Ruthless Bishop (Sinners and Saints #3) - Veronica Eden Page 0,93

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 can 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