DECEIT (B723) by Hazel Grace (ebook reader for surface pro .TXT) 📕

steals longing glances at Bishop with her eyes glimmering over in something I can put my finger on—regret.

Regret of not making him hers in some way because I feel something similar.

I should’ve told Bishop that I was interested in long term. That he might be closed off and a fucking douchebag, but I was and still am in love with him. That we need to work it out because, without him, I’m not sure what I’m doing with my life.

“Emmy, do you live here?”

“No,” I tell Scarlett, and I can’t help the irritability that comes off my words. “I live in Connecticut.”

Scarlett smiles. “Boyfriend there?”

“No, I’m—” Bishop glances over at me for the first time since sitting down, rendering my lack of forming words.

He lifts a brow, imploring me to finish what I was going to say. Like he actually cares about what I’m going to spill.

“No.”

“I’m surprised,” Scarlett quips. “You’re gorgeous, and you’d have to be smart to work for a technology company.”

I nod. “Right, it’s tricky business.”

Bishop’s sister nudges him without prying her eyes or smile from me. “Isn’t she beautiful, Kace? Locked up in an office all day is a shame.”

“She’s stunning,” he replies without faltering, causing my whole face to slowly blanch crimson. “But it’s safe for her to be in an office. She’d give everyone whiplash with her mouth if she was allowed out in public.”

Mills chuckles at my side while Camilla forms the first rendering of a smile.

Yep, I’m not imagining shit here. 

“Stop teasing,” Scarlett says like she needs to defend me. “It sounds like you all need to stay on your toes. She just makes it more fun.”

She winks at me and finally shuts up—no offense—returning back to her food while her brother looks at me for another moment before doing the same.

Kyson is unbothered or interested by the conversation, but Camilla...she illustrates that she’s not at all fond of me working closely with her “childhood friend”. And since I talk female, I receive the message loud and clear.

Kace Bishop is hers—end of story.

And maybe, he is.

“Who’s the blonde bitch to Bishop?” I ask Kyson through a mutter as Scarlett asks Marty something giving me the first opportunity I’ve had to inquire about her. “And if you don’t tell me, I’m going to start a scene.”

“Knock it off,” he grumbles through another bite of his hamburger. “She’s a nobody.”

“That’s staying with Bishop?”

“She’s not staying here. She’s staying at the trailer.”

“For?”

“Leave it be, Emmy.” I begin to rise from my seat when Kyson’s hand shoots out from underneath the table. “Seriously?”

“As a fucking heart attack.” I feel Bishop’s eyes on both of us, suddenly catching on to our private conversation, which is something he’s either going to ignore or press about later. “Better hurry up.”

Kyson shakes his head slightly, obviously hiding a secret. I mean, c’mon, if it wasn’t, he’d just say it.

“Ex-girlfriend, fucked him up pretty bad when we were kids. Addicted to cocaine. A waste of space. He left her behind with me when we joined the military. We did some fucked up shit to protect her. End of story, Ems.”

Jealously rips through my frame, but my heart also slows from the story.

“Did he love her?”

“Emmy…” Kyson’s voice is a warning and a clue.

It’s also a confirmation—yes.

And possibly the reason why he could never get close or love me.

If Bishop was capable of it once before, something or someone broke it. I might be staring at that someone right now.

A heated wave of rage suddenly pierces through me as I flick my attention to Camilla, who’s already looking back at me.

Yeah, I see you, bitch. 

A slow and purposeful lift of my lips causes hers to frown.

I am the definition of a spoiled little brat to some and downright vicious to others. If she broke Bishop, then she deserves to be mangled herself.

An arm, a leg, maybe her nose.

She’s pretty, but I can tell by the way she lifts her already turned-up nose at me that she’s a little cunt who doesn’t know me but still wants to judge me.

But, oh, am I going to get to know her.

“Stop staring at the girl like you’re about to make her choke on your burger, Lou Boo,” Mills whispers at my side. “You’re making me uncomfortable.”

A mirthless chuckle rumbles from my chest as Camilla watches my best friend and I share a private moment.

She probably perceives me as a slut who possibly fucked all the guys at this table with me.

Nah, girl. Just the one across from you. 

A door creaks somewhere in Bishop’s home, followed by a small stampede of feet stomping towards the small dining area.

“Uncle Kacie!” A bundle of dark curls, plump cheeks, and the speed of a little Tasmanian devil runs straight for Bishop. “Daddy got me a gun!”

Bishop immediately drops his burger on his paper plate and twists to lift her into his lap.

Holy…is he holding a child in his lap?

With a cute little purple shirt and jeans, the little girl leans back into his chest, comfortable and elated as she shows off the nerf gun in her tiny hands.

Her blue eyes search the table, landing on my squad curiously before they stop at me. She blinks, her long eyelashes brushing against rosy cheeks when she opens her mouth.

“Who are you?”

“Yes,” repeats a masculine voice right after her. “Who are you?” I didn’t realize that someone else had walked into the room as I locate a leaner version of Bishop now standing behind his chair.

He smiles at me, exposing his teeth and everything, which makes him boyishly handsome. His facial hair is dark stubble, perfectly shaping his strong jaw and brings out kind crystal blues.

His forearms lean against the back of Bishop’s chair as he patiently waits for someone to tell him who the hell I am, just as I’m pending confirmation on the lookalike staring back at me.

“Emmy, this is Madelyn and her father, Hardy…my brother.” I glance at Bishop, whose expression has materialized into aggravation. “Madelyn, this is…Emmy Lou. She works