Chapter Forty-Three

BISHOP

"You sure you don't want some of this delicious tuna casserole, Calli?" Whip taunted, waving his second plate of food under her nose. "It's really good!"

Calli pressed her hand to her mouth, practically turning green as the smell of the tuna wafted around her. "Whip," she warned, swallowing hard. "Just because you have your full patch now doesn't mean I won't beat your ass."

Whip stepped back as he shoveled a spoonful into his mouth with a grin.

That same smile had been plastered there since we handed him a brand-new cut this morning after a unanimous club vote. Whip had everything the club needed. He was smart, loyal, and dedicated. Even taking three bullets hadn't deterred him. The second he got out of the hospital, he was right back at the clubhouse, asking what he could help with and what needed to be done. He deserved those patches, and I was proud as hell to be able to call him one of my brothers.

What he didn't know was that we were planning a party for that night, and the next day, Calli would most likely get her revenge because there was no way the boys weren't going to push him to his limits tonight in celebration of our new full member.

Shay stepped out onto the back porch with a bottle of water in one hand and a packet of crackers in the other. She held them out in front of Calli, whose eyes lit up. "Thank God," she said with a relieved sigh, instantly cracking the lid on the bottle and drinking several mouthfuls before coming up for air. "I swear I didn't drink that much last night, did I?"

Shay chuckled, walking over to me and taking a seat on the arm of my chair. "It was definitely the tequila shots that did this," she mused, leaning into me as I wrapped my arm around her hips.

Calli screwed up her nose, and a shudder rolled through her. "Oh yeah… the tequila."

Shay wasn't a big drinker, but like I'd told Shay last night, Calli had learned from the best.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Shay looked toward the house with a frown before turning to me. "Is that Blue?" she questioned, getting to her feet. "Why would he be knocking?"

I shrugged, pushing out of the armchair and following her inside and through the hallway that led from the back door to the front. I stopped at the staircase, leaning against the banister as she pulled the door open, her mouth hitting the floor as she saw who was standing on the other side.

"Ali!"

He opened his arms and walked forward, picking her up and hugging her tightly. "Hey, sis," he said with a chuckle.

Blue snuck in behind him, the two of us watching them cling to each other, rocking back and forth.

The relationship between Shay and her brother had been strained for a long time. She felt she owed him because he took the heat and made sure she got help while he did his time. But she was also frustrated at how he fell right back into old, toxic habits with toxic people.

Truth was, he needed help too.

He'd only been in the rehab facility for a month but was already looking healthier like he'd put on some pounds.

"What are you doing here?" Shay exclaimed with a smile when they finally broke apart.

Ali nodded to me and Blue. "Bishop organized for me to have a couple of hours out of the center to come have lunch with you guys," he explained.

"Speaking of lunch," Blue announced, turning on his heel and heading for the back porch.

The house was full, everyone either on the back porch, in the living room, or out the front in the driveway, all eating, chatting, or tinkering with their rides.

This was a Sunday.

This was my family.

"You want some food?" Shay asked, tugging on her brother's shirt.

"Sure—"

"Actually," I interrupted, nodding toward the kitchen. "Can we all chat in here just for a minute?"

They followed as I stepped into the empty kitchen, nodding for them to sit at the table. "What's going on?" Ali questioned, looking at Shay, who shrugged.

I pulled a piece of paper from my pocket and slid it across the table between them. "So, I did have an ulterior motive to asking you to come today," I explained, making Ali sit a little straighter. "I'm not sure if Shay told you, but I asked someone to find your dad."

"You found him?" Shay whispered, holding my gaze like she was afraid to look down.

Ali, on the other hand, grabbed the paper, his eyes scanning it furiously, slowly growing wider and wider as he read about the car accident and his father's fiery demise. "He's dead?"

"He's dead," I confirmed, and Ali slammed the paper down on the table and let out a heavy sigh.

"Wish I could have a drink because I'd be toasting the universe right now," he exclaimed, leaping up while Shay took the paper, her brow knotting as she scanned it. "The bastard got what he deserved. Karma. That's perfect karma."

"Well, if you want to toast something, tuna casserole and lemonade are out on the back porch," I told him, the knowing look on Shay's face telling me I wasn't about to get away with this without giving her an explanation. "We'll be out in a minute."

He turned to his sister, leaned in and gently kissed her head. "This is a good thing, Shay. Right?"

She looked up at him, forcing a smile. "Hell, yes. It's a great thing."

Ali nodded, patting me on the back. "Thanks, Bishop," he said, his voice a little raspy. "Thanks."

He walked out, leaving us alone, and Shay wasted no time. "There's no date on this."

"Correct."

She narrowed her eyes. "When did this accident happen, Bishop?"

"Last week." I wasn't about to lie to her. "I made a decision to give the go-ahead to rid the world of a man who not only killed your mother but also tried to kill you. And I did it because I knew no matter what the bastard had done, you would still never make that choice yourself. And I wouldn't want you to carry that on your shoulders anyway. So, I took it on mine."

Shay had been to hell and back multiple times in her life, each time clawing herself from the depths to survive and battle another day, even stronger than before. I wasn't about to give that man a chance to return one day and try to drag her back there with him.

My hands already had blood on them, years' worth of it.

Another life taken because of me wouldn't be the difference between Heaven and Hell. And in my eyes, if Shay hated me for it and walked away, at least I knew she would be able to sleep at night—wherever she was—knowing he wasn't coming back.

That was the choice I decided that I could live with.

"I understand if you're mad—"

"You are an amazing man, Bishop," she whispered, a tear dripping from the corner of her eye as she got to her feet and rounded the table. I pushed my chair back, and she sat across my lap, taking my face in her hands. "You are kind and generous, and you care for the people around you in a way I have never experienced before. It's so fucking beautiful, and I love you for it."

I leaned in, wrapping my arms around her and stealing the most fucking incredible kiss.

There wasn't a thing I wouldn't do for this woman, just to feel her energy or see her light up.

It was intoxicating—her happiness was an addiction.

For years, I'd been doing the same thing on repeat—club work, bar work, president duties. I spent my time between the clubhouse, Backroad, and home, never really deviating from routine, which had never bothered me before. I was happy with my brothers, my family, and the odd club girl.

Shay made me see the world differently.

She was inquisitive and loved experiences, and I was so eager to give her those experiences and share them with her.

Shay made me step out of a comfort zone I'd been stuck in for years but had never realized, and I was so fucking excited about a future with her. There was no way in hell I would ever let anyone stand in the way of that.

"I love you, too," I rasped, holding her tightly, my heart pounding. "I don't want to sound like a bastard, but I'm never fucking letting you go."

Her laughter and the way she pulled me in again, our lips crashing together, told me everything I needed to hear.

We ignored it for long enough, trying to fight this undeniable pull.

From now on, I was going to seize every damn moment.