Page 11 of Bishop

"All right, Gabi. For you, I'll try my best. No guarantees, but I'll try." I pull her back into my arms and slowly begin to finger comb through the small braids she has in her hair. Her scalp is still a bit wet, and I know if she doesn't finish detangling her hair while in this state, it'll mat up later. I'll do anything to spare her even the smallest amount of discomfort. Even if that means helping her with her hair.

The two of us fall into a silent but comfortable groove. She takes down a few braids, I use my shirt to dry the section and finger comb through any knots before she braids it back up. I don't know how long we sit there in each other's company, but the simple promise that I'd do what I can to help the other prisoners must have been enough to put her mind at ease because she's fast asleep on my lap.

I've worked in the government, worked undercover, been in some of the most dangerous situations, through all of that my main objective is always the same. Survive.

There has been more than a few times that I could've made an attempt to get out of this hellhole but making sure Gabrielle is safe always stops me in my tracks. I want to be doing more, want to throw all caution to the wind but I can't risk losing her.

Not when I'd only just found her.

Before we were locked together in here, we'd started a relationship. A relationship I was sure could wind up with wedding bells. Gabi is the one woman who could make me hesitate in both a good and a bad way.

Just as my eyes begin to slide close, I hear footsteps coming in the direction of the cell. They must be doing their rounds. If there's any time for me to talk about these other prisoners, it's now.

As softly as I can, I slide Gabrielle off my lap and rush to the door so I can catch them before they made their way to the other side of the compound.

"Hey, hold up." I knock on the door, trying to get their attention.

"Keep it quiet, Bishop." Tate, one of the lead guards says but continues to walk by

"Listen, just hold up for a minute." I say a little louder. I was trying to get this done without waking Gabrielle but it's no use.

"What's going on? What's up?" Gabrielle pops up from the ground where I left her sleeping. She notices me by the door and I can only assume that she realizes what I'm doing.

"What do you want Bishop?" Tate stops and turns to the cell we're in.

"I need to talk to Liam and Shade." It's the first time that I've ever requested to speak with them since I've been here.

"For what?"

"Just get them." I glare through the bars at Tate, not wanting to divulge any more information.

"Fine, your headache." Tate shrugs his shoulders and the both of the guards walk away.

It doesn't take long for Shade to show up. Liam isn't with him, but I don't need him to ask for what I want.

"You better have a good reason to pull me away from my business." Shade growls at me.

"I know you have other people here. I want to request that all of us be put in the same room."

Shade scoffs and shakes his head, "No."

"Wait. We already know that one of them is pregnant."

"Willa!" Gabrielle adds in.

"Yes, Willa. She's pregnant and the last time I checked there are no obstetricians here. Both Gabrielle and I have experience. Even if you don't care about what happens to the baby, I know you would prefer if Willa stays alive. Alive she can bring in money, dead she's worthless." Gabrielle gasps and I know how insensitive it must sound to her, but I know it's the only way to get across to him.

All he cares about is his money.

"You think I care about what happens to her?" Shade narrows his eyes at me, but I know that I've gotten under his skin.

"You don't have to care about what happens to her to know that bringing in a new woman is just going to cost you more money. Besides, I'm sure that your clients have a taste for her specialty." The words burn as they come out of my mouth. I've always tried to remain as respectful as possible to women, but I'm not oblivious to the kinks some men have for pregnant women.

"You're right, Willa is heavily requested." Shade crosses his arms over his chest before looking back up at me with a sinister smile. "Fine, at least with the two of you in with the other prisoners, I don't have to make the guards come all the way over here to check on you. Maybe you'll be enough to keep those other women in line." Shade shrugs and turns to walk out of the room.

I don't let him see that his announcement that the other girls need to be kept in line have sparked hope inside of me. If they're still fighting back, maybe it won't be so hard to figure out a way to get all of us out.

I'm shocked by how quickly Shade actually gave in. From how Gabrielle is staring at me, it's clear that she's shocked too.