Page 19 of Branded By Bishop

"I'm so fucking sorry."

"Good to know."

"I want to fix it."

"Good for you."

His lips twitch into the semblance of a smile. "You've always been so fucking stubborn. It's one of my favorite things about you."

"We're not doing this, Cody. You apologized. I don't accept. You can go now." I start to close the door in his face, but he reaches out and places his hand on it.

"Wait. Please." He swallows hard. "I wanted you to know that I just took your dad a check for the money I took. Every bit of it," he whispers. "I know it doesn't fix anything, and I know you aren't ready to forgive me for it, but I'm trying to make it right."

I stare at him for a moment. Did he really take my dad a check? God. Does it even matter at this point? He still stole from me. He still lied to me. Friends don't do that.

"You're right," I finally say. "It doesn't fix anything. You lied to me, stole from me, and then acted like I owed you. There is no fixing that, Cody. We aren't friends, and we never will be again. You need to leave."

"Callie, plea—"

I see a flicker of movement behind him, then hear a thump on the step. My heart leaps into my throat when Bishop materializes from the shadows, his face a thundercloud.

"I believe she asked you to leave," he growls, stepping up beside Cody.

"Bishop?" Cody peers at him, shocked. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

They know each other? Since when? How?

"Not your concern," Bishop grunts, scowling at him. "She asked you to leave. If you want to keep breathing, I suggest you listen. And I suggest you don't show up again."

"Jesus Christ," Cody growls. "I'm not going to fucking hurt her."

"You already hurt her, motherfucker," Bishop growls, clamping a hand down on Cody's shoulder. "You taught her a lesson she should never have had to learn from her best friend. If you care about her at all, stop trying to make yourself feel better at her expense. You've done enough damage."

Cody glances at me, his expression falling. "That's not what I'm trying to do," he whispers. "I'm not trying to cause more damage. I just… Hell, I miss you, Callie Cat. I miss being part of your life. I miss watching you shine. I just fucking miss you, okay?"

"Please leave," I say, my fingers curled tightly around the door frame. "And don't come back, Cody."

His shoulders droop, his face falling. But he nods numbly, taking a step back. He doesn't say anything else. He just turns and slowly walks away. Bishop shadows him, keeping his big body between Cody and me until he's in his truck.

For long moments after Cody pulls off, Bishop stands there, watching the street where he disappeared. And then he glances over his shoulder at me. I expect either a lecture on opening the door or a lesson on why it was a bad idea. Instead, he just sighs quietly. "You okay, songbird?"

"Yes," I whisper, wrapping my arms around myself. "I didn't know you two knew each other."

"His father's company does business on the ranch."

"Oh." I swallow hard. "How did you…?"

"Your sister called me when he showed up at your dad's place with a check an hour ago," he mutters. "She figured he'd show up here eventually."

"My sister called you?" I stare at him with wide eyes, shocked.

"Yeah. She thought I should know."

"I'm sorry. Um, I guess she thinks you're still my bodyguard."

"Aren't I?"

I glance at him, startled.