His eyes drifted over my shoulder. “What?”
I followed his line of sight, facing Bishop.
“We’ll leave tomorrow.”
“Leave?” I asked, my eyes darting around the place. “Leave to where?”
“Come here…” He gestured with his fingers, and I followed, hooking my fingers with his. He sat on a log and pulled me onto his lap. “We have to go to Perdita.”
I sat for a beat, thinking over what he had just said.
“Three questions,” Tate yapped off in the background. “What’s Perdita, do they have margaritas, and should I pack my bikini?”
“I’ll answer all those three for you,” Nate snapped back. “One, you’re not coming, two, you’re not coming, and three, you’re not fucking coming.”
“Really?” She shot back with a roll of her eyes. “Because I specifically recall you ‘coming’ all over my tits last week.”
“Jesus Christ,” Jase muttered, getting to his feet. A few guys chuckled, but I was so used to Tate and Nate’s banter, I brushed them off. Even if their banter had intensified over the past week. Must be Tate not getting any sex.
“Ok, why?” I quizzed through more of a whisper, searching Bishop’s eyes, which were on mine, studying my reaction.
“We’re not sure yet, but we know we have to get there.”
My confusion turned to excitement when I realized I’d get to see Daemon. “I’ll need to grab some clothes.”
“Babe, I’d rather you not come.”
“Too bad, I’m coming.”
“Mads…”
“Bishop…” I countered his tone. “I’m. Coming.”
He pulled his bottom lip into his mouth, his eyebrows pulling in softly as if he was searching for what to say, or internally fighting with what he should do. Too bad, I wasn’t giving this up. I’d sneak myself onto that plane if I had to.
“Fine,” Bishop agreed. I wiggled in his lap in excitement and his hands flew to my hips where he stilled my movements. His eyes narrowed. “Watch it.”
“Wait, she can’t come. We can’t have a liability on Perdita.”
I flipped Hunter off. “I’m not a liability!”
“Nah, she’s right. She needs to be near us. She’s not safe here on her own and we can’t afford to leave anyone here to watch her because we need all the manpower we have over there.”
I gave Hunter a Cheshire Cat grin.
His face deadpanned. “I don’t like having a baby sister.”
“You’ll warm up to her.” Nate winked at me. I smiled.
“To her or on her?” Hunter snapped back.
“Okay!” I stood from Bishop’s lap. “So I want Tate to come with me.”
“You do?” Tate’s face lit up.
Nate’s sunk.
“Yes, I do.”
“Ah… I don’t thin—” Bishop started to say, but I cut him off.
“—she’s coming.”
“Now do you still think it’s a good idea her coming?” Hunter flicked his wrist in my direction, but his eyes were on Bishop.
“Mmm,” Bishop mumbled and then stood.
“Please tell me were not throwing a party…”
Bishop shook his head. “Nah, just us out here. If you two need to go home to get some clothes, I’ll take you now since I have to stop at my parents’ and see Dad quickly.”
“Ok,” I nodded, and then hitched my thumb over my shoulder, toward the cabin. “Is there still no food up in there?”
Bishop gave me a look that said “correct.”
“We’ll stop and get food. I’m starving and I need a shower.”
Bishop’s hand sprawled out over my belly and he pushed my body into his, his lips falling to my shoulder. “Shower later. Come on.” He slapped my ass and then made his way to his car. Tatum brushed off her pants and shot Nate a scolding look before following Bishop.
“Just out of curiosity,” I muttered, slowly walking toward where Nate was sitting. “What did you do to piss her off so bad?”
“What?” He threw his hands in the air innocently. “Why do I have to be the one who had done something wrong?”
I quirked an eyebrow at him. “Because you’re you?”
He pretended to think over my reply. “Valid.”
I rolled my eyes and started following Bishop and Tate. “You.” Was all Nate had said, just as I passed him.
I turned back to face him, my hands on my hips. “What?”
He shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “She’s mad about what we did with Brantley, only she wasn’t sleeping with Brantley.”
“Wait, so she’s mad at me too?”
Nate shook his head. “No. She was mad because I got in between you and Bishop. She’s team Madship.”
My eye twitched. “Team, what, what?”
He snorted. “Go do your thang, girl.” I looked at Jase and Hunter, who were watching me carefully, then turned to make my way to Bishop’s car. Was she mad at me for hooking up with Nate? I didn’t even think of her feelings while I was doing what I was doing. Damn. I was such a bad friend.
“You alright?” Bishop asked, dropping to third and flooring it out of the driveway.
“Yeah, I think.” Truth was, I wasn’t sure. I knew that how I had acted in the past was shit, but for the first time ever, I’d made it impact Tatum too. She’s an innocent in all this.
WE PULLED INTO TATE’S DRIVEWAY first and I slid my seat forward to let her out.
“I’ll be in in a sec!” I called out to her as she jogged up her front steps.
I turned to face Bishop. “I upset her, I think, with all that Nate stuff.”
Bishop’s eyes followed Tate. “Nah, I don’t think she’s mad at you. Him probably.”
“I won’t be a second.” I climbed out of the car and followed her up the steps. Closing the door behind myself, I headed straight for her bedroom which was on the first floor. She converted the media room to her bedroom because she hated the sunlight so much. My best friend was a vampire, but it worked for us. Netflix and chill dates were like business class luxury at Tate’s. Not that her parents would
