Page 42 of Intolerable Bishop

My Saturday had started well. After an amazing breakfast with Ivy and the boys, we did a little yard work, and then I took them into town, where we met up with Lizzy to do some shopping. Lizzy insisted that the three of us girls get pedicures, and we sipped iced coffee as we laughed and chatted the entire time. Blake bought Canadian Trivial Pursuit because he wanted to see me kick Theo’s ass in a game. That had set off a whole amusing argument between Theo and Blake.

Then, I splurged and got some new outfits and even a helmet to ride on the back of Theo’s bike. I was still terrified by the prospect, but he promised he would go slow and that I’d enjoy myself. Blake bought me a Kevlar jacket and gloves while Myles grabbed the pants and boots to go with it. Lizzy and Ivy, of course, were all for it, and encouraged them to get me all the accessories. They were more excited by the idea than I was. Anyone with a shopping addiction and a credit card should never be allowed out with either of them.

After a delicious dinner together, we went to my aunt’s house. I’d decided that I was going to confront her about what the boys had found. If I hadn’t believed Theo before about her not telling the truth, I believed him now. It was obvious that Nadia didn’t want to talk about it and even went so far as to tell me to leave well enough alone. If that didn’t send up a red flag that she knew more than she was saying, I didn’t know what would.

I’d never argued with my aunt before. I couldn’t remember my mum ever arguing with Nadia, but we yelled at one another, and Nadia slammed her bedroom door in my face.

Why couldn’t she just confirm what I knew? What did it hurt? My mum was gone, and if I had family trying to kill me, then I’d like to know the entire story. Maybe there was a way to stop the threat.

The guys forced me to leave, saying she needed time and telling me to give her a day or two. We would try again, but I couldn’t rest. Finishing up the bathroom, I walked out to head to the next thing I could scrub, but Myles grabbed me by the shoulders and made me look at him.

“Snowflake, I know yer angry, and ya have every right to be, but ya need some sleep.” He was right. I should, but I just couldn’t.

Theo sighed from where he was leaning against the wall. “Why don’t I take you for a ride? It always clears my head.”

“Oh…I don’t know,” I said, cold water trickling all over the anger simmering inside of me.

“Look, you need to cool off, or you’re never going to sleep. We need to sleep and can’t with you doing this.” He waved his hand at the cleaning caddy.

“But it’s so early in the morning,” I weakly argued.

“Means the roads will be quiet.” I chewed my lower lip. It did sound fun.

“Go on, Snowflake. Get dressed. Theo will keep ya safe.” Myles kissed the top of my head, and I smiled.

“Okay, fine.” I jogged into my bedroom and quickly got changed before taking my damp hair from my earlier shower and putting it all in a low ponytail. A quick look in the mirror as I walked out had my chest puffing out. I looked like a total badass in the black protective gear.

“Damn, you look fierce,” Blake said, his eyes roaming up and down my body, making me blush.

“I second that,” Myles said as he ran his tongue over his bottom lip. Maybe this was all I needed. A little fun flirting with the two men in my life to distract me. I was already feeling a little better.

“Enough with the ogling. Let’s get your boots on,” Theo called up the stairs.

“Coming.” Smiling, I purposely wiggled my butt more as I walked by Blake and Myles, and the air sizzled instantly.

“Keep it up, Snowflake. I’ll drag ya into the bedroom, and yer never getting that ride.”

“I second that,” Blake mimicked Myles’s earlier response.

“Oh, for fucks sake,” Theo griped, making me laugh before I jogged down the stairs to him. I could feel Myles and Blake following.

As Theo helped with my boots, I glanced at the living room. Ivy was asleep on the couch, the lights off, but the television was still on whatever movie she’d been watching. Maybe a road trip to Vancouver would do us some good. It would take a day to get out and back, but it would be worth it to take them to the beach and spend a couple days there.

“Alright, are you ready?” Theo handed me the gloves, and a fluttery nervousness took flight in my stomach.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Gimmie a sexy pose,” Myles said, holding up his phone to take a picture. He was ridiculous with the pictures, but I gave him my best teasing look, and he groaned.

“Un-fucking-believable.” Theo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Forget me. He looked sexy as hell in his gear.

Laughing, we turned to head to the garage when the lights of a vehicle pulled up outside. I could feel the air tense around the guys, their bodies going tight as they stood like statues, staring at the door. Within seconds, the doorbell rang and knocking banged throughout the house. Ivy jumped up on the couch as Blake and Myles pulled guns from under their hoodies that I didn’t know they had on them.

“Ren! Ren, it’s me,” Nadia called out as she banged again on the door.

Blake grabbed me and pulled me back as I stepped toward the door.

“What are you doing?”