Page 111 of Intolerable Bishop

NASHOLE: Not a chance. I don’t do romantic getaways.

R: Of course you don’t.

NASHOLE: What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Theo put on his signal and pulled through open gates that were so tall that it looked like we were heading into a prison.

R: Nothing, just agreeing with your highness. I’m sorry I didn’t message to say we couldn’t train, but I gotta go. We have arrived. Have a good night.

I put my phone away and ignored it as the thing vibrated six more times. I knew he would be pissed that I dismissed him, and it warmed me all over. My text fights with Nash were starting to become my favorite sport. I would definitely pay for it later, but right now, I didn’t care.

If I were on a date with a random guy, I’d think he was taking me someplace to kill me because there were no cars and nothing but dark buildings. Most of the lights were broken or flickering.

“You sure you have the right place?”

Theo smirked.

As we reached the last building and pulled around back, my mouth dropped open. The parking lot was jammed with what seemed like a million street bikes and high-end sports cars. The windows that lined the top of the industrial building were strobing with a dozen colors.

“Ever been to a rave?” I shook my head. “Another first, I’m racking them up,” he said and laughed as I shot him a glare. He got out and walked around the front of the car. Theo looked exceptionally fine tonight. The black jeans looked tattered with frayed edges and a touch of winter camo, but I knew they cost more than I’d ever paid for a single item of clothing. He completed the look with a black T-shirt that molded to his body like a second skin and showed off the sleeve tattoo that ran down his left arm. He’d also added black cuffs and thick silver rings while he’d left his usually perfect hair messy.

Opening the Lamborghini door, he held out his hand to help me out of the low car. I took his arm as he hit the button, and the door slowly closed on its own. With a beep, it locked, and the thumping beat got louder the closer we walked to the warehouse. Excitement and nervousness danced around in my stomach like they were already partying.

“As I’m sure you’ve figured out, this is an exclusive invite for the street racing crowd. So, call me Murk tonight. None of them know my real name,” he said, and I nodded.

Before we reached the door, I tugged on his arm, and he stopped. Glancing down at the skintight silver pants, boots, and matching top that just covered my boobs, I suddenly felt self-conscious. How had he talked me into this outfit?

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t go in there like this,” I said, smoothing out the soft material like it would suddenly cover more of me with just a rub.

“Why not?”

“Because…look at me.” I couldn’t even pull my hair over my shoulders to try and cover myself since I’d put it up in a fun and funky style to match the outfit. I’d momentarily lost my mind. That was all there was to it.

Theo’s eyes ran up and down my body, and when they locked with mine, my heartbeat tripled in time.

“I am.” He took a step closer, his hand sliding around my waist to my back. The heat from his palm against my bare skin made me shiver. “Every guy in there is going to be jealous that you’re on my arm. Own your sexy, Ren.” He placed a chaste kiss on my neck, making me swallow hard.

“Um…should…should I um….” Theo chuckled in my ear as I stammered over my words. I sucked in a steadying breath to try and clear the short circuit that was frying my brain. “Should I have a different name?”

Theo stood up straight, his face serious as he thought. Cupping my chin, he ran his thumb over my bottom lip. “Shiver.”

I wasn’t sure if that was my name or a command, but my body did it, and the corner of Theo’s mouth turned up. The door opened, and a couple of guys walked out and lit up smokes. “Let’s go,” he said, walking us over, keeping his hand around my waist.

He pounded on the door, and as soon as it opened, there were two massive bouncers. Theo pulled what looked like a poker chip out of his pocket, and the guy nodded and pointed down the long hallway with flashing lights at the end. I could see people jumping around to the music as we got closer, their arms swaying in the air.

We stepped into a massive open room. It was so vast that I couldn’t see the far walls. A stage was set up high above the crowd so that even this far away, I could see the shirtless DJ wearing a mask that was flashing in time to the beat. Multiple wall projections showed the DJ up close as he worked the equipment that I couldn’t name other than a mixer. He had at least three songs weaved together, and yet it worked. His fist was punching in the air, and I found myself bouncing to the music.

A new song was added, and everyone screamed and went crazy. I recognized it immediately as the club song from the movie Blade. If blood started falling from the ceiling, I was out. I had my limits to new experiences.

It was too loud to hear Theo, but he pointed to the side and the long bar that was glowing neon pink and blue. As we moved through the crowd, all sorts of people nodded to Theo and held out their fists to bump. Theo brought a whole new meaning to don’t judge a book by the cover.

He only let me go to give a guy a hug. The two of them smiled and did that pat-the-back thing guys did. The two girls with him looked at me, but I realized then that Vicky had been preparing me for a situation like this since the moment I entered Wayward. I never thought I’d be thanking her for anything, but there it was.

I didn’t back down and lifted an eyebrow at them. They quickly looked away and took a step back, their attitudes immediately shifting. It was the biggest lie I’d learned so far about the world. We were all supposed to be evolved and better than the animals, but we were no better. It was still the alpha at the top while the rest of us fought and jockeyed for position so we weren’t left behind or run over.

Theo turned toward me, and the guy that he’d been talking to held out his hand for me to shake. “So, I finally get to meet Murk’s girl. I’m Rip.”