Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“I know you feel it’d be a risk to allow me in your life now, but I promise I’m not that same woman that ran away from her responsibilities, Bishop.”
“Liar,” Mike snarled. “You show up here unannounced, throwing blame around. You bring a bitch-ass husband with you that’s too chickenshit to even get out of the car and shake our hands.”
Ivy glared through narrow slits. “You’re just worried I might be able to give Bishop something you can’t.”
“What? A headache!” Mike yelled.
“Money, that’s what. Give me a chance to do just what you said, Bishop, to atone for my mistakes. My husband and I have a six-figure income with plenty to spare. Riley is a prominent real estate developer that drives a Jag. If I ask him, there’s nothing he won’t do for you too.”
“Oh please,” Rayne scoffed indignantly. “Jags are for pussies who can’t afford a Rolls.” Rayne snapped his mouth shut when surprised looks turned his way.
“Edison, come on.” Bishop took his fiancé’s hand and pulled him off the porch toward their car. “When I asked you to marry me, this wasn’t what I pictured. We’re leaving.”
“No, son, don’t go,” Mike argued. “She’s the one that’s leaving.”
“Bishop, wait… take my card.” Ivy hurried after him. “Please call me after you’ve had some time to think about it.”
Edison took the card from her since she couldn’t keep up with Bishop’s long strides. He slammed the driver’s-side door and waited until Edison was inside and buckled in before he burned rubber out of Mike’s neighborhood.
“Now you see what you did?” Mike glowered, making sure she was looking him in his eyes when he told her one final time, “You stay the fuck away from my son.”
Ivy went to her luxury vehicle, opened her own door, and slid gracefully onto the tan leather seat. She powered the window down as they slowly backed away, determination and fury blazing in her dark brown eyes. “I’m not running away from him this time, Michael… I’ll be back.”
Chapter Fifty-two
Rayne
Bishop and Edison—their guests of honor—were still MIA, but Rayne had managed to convince Manny, Wood, and Trent to stay and enjoy all the food he’d made. He thought if they kept things going, then maybe Edison would get Bishop to come back after he’d cooled down. But he’d been wrong, and Mike was in a worse mood for it. All he could do was go on and on about poison Ivy ruining everything.
“I should’ve said every disgusting thing I ever thought of her, but I was trying to control myself for Bishop.”
“You did good,” Rayne reassured Mike. “I can only imagine the resentment it triggered when you saw her. You didn’t do near what I thought you would.”
Mike grinned. “You thought I was going to beat the shit of her husband, didn’t you?”
Rayne laughed. “And his Jag.”
Mike’s laugh was rich and real. “They’re lucky I have you now, and I won’t lose you by going to jail for manslaughter. But damn, I seriously hate her.”
“She called you Michael.” Rayne tried to lighten the mood as he dumped the last remnants of the pasta salad he’d made into the trash can.
Mike snatched his bottle of beer off the countertop. “She’s always called me that as a reminder that she was so much older and more mature than me… and in charge.”
“That’s messed up,” Rayne admitted.
Mike leaned against the breakfast bar with his beer in one hand and his cell phone in the other. He’d been waiting on his son to return his many calls and texts, but so far, nothing. Bishop had stormed off a little after three thirty this afternoon, and now it was almost eight. Rayne guessed it was safe to say that he and Edison weren’t coming back tonight.
Mike looked lost in his head ever since his son had left. Rayne understood. Mike had put a lot of thought into his special gift for Bishop’s wedding day. He’d wanted to present it to him tonight, but everything had gone south so fast.
“He’ll be back.” Rayne came around the bar and draped his arms over Mike’s shoulders from behind. He smelled like his cologne and smoke from the grill. “I actually know who my mother is, but I haven’t seen her in years. If she suddenly popped up out of nowhere, I’d need a few minutes to myself too.”
“I guess you’re right,” Mike sighed.
“And Bishop said some pretty great things about you as a father… don’t forget that,” Rayne reminded him.
A small tilt of Mike’s lips was enough of a smile for Rayne as he leaned in and kissed his neck, then his jaw, before he cupped Mike’s cheek and turned his head so he could have his mouth. He slid his tongue between Mike’s lips for a deeper taste, forgetting about their few guests still in the backyard.