Page 31 of Bishop

April is off in the corner talking with Fly. Instead of being happy by how relaxed she is, I feel a twinge of envy.

How is it she can get over this so fast? Why aren't I strong enough to just get better already?

Pulling my thoughts away from her, I walk over to Bishop's room and peek in. He's been sleeping a lot, but he needs a lot of time to recoup from everything that he's been through.

"Hey, beautiful." He croaks and pushes himself up higher on the bed so he's sitting up.

"Hey, did I wake you up?"

"Nah, I don't think I could sleep anymore if I tried. Everything okay? The boys treating you good?" His eyebrows furrow slightly.

I can always count on him to take care of me, even if it's at the cost of him hurting himself. I don't know what I did in a past life to ensure I'd be hooked up with someone like him, but I'm grateful.

"Yeah, of course. Everyone here has been more than friendly."

Bishop pats the bed next to him for me to sit, and I slowly walk into his room. My knees buckle with every step I take in his direction. Even out here in the real world, he's got a power over me that I've never experienced before.

The moment I sit on the side of the bed with him, it feels like the weight of the world is lifted off my shoulders. No more suffocating fear. No more uncertainty about whether or not we're going to be okay. Bishop is here. I know I'm alright. He must've seen how deeply I exhaled because his face turns from pleasant to concerned.

"What's wrong? Talk to me." He reaches for my hand and pulls me closer to his body. If I were a cat, I'd snuggle right into the crook of his arm and start purring.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"No, don't you dare. Don't do that now. I know you, Gabrielle. Inside and out. Something is bothering you. Tell me what it is so I can fix it. Or try. Let me help."

"It's not your job to fix it, Bishop. We're not locked in a cell anymore. You don't have to do that." I pull my hand away from his, but he snatches it right back.

"Back in the cell? Is that why you think I want to protect you? You think I was only doing that because you were the only person I was locked up with?"

I look into those dark eyes and though I know the normal answer would be 'no, of course not,' my mind is screaming yes. Instead, I just give him a shrug.

"Gabi, you're not just my cellmate. You're...more. I'm going to want to protect you for as long as I'm breathing. What happened there in that place never stopped the fact that I care about you. I think it was a fucked up introduction to our story, but I don't think it ended just because we're free now."

"Don't lie to me, Bishop. There's no way, knowing all I've been through, what I've had to do, that you still want to be with me. I've accepted that already." Tears prick the back of my eyelids.

"Well, accept this. I do still want to be with you, Gabrielle. I want your smiles and your tears. I want your triumphs and your failures. I want all you are. I know everything that happened, and it doesn't make me think any less of you. In my eyes, it only makes you stronger." He pulls his hand up and softly scratches the back of my head through the curls there.

I want to believe him. I know how genuine his words are, but I can't help but believe what he sees is a lie. I'm not stronger. In fact, I've never felt weaker than I am now.

"You're still Gabrielle. You still want to help people even before you help yourself. You're still smart and driven. Absolutely gorgeous." His voice deepens as his eyes rake over my body.

My eyes capture his gaze as it makes its way back up to my face. His stare is carnal, primal, exciting. A flutter of butterflies ricochet in my belly and my cheeks heat up at the feeling. This is what I need.

So many people believe when it comes to getting over sexual abuse there's a specific amount of time, but everyone is different. Everyone heals at their own pace and in their own way. The last thing I should be thinking about is sex, but right now I'd give anything to have Bishop inside of me.

I lean forward, testing the climate between us. I'm not sure if Bishop is as hot and bothered as I am right now. When he surges forward, closing the remaining distance between us to capture my lips with his, I know he feels the same way I do. His grip in my hair tightens and I crawl up on the bed to get closer. I'm needy and ravenous. I slip my arms around his neck and hold him tight while the both of us nip and suck on each other's lips. It feels so good, so right, being in his arms.

More. More. More.

A sharp knock on the door breaks the spell, and I pull away from him just as Roth opens the door.

"Oh, my bad, Bishop. I didn't know... Uh, I can come back." The usually stoic man seems embarrassed, and the redness painting his cheeks confirms it. Like a splash of cold water, my mind reels thinking about what I was about to do. Bishop needs to heal. He doesn't need me making his recuperation time that much longer by jumping his bones.

"No, it's okay. I was just going back to my room." I smile at Roth before turning my head to look at Bishop again. He's pouting, and for the first time, I hear myself chuckle.

"This isn't funny," Bishop seethes.

"It's hilarious. You get better. We have time."