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I glance over at Edward, whose eyes are narrowed in on the man beside me. When his gaze meets mine, a silent question in them, I shake my head. I don’t need Edward intervening; I know Bishop won’t hurt me. Well, not physically anyway.
Bishop’s eyes open, landing on me. “I’m sorry.”
I shake my head. “I know both of our emotions are running high, but you need to understand that I am not saying these things to hurt you. There is a little boy in all this, and he comes first.”
“I get it, Aria, I do. It’s just hard. I have already missed so much, and I know I am going to miss more.” When I frown, he elaborates. “My father—he is the head of a very powerful organization. My half-brother was killed last year by a rival family. My father needed an heir, which is why your sister was kidnapped. They thought it was you.”
I gasp, my eyes widening. “What?”
Bishop sighs, leaning back on the bench. “My father had been following me. He obviously realized you were my weakness and set up the kidnapping. Only they took Thalia. I received a message when your sister went missing with a pin drop location. I knew then the whole thing was to do with my family. When I got there, the condition of releasing Thalia and you not being hurt were that I agreed to go with them. It was why I left; I couldn’t let them hurt your sister or you. No matter how much I loved you, I had to walk away to protect you.” All I can focus on is the wordloved.Past tense. “If I had known you were pregnant, I would have found another way, trust me. If you believe anything, believe that.”
“I was going to tell you that day. But then you disappeared into thin air. Poof, you were gone,” I murmur.
“I just told you why I did what I did, princess.” I tense when he calls me that name again, and then completely freeze when his arm wraps around my waist and pulls me close. “I just want a chance. I want to meet and holdourson, baby girl.” His voice is a whisper, hitting me straight in the chest.
I allow myself to bask in him for a long beat, then come to my senses and pull out of his embrace. I pin him with a pointed stare. “Like I said, Bishop. I won’t stop you from seeing Baron as long as you prove you want this. But as far as we are concerned? We are done.”
He smirks arrogantly. Leaning in close, his voice drops to a whisper as his hot breath hits my face. “We will never be done, princess.”
I pull back. “We are. Now how long are you in the city for? Do you want to see Baron?” I get us back on track.
Bishop sighs, shaking his head. “Of course, I want to see him. It needs to be discreet though, as I am not sure whether my father has people following me.” I glare. “Don’t panic. No one followed me here. I have a friend in the city with me, and he helped get me here undetected. I can come to yours tomorrow, if that suits you?”
“My parents will be around, but yes we can work something out.”
Bishop eyes me. “They obviously know about us.”
“Yeah, I couldn’t not tell them. Not when I was having your baby,” I deadpan, rolling my eyes.
“I bet they were livid when they found out.”
“They would have accepted us had you stayed.”
Bishop nods. “So, what time should I come?”
“I am taking him to a mother and baby group in the morning but any time after eleven thirty is fine.”
“I have an early meeting, so I can get to you at twelve,” he says, his tone… nervous? I study his face, and if I didn’t know him, I would never have spotted it. Bishop is anxious.
Pushing to a stand, I face him. “Okay. I will inform security and the doorman that you are coming. Please, if there is any chance that you are being followed by your fathers’ men, don’t bring them to my door.”
Bishop stands, his face angry as he gets in my face. “I would never put you or my son at risk.”
“Good. I need to get back. I will see you tomorrow.” And with that, I spin on my heel and walk toward Edward.
ChapterEight
BISHOP
I am nervous.
I have never been nervous in my whole damn life.
It’s a useless emotion, yet it is the main one coursing through my body as I pace my hotel room. In less than an hour, I will meet my son. It all becomes real. Not that it isn’t real now, but I will see him face to face, hold him in my arms. My own flesh and blood.
Jesus, I have never been so scared in my life.
But I am also excited.
