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“I do,” I say, hesitant to share exactly what I’m about to do, “but this is a surprise errand I don’t want Gabriel to know about.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“Nope, this is a special surprise.”
Erin’s attention is locked on me, and I hope I don’t sound too suspicious.
“It’s still parked out back?” I ask her, holding my breath.
“Yes. Everything ok?”
“Yes. You’re the greatest,” I say with a big smile.
Erin watches me for a few minutes longer trying to see if I’m lying, but then she must decide everything’s ok like I said and starts preparing a sampler platter for a later appointment.
I throw myself into baking, trying my hardest to not think about meeting Ronin in just a few short hours. Givens Park is not too far from here, so I’m hoping I can make this work without anyone finding out.
At one-thirty, I say goodbye to Erin, grabbing her keys from her outstretched hand. “I’ll be back before you know I’m gone.”
I hustle out the back door and into Erin’s white Honda.
On the way to the park, every light in town catches me, like a glowing red signal I should turn back. Finally, I hit the open road and after a few minutes make a right into the lot. I park under the shade of an oak tree and scan the grassy area, looking for Ronin before sending a text. “Are you here?”
“Yeah,” is his quick response.
I look up and there he is in jeans and a t-shirt, not the trench coat and hat I was half expecting.
He eyes me through the windshield, and rounds the hood to hop in the passenger seat of the car. “Thanks for meeting me.”
“What’s going on?” I ask him. “Why the cloak and dagger stuff? And what do you mean about danger?”
“That’s a lot of questions.” His eyes roam over me.
“Are you going to answer them?”
“Yes, you’re in danger. There’s a man named Bishop Blackstone, and you’re on his radar.” He shakes his head. “He isn’t a good guy, Clem.”
I suck in a breath, not telling Ronin I know Bishop all too well. “Oh.”
“I’m worried about you. And Gabriel is too thick headed to care.”
I chew on my bottom lip. “I don’t think Gabriel will do anything to hurt me,” I say, gingerly.
Ronin turns to face me. “Neither do I. That’s not what I’m saying.” He blows out an annoyed breath. “Inadvertently, Gabriel may cause you and Tennyson harm.”
“Why? What does Bishop want?” I have a pretty good idea what Bishop Blackstone wants with me, but I want to hear why he thinks he’s sniffing around. Find out how much he knows.
His eyes stay trained on mine. “He wants to stop the wedding at all cost.”
“But, why?”
“Let’s say the wedding doesn’t happen, ok?”
I nod.
“Then, Gabriel will lose everything. The company will be left vulnerable. All the deals Gabriel has in the works will fall through. It’ll be a mess, and Bishop will be there to pick up all the pieces.”
“Gabriel will have literally nothing thanks to dear ol’ Grandpa?”
