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

“What’s the song called?” I managed to choke out.

His eyes searched mine. “’Torn to Pieces’ by Pop Evil.”

“I love it.” A small smile slid over my mouth, and I took the phone from him, opening a new playlist on Spotify. I thought about it quickly and then smiled while typing out “Madship’s Playlist” I began adding all the songs that we had listened to previously into the playlist. One of them caught my attention.

“This song is one of my favorites.” I pushed play on “I’m Ready” by Nikye Heaton.

He chuckled. “Yeah, you do love this song, huh.” He took my phone back and flicked through.

“I do,” I nodded. “It resonates with me on a deep level when it comes to us, I guess.”

His finger paused for a second, his eyes flicking to me briefly before he continued to scroll through.

The song finished and then Bullet for my Valentine “Your Betrayal” started playing. I giggle-snorted—straight ugly snorted—when I heard it.

“That day at the lake?” I smirked, my eyes coming to his.

“You remembered?”

“Your face was buried between my thighs while our friends were doing backflips off rocks in the water fifty meters away from us—yes, I remember. I remember this song was playing from Nate’s sound dock.” My eyes glassed over from the memories. “God, it feels like so long ago. Put that in our playlist.” He does something on my phone, and then pulled out his. He started fiddling around with both phones and then tucked his away.

“I joined our playlist to both our accounts. Now we can both add songs to it for the other to listen to.”

The gesture may have sounded normal to most people, but again, this was Bishop, and I’m still warming up to this side of him. The caring side. Receiving love from someone who spent so much time hating you gives you a euphoric high that no drug could ever give you. It was intoxicating, deadly, and completely addictive. I took my phone since he could now use his, then pushed play on “Stupid Love” from Jason Derulo.

“Really?” he deadpanned.

I shrugged, sliding the song to our playlist. “It came on when we were on our way to the airport to fly to New Zealand. It connected with me around that time so it’s going in.”

His eyes narrowed.

I narrowed mine back.

“You wanna play? Okay, let’s play.”

“What are you, Tony Montana,” I teased, and watched as his thumb shuffled through the songs on his phone. “Killpop” from Slipknot started playing.

I tried listening to the lyrics, even though I was acquainted with the song.

“Isn’t this about a drug dealer who falls in love with his junkie?” I raised my eyebrow at him.

A beat passed, and then he slowly raised his eyebrows. Realization sunk in pretty quickly once I had just choked on my own words. “Oh, well, then, it’s perfect.”

“Hey.” He tilted my head to face him. “This shit with you and I, it’s always been messy, fucking chaotic, but that’s just us. Don’t resent that, baby.”

“I’d never.” I shook my head. Halestorm “I’m no Angel” started playing next, and I leaned my head on Bishop’s shoulder. His arm came up again, pulling me into his side so my face smashed into him. I loved his scent. I wished I could bottle it up and carry it around with me. Leather, soap, man, and mint. “I’ve been through a lot of traumatic things in my life, as you know, and up until the point I met you, I would have given anything and everything to change my past. But, if I had to go through all those things to meet you, then I wouldn’t change a thing. You’re well worth it, Bishop.”

He was silent, so I figured he may not have heard me, and before I knew it, my eyes closed and I fell into a deep sleep.

“Baby, wake up.”

My eyes popped open and I stretched my arms wide. “Are we there?”

“Yeah.” He stood, tugging me to my feet. Nate had Tate huddled in his arms, her head in his neck. What the actual fuck. Those two confuse me like no other. Bishop must see my puzzlement.

“She was asleep. Don’t think into it.” As they disappeared out the door, I stepped aside to let Jase and Saint pass.

“Are you trying to convince me that he doesn’t care?”

Bishop took my hand and led me down the walkway. “I didn’t say that he didn’t care—just not enough…”

I rubbed the palm of my hand into my eye, feeling almost defeated by his words. “You boys.”

“Not me. They, and I, always knew with you. Nate, and us, and you, know that’s not the case with Tatum.”

I sighed, then started shuffling out of the plane. “I guess. I just wish she didn’t need to get hurt.” Once we come to the door, I sucked in a breath. “What is this place?” The airstrip was lined with dark bushes and tall accent stone statues, carved with thick patterns shaping weird faces and moss spilling out from the cracks. The air smelled of tropical leaves with a slight spritz of saltwater. I cranked my head to find any sign of life.