastard behind everything that’s happened. I put a tracker on his bike and when I saw him meet Daryl Gore—the junkie who stole that car—I had no idea what for until after the accident.” I don't bother asking him why he didn't point this out at the office the other day but remember him snatching the photos before Ryder could see. “I figured he planned to do everything in his power to postpone the wedding, so I gave him time to stop and he did, for a while at least. But I knew something was coming. You have a few days before the deadline. I bet he figured if he kidnapped Sienna, there wouldn’t be sufficient time to find another bride.”
It fucks with my head, knowing how blind I was to all this and Bishop not sharing a damn thing. Sure, I’m the hot tempered one between us and would have probably not taken a patient and calmer approach as he did but it still stings.
“So,” Bishop continues, “I waited out there tonight so I could stop him from getting far.”
“And now, I’m going to kill the son of a bitch. “Where is he?”
“Dead,” Bishop says, casually, almost bored. “I left his body on the street like the trash he is.”
There are so many questions, but they'll have to wait. I need to get back to Sienna, assure myself that she's safe again. Christ, what happened tonight took off ten years of my life. I start to leave but stop, turning back to my twin brother. “I suspected you.”
“I know.”
“Since when?”
“That day at your office when I showed you Daryl Gore’s photo. I read the distrust in your eyes,” he says without much feeling but I know my brother too well. “Gave me even a bigger reason to wait to tell you anything until I had proof.”
And of course he wouldn’t take the easier route by just talking to me. I would have believed him over Ryder. Still, it was wrong of me to question my judgment of him. “I’m sorry for not trusting you,” I tell him, noting how his eyes flash with surprise. “What you did tonight, saving Sienna, I’m in your debt.”
“Sure,” my brother shrugs and starts to leave, but I grip his shoulder before he can.
“If I call, will you answer?”
“Maybe.”
And just like that he’s gone. I give myself a few minutes to compose myself, work a little on my temper and dissatisfaction from not getting revenge on Ryder my damn self. I’ll have to find peace with the fact that he didn’t die by my hands.
When I finally make it back to the living room, I’m surprised to find Sienna seated alone, staring out at the window. She turns when I walk in. “Ghost just left, something about following doctor’s orders to rest,” she says, getting up and walking to me. “And I spoke to my mom. She and Jude were worried sick and I had to talk them out of coming out here. Told them they needed all the rest they could get for the wedding tomorrow.”
I nod, taking her into my arms. “I’m not going to let Ryder ruin our special day.”
“I’m sorry about him,” she whispers, nuzzling my neck.
