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“You worry too much.”

Bishop’s hand tightens when my heel wobbles. “You okay?”

Everything inside me goes warm. Dangerously warm.

“There’s that problem again.”

“What problem?”

“You touching me.”

His hand starts to loosen.

“I didn’t say I didn’t like it.”

“Delaney.”

His eyes stay on mine. Maybe it’s the drinks. Maybe it’s the fact that I haven’t let myself stand this close to him since O’Shea’s. Maybe it’s the corset cutting off oxygen to my brain. But suddenly I’m tired of pretending I don’t know what happens to me when he touches me.

So I lean closer and breathe deep. “You smell good.”

His hand goes still. “Laney”

“Like cedar and soap.” I sigh.

“Okay.”

“I like it.”

“I gathered that.”

“I like your stupid face too.”

Mercer makes a strangled noise somewhere behind him. Bishop turns his head. “Go away.”

“Gladly.”

Avery laughs as Mercer guides her toward the bar.

Bishop looks back at me.

“Time to get you home, Elizabeth Bennet.” He lifts me into his arms like I weigh nothing. I want to tell him to put me down, that I’m too heavy. But I can’t find the words.

Instead I tighten my arms around his neck and let my head rest against his shoulder as he carries me into the cold night air. When he puts me into his black SUV, I notice that it’s conveniently parked at the curb with the engine running.

After he pays the valet and slides in the driver’s seat, I let myself ask the question burning in the back of my mind.

“Were you always planning to come and carry me back to your cave?”

“Don’t ask questions you already know the answers to, Delaney.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

BISHOP

Streetlights slide across her face as I turn into the garage beneath my building. I pull into my spot and kill the engine.

Silence settles around us. For approximately two seconds, until she wakes up, opens her pretty pink mouth and goes straight for the jugular.