Preacher held out his hand and she took it.
“I’ll take her home,” Bear said.
She didn’t argue. Now with the sick feeling, she had a painful jaw and a headache. That was what spending time with her husband would do for her. She would have to reconsider who she hung out with.
“Robin, please, you know I didn’t mean for anything to happen. You have to believe me.”
She sighed and turned toward him. “I do believe you, Bishop, but, you wouldn’t listen. I know we’ve got a past, I can sense it, but I at least need you to … let me breathe and hear me when I speak.” She paused. “We’ll talk soon.”
She turned on her heel and walked back to her dad. She had no choice but to climb on the back of his bike as he took off, heading home.
When they arrived, neither of them spoke. She went for a shower, to clean up and get out of her clothes. She wanted to wash the scent of the night from her body and rid her mind of everything that had happened.
Most of the bruises she’d gotten months ago had long since faded and now it looked like she had a new shiner, courtesy of her husband.
After she washed and changed, she made her way downstairs, where she found Bear in the kitchen, leaning over the counter, sipping a mug of hot chocolate.
“You look … serious.”
“I am. I don’t want you being alone with Bishop again,” he said.
She folded her arms across her chest. “Why not?”
“I need you to trust me to know that I’m doing what is best for you.”
“Don’t you think this is a little strange?” she asked. “He’s supposed to be my husband and yet, you don’t seem to want me to be near him. None of it makes any kind of sense to me.”
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
“Yes. You know I do.”
“Then know this, he doesn’t always have your best interests at heart. He’s always been a selfish prick and tonight, you got to see what he’s really like. This is not just tonight. This is what he’s like all the time. Only ever looking after himself. Never considering the bigger picture.”
“And it scares you?” she asked.
“Your safety is what I’m worried about. Not Bishop’s. He can take care of himself as he’s been doing a pretty good job of it so far. Don’t believe everything he tells you. Bishop has his own agenda.”
“Okay. I won’t.” She didn’t know if this made her feel happy or sad to know she couldn’t trust the one man she was supposed to.
****
“You just can’t stand it, can you?” Bishop asked, spitting blood onto the floor.
“What is it I can’t stand?” Preacher asked.
When he’d gotten a call that Bishop and Robin had been spotted at the bar, he didn’t want to believe it. He’d hoped Bishop wouldn’t be so fucking stupid as to take her to a public place where Reaper could get to her.
He didn’t know the full extent of Reaper’s reach, but when he did, he would make the bastard pay. Until that time, he had to be content to sit around, waiting for shit to happen. This wasn’t what he was used to. In fact, the very idea itself was fucking insane. Following leads was all well and good, but it took him away from the business he needed to contend with, which was by far more important than anything else.
“The thought of Robin remembering me with her. Of her thinking about me. I know you think you won her over, but I know my girl, and Robin, she belongs to me.”
He grabbed his son’s jacket, pulling him close. “You think she belongs to you, but you can’t even listen to a simple request. Do you even know why she was sick? Vomiting? She’d been perfectly healthy, but after a short time in there, she’s ill. Do you think she remembered something she couldn’t stand? Maybe the truth about your marriage being a complete and total fucking lie.” He shoved Bishop away from him. “You think you know what’s best for her, but at every single turn, you’re hurting her. You did it when she was pregnant, and you’re doing it now.”
“You were never supposed to have her.”
“You think these feelings were planned? Prepared? Are you really that fucking stupid?”
“Fuck you.”
He hit him again. Preacher wanted to do a whole lot more, but he held himself back, only for Robin. He didn’t want her to feel guilty in case she saw Bishop’s face and felt it was her fault.
Bishop earned every single beating he got, and Preacher was going to make sure his son knew it.
“Look what happened the last time you and Robin tried to make a go of it. Reaper came and tore you apart. It’s time you let me have my best friend back. She knows me. She’s comfortable with me. You should have seen the way we were dancing tonight. It was like the past meant nothing. You call me selfish, look at yourself. You’re old enough to be her dad and you’re not letting her go. Maybe it’s time for you to take your own advice and leave her the fuck alone.”