Tacet a Mortuis (The Elite King's Club 3)

She erupted in laughter, displaying her straight teeth. “It’s alright. I don’t need to. I’ve been wanting to meet you for some time.”

“Really?” I squeaked, slightly scared about why she would be wanting to meet me for ‘some time.’

She nodded. “Yes, of course. The girl who pushed my son into a frenzy, my very unattainable son and stable son, may I add…” The words seemed harsh, but the tone in which she said them was harmless. I heard the door open and then close.

Bishop strolled in and paused, taking in the scene. His mom winked at me and then eyeballed Bishop. “Bring her to Thanksgiving. I’m sure the family would love to meet her.” She paused at the threshold where the kitchen meets the living room. “Oh, and that’s no girl. I believe the correct term for her is… slut?” Then she left. I was speechless, but uncontrollable laughter escaped.

Bishop snatched the potato chips out of my hand.

“Hey!” I scolded him, but he dived in, grabbing out a handful.

I flopped forward, my shoulders hunching from fatigue. “I’m so hungry, and your mom is awesome.”

His eyes remained on me, shoving potato chips into his mouth. May as well get this war over with, Mr. & Mrs. Smith style.

I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth and dropped the smile. “Bishop, I’m sorry, okay, I messed up majorly and I know that.”

“How far did you get?” He went to the fridge and pulled out a bottled water and then back to where he was standing.

“Um, not that far. Kissing, touching.” His jaw ticked. Abort, abort. “Ah, it lasted like three minutes before Jase walked in.”

“And if he hadn’t?”

Okay, there was his issue. “I wouldn’t have let it get that far, Bishop.”

“And I’m supposed to trust you?” He set the water beside my thigh, the cool moisture melting against my warm skin. I grabbed it, suddenly parched.

“I guess you have every reason not to,” I explained, my head starting to thud from the lack of sleep. “But I’m new to all this, Bishop. I’ve just found out all this new shit about my life, I made a fucking mistake, okay?”

His eyes searched mine. “Yeah, you keep saying that.”

“What the fuck am I supposed to do!” I didn’t even feel the tears leaking out of my eyes. “I find out that my mom wasn’t really my mom and oh yeah, the guy I loved fucked her, and then he had been hiding his first love—whatever the fuck that slut is to you—all these years and didn’t actually kill her like he was supposed to!” I sagged, my eyes feeling heavy. I jumped off the kitchen counter. “I’m going to bed.” I went to brush past, but his hand caught mine and he tugged me into him.

His fingers hooked around my chin and he tilted my head up to look at him, his eyes searching mine. “You love me?”

My eyes started darting around the room. I said that? Shit. I did.

Defeated, I shrugged. “Yes, Bishop, thought that much was obvious. I’m tired.”

He pulled me under his arm and I followed his lead up the stairs to his bedroom. Everything was throbbing so bad that as soon as I belly flopped onto his puffy blankets, my eyes closed and sleep took hold.

A buzzing sound alerted me from somewhere in the distance, but my eyes refused to open. There was no way I was waking up yet. It was still dark, or maybe my eyes were still closed. Deep vibrating motion started shaking over my ass and I exhaled, groaning while reaching for the annoying device.

“You better be dead.”

“Madison,” Daemon? I shot up instantly. “Are you okay?”

Silence.

“Daemon!” I called into the phone.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine. I need a—I need to go. Are you with Bishop?”

I switched the phone to my other ear and shoved Bishop awake. I’d been around my twin brother enough to decipher what he’s usually trying to say.

Bishop’s eyes opened and he gazed at me. Not fair. At all. He looked far too beautiful to be hungover. His light brown hair hit the early morning sun front on, as if it was burning from the heat and turning to the soft ash that settled through his strands. His soft lips were plump and smooth, and his skin glistened with not one single flaw. He licked his lips and his dimples sunk into each cheek.

“Mmm, what?” His arm wrapped around my stomach as his eyes slowly drifted closed again.

“It’s Daemon, he needs a ride somewhere and asked if I was with you.”

Bishops eyes opened again and he snatched the phone from me, instantly speaking in Latin. My lady parts weren’t going to survive him. It would be even hotter if I knew what they were all talking about though.

He hung up the phone and slid out of bed, going straight into the bathroom. Tossing the covers off my body, I started stripping and slipped into the shower. Steam eloped me everywhere and I sighed, closing my eyes as the hot water slipped all over my flesh, washing last night’s shenanigans off me. I stilled when the palm of his hand opened on my belly and he pressed down, his lips coming to the back of my neck.