Ruthless Bishop: Dark New Adult High School Bully Romance (Sinners and Saints Book 3)

by Veronica Eden

  “You look beautiful tonight,” Connor murmurs, pulling my attention back to him. “Have I told you that yet?”

  A slow smile pulls at my mouth. He slides his arms around my waist and rests his forehead against mine. We stay like that through two slow songs, swaying in a tight circle, floating in our own world.

  “I’m happy,” I whisper, placing my cheek on his chest.

  “Yeah? Me too, baby.” Connor kisses the top of my head and squeezes me in a tight hug. “All I want to do is make you happy.”

  “I’m glad Wyatt gave me the wrong number. You’re who I’m supposed to be with.”

  Connor gives me an intent look that pierces through me. The room goes still and my heartbeat speeds up at the way he stares at me.

  “Thea, I—” He stops, then takes a breath. “Sunshine, you’re my world. I lo—”

  Someone bumps into us as the music changes into a faster song, knocking my balance off kilter. Connor catches me.

  “Hey! Watch it!” He turns to me. “You okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  The moment we were having is broken. Whatever he was about to say, he lets it go.

  Smirking, he says. “You ready?”

  “For what?”

  “This.”

  He gets me breathless and laughing as he twirls me around. After a few songs, we’re gasping, leaning on each other as we grin bright enough to light the entire room.

  “Thirsty?” Connor asks. When I nod, he says, “Be right back.”

  While he’s getting us drinks, I spot Mr. Coleman nearby and head for him.

  “Thea. You look lovely tonight.” Mr. Coleman’s hand lifts for a second, then drops. He curls his fingers into his palm. “Very beautiful.”

  Blushing, I laugh off his compliment. “I just came over to thank you for pushing me to do the planning committee for the dance. It was fun to work on.” I gesture around at all the committee accomplished. “I think the dance turned out really nice.”

  Mr. Coleman gives me a warm smile. “You’re perfect.” Clearing his throat, he nods to the dance floor. “Really, I’m so impressed. I knew you’d be perf—”

  “Here’s your drink, babe.” Connor interrupts Mr. Coleman’s praise, inserting himself between us and giving Mr. Coleman his back. His face is twisted with tension. “Let’s go over there.”

  Mr. Coleman’s expression hardens. Connor ushers me away with a hand at my back, pushing a little harder when I don’t move fast enough for him.

  “Connor, it’s rude to interrupt. And stop pushing me.” I step out of reach. “I was having a conversation and you just—”

  “Thea, listen,” he snaps, then closes his eyes, smothering a frustrated sound. “Sorry. Listen, he’s bad news. You have to stay away from him. I turn my back on you for two seconds and you walk right into danger.”

  “Danger?” I scoff, growing annoyed with his feud with our teacher. “Are you serious? Is this you being jealous again?”

  “Don’t fight me on this.” Connor backs me against the wall, on the outskirts of the dance. His jaw is set in determination. His tone brooks no argument as he lays out his demands. “Stay the fuck away from him.”

  “How do you expect me to stay away from a teacher I have to see every day for class?” I fold my arms. “He’s my favorite teacher. I’m sorry if you feel threatened by that, but I was only—”

  “Threatened.” The sound that drops from Connor’s lips is caustic, far from amusement. “I’m not worried about you crushing on him. I’m worried about what that sick fuck could do to you. It’s him I don’t trust, not you. I’m trying to protect you.” He holds my shoulders in a tight grip, pinning me against the wall. “This is serious. I promise, I’ll tell you why soon.”

  I’m not having this. “You don’t have to make up wild excuses. If you’re determined to ruin our night and not have a good time with me, you can leave.”

  Connor’s jaw works. He’s stunned silent. Breathing hard, he balls his fists. “Fine. Fine.”

  “Hey!” Blair Davis pulls Connor off me.

  “Stay out of this!” Connor growls before he registers who he’s talking to.

  Blair narrows her gaze on him and gets in his face, prodding him in the chest. She’s fierce and brave, no longer the girl who let anyone get away with the horrible things they did to her. “Quit being such an asshole! You need to stop acting like a god around here. Got it?”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Connor says through clenched teeth. “You’re supposed to be on my side here.”

  “I know exactly what it looked like: you holding your date against the wall against her will. I don’t care what you say,” Blair snaps. “Try that shit again, and I’ll make you regret it. And I don’t give a damn if you’re Devlin’s friend. I’m not scared of you. Hurt her again, and I’m coming for you, Bishop.”

  Connor looks so pissed off at the accusation he hurt me. His eyes cut to me for a beat and a muscle in his jaw jumps. He storms off, leaving me feeling empty. Tears prick my eyes as he slams his shoulder into Mr. Coleman’s on his way out.

  I didn’t expect him to actually leave. I only wanted him to stop being so controlling. I thought…

  Sunshine, you’re my world.

  The tears fall, splashing down my cheeks. If he meant what he said, then why did he give up so easily?

  Worst of all, I’m worried about what he might do. After he told me about his anger management, I looked up the symptoms and what could happen if he lost control. I don’t want him to hurt himself.

  “It’s about time I returned the favor for all the times you stood up for me,” Blair says. “I thought you guys were together. Did he say something to you?”

  I look up from wringing my hands to find her peering at me sadly. My lips part, but no words come out, clogging in my throat. I shake my head, on the verge of shattering.

  She sighs. “Are you okay?”

  I shrug, a wet breath hiccuping out of me.

  “Shit,” Blair mutters. She rummages through her clutch and pulls out her phone. “Here, look. This always cheers me up.”

  On her phone, there’s a pug dog account on Instagram.

  “Watch the video in the third post.”

  Despite everything, watching the pug dog fly into a pile of leaves, tongue lolling out, does make me smile. A soft, breathy laugh escapes me.

  “Thank you.”

  “Come on,” Blair says. “Let’s get something to drink.”

  She leads me toward the refreshment table, rubbing my back. Without Connor here, the dance doesn’t seem as magical. The decorations seem childish.

  Mr. Coleman catches my eye, but keeps his distance while Blair is with me. Once I wipe my tears, I’ll ask him for a ride home so I can go out looking for Connor.

  Blair helped me calm down, showing me more dog videos and keeping me distracted. When Devlin came to stand at her side, looking at her like she hung the stars in his sky, they insisted on giving me a ride home with them, complete with a pit stop for pizza.

  I’m glad I went with them. Getting pizza while all dressed up lifted my mood. They kept my mind off everything as Blair and I argued about the merits of pineapple on pizza against Devlin’s firm belief that fruit didn’t go on pizza.

  The wariness I used to have toward Devlin has slipped away. Beneath his brooding outer shell, he’s intelligent and has a wicked sense of humor. Spending time with him, I think I understand him better. Devlin isn’t the cold, brutal devil he presents himself as, he’s selective about who he lets in past his walls. He and Blair are a sight to behold when they get going, everything about them pointing to power couple.

  It’s nice to see how different they are now. In the back of the limo, they murmur to each other. Devlin holds Blair in his arms.

  I peek shyly in my peripheral vision, pretending to mess around on my phone.

  They seem happy. The way Devlin looks at Blair makes an ache settle in my chest, both with happiness that someone c
an love that deeply and with a pang of want. I thought Connor looked at me like that tonight, but the way he left has me questioning whether we’re okay or not.

  The limo is close to my house. My grip tightens on my phone.

  Devlin cuts into my thoughts. “Bishop probably didn’t mean what he said. That’s why he wanted us to make sure you got home safely. He’s…” A sigh escapes him. “I know how his head works. If he loses control, he acts without thinking.”

  There seems to be something else he’s not saying because he shifts around. Blair puts her hand on his thigh and squeezes. They share a look and Blair gives a tiny shake of her head. Devlin shrugs. I blink at the odd exchange.

  “Well, thanks,” I say as the car pulls up to my house. The lights are all dark. I guess Mom was too tired to stay up late judging me after her snide comment about what boys expect at the end of a dance. She hasn’t figured out yet that Connor and I are way past that point. The only thing on my mind is changing out of this dress so I can head out in my Mini Cooper to look for Connor. “I’m sorry I had to cut your night short. I hope you liked the dance.”

  “It was great,” Blair says. “Typical teen scene isn’t really my thing, but it was nice to try it on for a while.”

  Devlin snorts at some private joke between them. He turns his attention to me. “He means well.”

  I grant him a tight smile and climb from the limo, knowing I won’t get any sleep tonight until I know Connor is safe and not doing something self-destructive. Something was bothering him all night and I need to find out what it was.

  Twenty-Eight

  Connor

  When the limo pulls away, I step out of the shadows as Thea walks up to her door.

  “I’m sorry.”

  She jumps, hissing out a strangled, “Jesus, Connor.” Looking me up and down, she frowns. “I’m glad you’re not out doing something stupid. I was really worried about you.”

  My breath punches from me. I go off like that and she’s worried about me?

  I’m such an asshole. My girlfriend is right in front of me, stunning in the moonlight in her pink dress and white wool coat. Tonight was the one thing she asked me for and instead of making her night magical, I was on the defensive. I was too focused on the plan to break into Coleman’s house in a few days that I pushed her away. It was only for her protection, but now that I see the sadness in her eyes I know I fucked up.

  With a sigh, I scrub a hand through my hair. “Sorry. I messed it all up. I didn’t mean to ruin the night. I had to get out of there, or I was going to put my fist through the wall, or…” I shake my head.

  She doesn’t want to hear about me punching Coleman.

  I hold out my hand, heart hammering in my chest. “It doesn’t matter. I was wrong and I shouldn’t have left you alone. I want to show you something to make it up to you. Will you come with me for a drive?”

  Thea studies me for a long beat where I think she’s going to refuse. She should, after the way I treated her.

  “Where are we going?”

  I swallow in relief.

  “I want to take you to a special place. It’s where I go when I need to cool my head.”

  The wariness in Thea’s gaze softens. “Promise me one thing.”

  “Anything.”

  “You don’t dictate my life. You can’t tell me what I can and can’t do. You know why I hate that.”

  My gaze cuts away. I do know. She’s told me about her issues with her mom being controlling and conservative. I can’t help that in my effort to protect her from the threat Coleman poses, and from the mysterious hacking group using her as incentive to do what they told me to, I became forceful with her.

  Controlling is the only way I know how to be. Without it, I turn wild. Learning to give that up when I know I’m keeping her safe is a daily challenge.

  She takes my hand in both of hers, her eyes bouncing between mine when they fly back to her. The sight of her causes a pang in my chest with her flower crown, those big doe eyes, and the tilt of her pouty lips.

  I open my mouth to swear to her.

  But I can’t.

  The only choice I have is to lie, and that frustrates the hell out of me. I don’t want to lie to her, but I can’t freak her out with this, either. Bile rises in my throat, keeping me from betraying her.

  This is all for her own good. I can’t stop the plan now. Once I get into Coleman’s house with Devlin and Blair’s help, then this will all be over. I’ll give Thea anything she wants afterwards, even if she demands I walk away from her.

  It’ll kill me to leave her when I’m in love with her, but this will be the last promise to her I ever break.

  Thea isn’t the meek girl I used to think she was, but I won’t hurt her by scaring her with the monsters waiting to take a bite out of her.

  It’s a huge risk, putting everything between us in jeopardy.

  Instead of the promise she wants, I aim for a little honesty, because it’s what she’ll listen to.

  “I can’t promise you that yet.” At Thea’s crumbling expression, I rush the rest of my explanation out. “I want to, baby. So badly. But this is really big. Bigger than dirty politics and cover ups. I swear to you, I would never control you like she tries to. I know you’re strong and capable of making your own choices. Please. Trust me?”

  “We’ve had good communication to solve our issues before,” Thea murmurs. “I trust you with my secrets, and you trust me with yours. So why are you keeping something from me?”

  Damn her logic. She has me there. Forcing out a breath, I scrub the back of my neck.

  “Everything I do is to keep you safe. Can you trust that?”

  Thea studies me. “I know you’d never hurt me.”

  “I wouldn’t. Just—give me a few days, okay? I swear, I’ll tell you everything.”

  “Okay. As long as you tell me.” She gives me that fierce look full of fire that I love. “Don’t think I’ll forget it.”

  A weak laugh leaves me as I gather her in my arms, inhaling her sugary scent mixing with the flowers. “You? Never. You’re too sharp for that.”

  I stay like that for a minute, breathing her in while my stomach unknots. I can’t mess this up. She’s my everything. The only good thing to ever happen to me.

  She presses up on her toes, kissing me with so much tenderness that my breath comes out shaky. I lean my forehead against hers and tell her what I wanted to earlier.

  “I’m in love with you.” Her gasp is soft and she goes still. Before she says anything, I go on in a reverent tone. “I didn’t notice you. All these years, and I never looked twice at you. But you were right there the whole time, living next door.” I lean back to meet her eyes, tucking her hair as I pour my heart out. “I see you now, Thea. You’re so bright, I don’t know how I ever missed it. Your light glows, in the day or at night.”

  “Connor,” she whispers, eyes wide and shiny.

  The corner of my mouth lifts and fondness fills me. “You make me feel like the moon, desperate to chase the sun. You’re all I want to look at, sunshine. All I want to catch.”

  The smile that breaks out on Thea’s face is stunning. A laugh escapes her and she winds her arms around my neck in a hug.

  “I love you, too.” Her voice is muffled against my chest.

  Taking her hand, I back up a step. “Let’s sneak out for that drive. I want to show you my favorite place.”

  We hop in the Lexus and when Thea turns to me, I shoot out a hand to cover her eyes. “Don’t look around. Keep your eyes shut.”

  She laughs, brushing her fingertips over my knuckles. “Why?”

  “Don’t want to ruin the surprise I put together for you.”

  Biting her lip around a smile, she covers her eyes with her own hands.

  “Are they closed?” I squint at her.

  “Yes!”

  “Good. No peeking.”

  Shifting the car in gear, we drive off, leaving the neighborhood. The streets of Ridgeview are quiet
this late. It’s past eleven as we drive the winding roads leading up into the mountains that overlook the town. When we reach our destination, I back the car in.

  “Keep them closed still,” I say as I open my door.

  “Okay,” Thea drawls, tipping her head back against the seat. With her eyes scrunched tight, she lifts the flower crown from her head and rests it in her lap.

  It’s cold up at Peak Point. We’re the only ones here and I made sure it would stay that way. It’s the most popular place to hook up, but I come here for a different reason. I blow into my hands as I round to the back, opening the trunk so we’ll have the perfect view. Inside the SUV, I built a nest of blankets, pillows, and a strand of battery powered Christmas lights to make it festive. When I click them on, they blink in multicolor.

  Once I’m satisfied with the set up, I go to Thea’s door and open it. “Take my hands. I’ll guide you. That’s it—watch your step.”

  I want to kiss the crinkle in her nose as I walk backwards toward the rear of the SUV. When I have her in position, I lick my lips.

  “Okay. Open.”

  Thea’s lashes flutter and she takes in the sight of Ridgeview lit up at night, tiny lights filling the valley below us from the high vantage point.

  “Wow,” she breathes.

  “Yeah.” I’m looking at her instead of the town below. “I know it’s just Peak Point, but it’s my favorite place. I sit up here for hours when I need to cool my head.”

  “It’s so pretty at night.”

  “Seeing it all lit up and small reminds me that whatever I’ve turned into a big problem doesn’t have to be in the scope of things.”

  She turns to me with a smile. “I love it.”

  “You’ll love it more when you turn around. It’s too cold.” Nudging her by the shoulders, I show her the fort I built in the back of the SUV for us. Her delighted laughter echoes off the tree tops as I help her climb in. “Let’s warm up.”