Page 85 of Bishop's Queen

“We’re lucky to be here,” she whispered. “And I like what I do. I feel strongly about so many things. But the air… When it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Brie couldn’t take another breath in. The ambulance hadn’t gotten there fast enough. There had been other things wrong too. When the car crashed, Brie’s chest had been crushed.

Shit…Bishop fought through the concrete hold that cemented his arms in place and folded them around Ella. Something he should have done a long time ago.

“It’s okay.” He’d never said anything like that to her before. Maybe he should have. Maybe if he had, he wouldn’t have left, leaving Ella and pushing away the final memory that was too painful to hang onto. At the time, it would’ve been a lie. He hadn’t thought anything would ever be okay again.

Secure in his arms, Ella sobbed. In all the time he’d known her, he’d never seen her fall apart, not even at Brie’s funeral. They were both too strong for that. Felt too guilty. And that was what had destroyed them in the end.

LK meowed for attention. Ella wiped at her face, and Bishop quickly ran a hand over his cheeks.

Sheepishly, she shook her head, scooping up the kitten. “I don’t really talk about that. I never have.”

He nodded. “That’s personal.”

Sniffing, she petted LK. After a moment, she took a deep breath and switched topics. “I forgot. My folks called, and they’re headed on vacation to some island. I think it’s a great time to get away. They asked if I wanted to join them.”

“You could use some down time.” And he needed to process things away from her, like what had happened last night, and the decision to kiss her for no goddamn reason. And now, saying Brie’s name, thinking about the accident, talking about it, even if only for thirty seconds, when they’d never talked about what had happened. It was all too much.

“Yeah.” The kitten purred. “So I guess you have a vacation without me while I’m gone. No stalker will know where I am, ya know?”

“Sure.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll tell my powers that be. I’m sure they won’t care.” And maybe he would even get temporarily assigned to another gig, which would be a huge bonus. It would help clear his mind, and he would get to do what he had wanted to anyway.

“Bishop?”

“Yeah, babe?”

“Enlisting in the army, was that your Eco-Ella? Your escape after Brie?” Ella’s eyelashes were still damp from her tears. They stuck together. Splotches marked her skin from crying so hard.

Bull’s-eye. He couldn’t answer. Instead, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Thanks for letting me feel the air.”

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