Page 43 of Branded By Bishop

"Saying it doesn't feel so great, either."

He gives me a little smile, then glances at Bishop. "Take care of her, man. Make damn sure her dreams come true, and she gets everything she wants from life."

"That's the plan," Bishop says quietly.

Cody glances at me again, holding my gaze for a moment, then turns and strides out. For long moments after he's gone, I just stare at the door where he disappeared, not sure how I feel. I never thought I'd lose my best friend when my dreams were finally coming true. It's a weird position to be in.

"Come here," Bishop murmurs, tugging me into his arms until my head is pressed against his chest, and his big body surrounds me, shutting out everything but him. "You okay, songbird?"

I consider the question for a moment before answering. Am I okay? "Yeah," I whisper, clearing my throat. "I think I am."

He tips my head back, carefully scrutinizing my face. "You're allowed to forgive him if that's what you want to do, songbird. I know you miss him."

"No, I miss who I thought he was," I murmur. "But I'm starting to realize that version of him probably stopped existing anywhere except in my head a long time ago. I think he's spent most of the last few years trying to figure out how to be my boyfriend rather than my friend. And I just wasn't honest enough with myself about what was happening to notice it happening."

"You're allowed to believe the best in people, Callie."

"I know, but not everyone is the best version of themselves. I think I need to learn how to remember that, too. My whole life is changing. There are going to be a lot of people entering it who want things from me. I need to do better remembering that I can't trust everyone."

He frowns, his eyes narrowing, before he swings me up into his arms like I'm weightless. In seconds, he's seated on a stack of flooring tiles in the corner with me on his lap. "You don't, actually," he says then, his eyes locked with mine. "You have me to remember that for you, songbird. All you have to do is chase your dreams and enjoy every second."

"You can't protect me from everything, Bishop," I say.

"Watch me," he growls, his lips hovering above mine. "I'm your bodyguard. That's my job."

"Your job ends this weekend," I remind him, my gaze locked on his lips.

"No, my favor to Morgan H. ends this weekend," he says, spearing his fingers through my hair to angle my head back. "But my job doesn't end so long as my ring is on your finger. And that ring isn't ever coming off, Callie baby." He dips his head, his lips brushing mine. "Your body is mine to guard, and so is your heart."

I want to argue with him. Really, I do. But his hand is tangled in my hair, and his lips are on mine. What's there to argue about?

Nothing, I decide as his free hand sweeps down my body, setting me on fire. Absolutely nothing.

Epilogue

Callie

Three Years Later

"Damn," I whisper, coming to a dead stop in the bedroom when I see Bishop standing by the foot of the bed in nothing but a towel, beads of water still rolling down his body. My system instantly heats to the nth degree, my core clenching.

He hears me and glances over his shoulder, my favorite crooked grin stretching across his face. "Like what you see, songbird?"

"Hell yes," I whisper, shamelessly ogling him. Cowboys age like fine wine, especially this one. He's only gotten more beautiful in the last two years. Somehow, he's gotten bigger, too. It's like the more famous I get, the bigger he gets.

I don't think that's a coincidence, even though he likes to swear it is. I think he enjoys looking imposing and scary as hell. It keeps people away. And Bishop loves nothing more than ensuring people keep a respectable distance.

I love him for it. Crowds can be terrifying when they're all screaming your name. But I'm never afraid when he's by my side. He's always by my side, his arm around me, and his hand in mine, as if he's fully prepared to use his body as a shield. I think he would if he needed to.

Truthfully, there isn't much he wouldn't do for me.

I've never been loved the way he loves me. And I've never loved anything the way I love him. Some days, it feels too big to contain, like my body wasn't made to fit the way I feel about him. And then he's inside me again, and I know that isn't true. I was made to love him, just as he was made for me.

All my dreams have come true. I've put out two albums and performed on stages across the world with my sister dancing beside me. I even won a few awards. Cody and I are even speaking again. It isn't like it was, but that's okay. I'm happy. And if I have a dream now, it's Bishop. It's a lifetime of moments like this…with him in a towel, grinning at me like I'm the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.

Okay, maybe there's one more.

I stride across the room toward him, determined to make that one come true, too.