His gray eyes gleam. “We’ll see. Close your eyes.”
Tugging the sleeves of my sweater over my hands, I cover my eyes. A few moments later, Connor is back, cupping my elbow. He takes a shaking breath, drawing my attention. He’s usually confident no matter what he does.
“Okay, you can look.”
When I lower my hands, Connor kneels on one bent knee in front of me, thumbs stroking the sides of my legs. My eyes go wide.
“Are you—”
“Not if you interrupt with your classic nervous babbling.”
I mime zipping my lips and tossing away the key. It makes him huff out a laugh, a tenderness lighting up his handsome features.
“I’ve known you’re the girl I’d marry since you first challenged me every step of the way with your not so quiet stubbornness and logic. You’re my perfect match”
As a watery puff of amusement escapes me, he pulls out a velvet box, popping the lid back to reveal a ring that steals my breath. It’s two rings fitted together, a sun captured by a moon. An eclipse, like he describes our love. In the center is a pearlescent moonstone. A lump clogs my throat.
“Connor,” I whisper.
He lifts his gaze to meet mine, taking one of my hands. “Thea, I’d wait until the end of time for you. But I need you to know you’re it for me. There’s no one but you.”
I release a garbled, incoherent sound and fall into his arms. He catches me as we collapse to the floor, lips locked together. When we part, he rubs his nose along my cheek, hands cupping my ass.
“What do you say?”
“Yes, obviously.”
He snorts, taking my hand once again. With his eyes burning into my soul, he kisses my ring finger and slides the engagement ring into place.
“I love you so much,” I say. “I didn’t know it was possible to be so happy.”
“Let me keep surprising you. I’m not going to stop now.” He makes me squeal as he holds me tight, climbing to his feet. My arms wind around his neck. “We have a lifetime of surprises ahead of us. Together.”
Together.
When I’m happy, he lifts my spirits higher, and when I’m aching, he holds me while I cry, offering his strength until I restore my own. He takes care of me and I take care of him.
“As long as I’m with you, I feel like I can do anything.”
“You always could.” He sets me down on top of the counter and braces his hands on either side of my hips. “You prove that every day.”
I bite my lip around a wicked smirk I’ve picked up from dating him in the last year. “I’m about to prove something else. With my tongue.”
“God, yes.” Connor steals a quick kiss. “Hold that thought, though. They’re all waiting to come in.”
“Who?”
“Our friends. They all helped get the bakery together, so keeping the proposal a secret from them was impossible. Gemma wanted to camp out behind the counter all sniper style to capture your reaction.”
As he explains, he types out a text on his phone. A minute later, the door opens and everyone in our life spills in. I hop down to meet them, hugging Maisy first before she makes it across the threshold.
“Dude. You’re getting married.”
“Holy crap,” I mumble into her neck.
When we part, the loud rev of a motorcycle cuts into our celebratory moment. We both look up as Fox Wilder glares at Maisy from across the street, sitting on his bike. She stiffens, breaking their tense staring match first.
While she examines her feet, Fox’s sneer fades. He meets my eyes for a beat before driving off. Once the roar of his bike dwindles, Maisy sighs.
“Is he still bothering you?” I ask.
“No. Yes? I don’t know. It’s senior year, but he hasn’t grown up from his stupid feud. At least Holden graduated with you guys, so now Fox doesn’t seem to be around every corner as much, throwing what we don’t have in my face.” She shrugs, tucking her highlighted brown hair behind an ear. “I just wish things could be like before, when we were kids…when we were friends. This is so stupid.”
“Don’t let him get to you. And if he’s still bullying you, Connor and Devlin will kick his punk little ass.”
Maisy snorts at the fierce expression on my face. “Okay, come on, killer. It’s your day. My petty life dramas can wait.”
Hooking her arm over my shoulders, she steers me inside where the rest of our friends are elbowing Connor in congratulations. His gray eyes fall on me and his smile grows. He pulls me to his side as Lucas Saint’s girlfriend snaps photos with her camera.
Over the summer while they were on break from college, she helped me grow more comfortable with my body by modeling for her any chance she needed me. She has a real eye. When I see myself in her photos, it feels as if I’ve bared my soul to the lens, never worrying if there’s a difference between the mirror and the photo because I love myself, even on the days it’s hard and those dark thoughts creep up on me. When they do, I take myself through the affirmations my therapist had me write out to process those painful thoughts.
Blair slides up next to me and Maisy squeezes in on the other side.
Gemma hands her camera off to Lucas. “Group shot, babe. Girls first, then the guys.”
“You’ve got it.” He holds up the camera. “Work it, ladies.”
Connor elbows Devlin, grinning. “Damn. We are lucky bastards.”
“Fucking truth,” Devlin murmurs, with eyes only for Blair.
The door opens again and my parents come in. Mom gives me a tentative smile. I motion her over and show her the ring. As soon as Connor and I graduated, we moved out of our houses to live in the apartment he bought for us. Things have been somewhat bumpy and slow learning to be honest with each other, but they’re improving. We’re getting to a point we can be a mom and a daughter again. Dad is taking less regional jobs and they’ve started seeing the same therapist as Connor to work through her suppressed grief for her sister.
Someone plays music from a phone and we bring in take out and snacks from one of the nearby shops on the strip. Tucked against Connor’s side, I soak in the love our friends and family share with us.
“You and me,” I murmur to him, stealing his chip, then a kiss. “Always and forever.”
“Ends of the earth, to the moon, wherever doesn’t matter. I’ll love you.”
He takes my hand and pulls me from my seat on the counter he built, leading me to the middle of the room. Our friends cheer and hold up phones to record us as Connor sweeps me into a dance, twirling me in the middle of my future bakery.
Epilogue
CONNOR
Paris, Six Months Later
“Where do you think you’re going? Get back here, I’m not done with you yet.” Grabbing Thea by the ankle, I drag her across the bed and latch my mouth over her nipple while tracing her sun-shaped birthmark. She squeals, writhing in the sheets as I tease her. “I need to fuck my wife silly before we go anywhere.”
“Silly achieved,” she breathes, wrapping her legs around my waist and rolling her hips against me. “We reached it three rounds ago, you insatiable monster.”
“I can’t help it when it comes to you. Marrying you doesn’t change that.”
I reach across the bed to take another chocolate covered strawberry from the plate by the open window, the Eiffel Tower in view. Warm, breezy June air billows through the curtains, kissing over our sweaty skin. We’ve been in bed all morning, indulging in alone time. Chilled champagne sits in a bucket beside the strawberries. Eloping in Europe was a damn good idea.
Our friends are out exploring the city today, or shut away in their own hotel room in Blair and Devlin’s case, leaving us to enjoy our honeymoon. Devlin married us as our officiant and Gemma photographed the intimate ceremony. Thea has never looked more radiant than she did reading her handwritten vows from a yellow notebook with a rainbow print on it, her promises penned between the pages of her favorite recipes.
The official wedding isn’t until
September back home in Colorado, but Thea was going crazy planning a wedding and opening a bakery at the same time. It was time I made good on a promise I made over a year ago, when we first began. Even if the idea to whisk her to Paris was something I pulled out of the air, she’s been dying to visit real patisseries.
It was worth it for the look on her face. I love surprising her. I’ll never stop doing it.
We might be young, but we both know what we want. What’s the point in waiting around?
Feeding the strawberry to Thea, I say, “Well, then I’ll just have to do my daily worship with my tongue at the altar between your thighs.”
She moans as the chocolate cracks, sucking on the juicy strawberry. Her eyes widen and she sits up, flailing her hands.
“Pause! I’ve just had the best idea for a fun Valentine’s day private order adult line. Where’s my notebook?”
I sprawl across the bed, propping my head on my hand, enjoying the sight of her naked ass as she moves to get one of her recipe journals. Her auburn hair spills over her shoulder while she scribbles the idea down.
“Babe, the bakery doesn’t open for another two weeks and you’ve already got a whole menu.”
“I know, I know. But this is too good.” She spreads her hands dramatically. “Chocolate molds of your partner!”
“You’re going to make this into a chocolate replica?” I stroke my cock, shooting her a sly grin. “How much testing will be involved?”
After setting her notebook aside, she shuffles back to me on her knees, straddling my hips. “Oh, plenty.”
“I like this idea.” I skim my palms up her thighs to cup her tits. “Now you’re definitely not escaping. I need you again.”
Thea’s head falls back when my cock sinks into her body. She moans softly, riding my dick at a torturously slow pace.
She’s so fucking beautiful it carves an ache into my chest.
I squeeze her waist, bucking up with a sharp thrust that has her mouth dropping open on a gasp. “Like that?”
“Always,” she murmurs, bracing her hands on my chest as she leans in for a sensual kiss.
Always. Our whole future together. I can’t wait for all of it.
With the girl of my dreams—my wife—in my arms, the world is perfect.
Thank you so much for reading RUTHLESS BISHOP! The Sinners and Saints series continues in Wilder and Maisy’s book, SAVAGE WILDER.
Dying to know what’s up with the feud between Devlin and Blair? You can read their story right now! Find out what happens when Blair seeks revenge on Devlin by plotting to steal his car, then gets caught in the act. The jaded devil will offer her an out…but it’s going to cost her.
One-click TEMPTING DEVIL now!
"I loved Wicked Saint, but Veronica Eden stepped up her game with Tempting Devil. I felt everything reading this, and I absolutely loved this story. I can't wait to see what comes next!"
— Becca Steele, bestselling author of The Four series
To see what’s next for Bishop + Thea, enjoy a free bonus scene. Download a free bonus scene at bit.ly/RBfreebonus
Afterword
Writing allows the reader peek into the author’s soul. Sometimes there is more shown than a small look. Writing this book drew a lot out of me and big pieces of myself bled into these pages. I honestly feel a little naked putting this one out there. I’ve been both so excited and fucking terrified to share this story with the world because so much of it is close to my heart.
Thank you for reading it.
Thank You + What’s Next?
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Acknowledgments
Readers, I’m endlessly grateful for you! Thanks for reading this book. It means the world to me that you supported my work. I wouldn’t be here at all without you! The response to this series and these characters has seriously blown me away. I love all of the comments and messages you send! I hope you enjoyed your read! I’m really excited to bring you more from this series!
Thanks to my husband for being you! He doesn’t read these, but he’s my biggest supporter. He keeps me fed and watered while I’m in the writer cave, and doesn’t complain when I fling myself out of bed at odd hours with an idea to frantically scribble down.
Bre, once again I seriously couldn’t have written this book without you. I’m so glad to have you to talk to when the brain gremlins misbehave or when the writing process gets tough. You get my characters on a level that blows my mind. You keep me sane and follow my wild babbling when something clicks. Thank you always for your friendship and support, and I’m sorry my muse likes to visit you in the middle of the night!
Thank you to my fellow authors for cheering me on through this one and always being a sounding board or chiming in with a laugh to keep me going. The indie community amazes me and I love being a part of it with y’all.
Thank you to Ashlee of Ashes & Vellichor for the amazing book trailers for this series! I love the way you can look at something and get it, and I’ve been in awe of what you’ve come up with to bring these books to life!
To my beta readers, thank you from the bottom of my heart! This one was terrifying to send out and I appreciate that y’all read my raw words and offer your time, attention to detail, and consideration of the characters and storyline in my books! Without you, I wouldn’t be able to see the forest because I’m too busy staring at one tree. You’re a dream team and I’m forever thankful for your help! Your time and hard work are much appreciated!
To my street team and reader group, y’all are the best babes around! To see you guys get as excited as I do seriously makes my day. Thank you for your help in sharing my books and for your support of my work!
To the bloggers and bookstagrammers, thank you for being the most wonderful and welcoming community! Your creativity and beautiful edits are something I come back to visit again and again to brighten my day. Thank you for trying out my books. You guys are incredible and blow me away with your passion for romance!
As always, I want to send a big shout out of love to my writing hags, the best bunch around! I always cherish your support and encouragement of my writing, no matter where my heart eyes and the muse take me. Every book I publish is thanks to you guys.
Savage Wilder
Sinners and Saints Book 4
dark new adult high school bully romance
Coming Soon
SINNERS AND SAINTS CONTINUES…
Wilder and Maisy’s story is next.
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About the Author
Romance with Daring Edge
Veronica Eden is the author of dark new adult romances + reverse harem romances with spitfire heroines and irresistible heroes.
She loves exploring complicated feelings, magical worlds, epic adventures, and the bond of characters that embrace us against the world. She has always been drawn to gruff bad boys, clever villains, and the twisty-turns of morally gray decisions. She believes sometimes the villain should get the girl and is a sucker for a deliciously devilish antihero. Veronica Eden also writes romance as Mara Townsend. When not writing, she can be found soaking up sunshine at the beach, snuggling in a pile with her untamed pack of animals (her husband, dog and cats), and surrounding herself with as many plants as she can get her hands on.
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Also by Veronica Eden
Veronica Eden is bringing you more dark new adult romances and paranormal reverse harem romances in 2020. Sign up for the mailing list to get first access and ARC opportunities! Follow Veronica on BookBub for new release alerts!
DARK ROMANCE
Sinners and Saints Series
Wicked Saint
Tempting Devil
Ruthless Bishop
Savage Wilder (coming soon)
Standalone
Unmasked Heart
REVERSE HAREM ROMANCE
Bound by Bounty Series
Prequel (coming soon)
The Hunted Witch (coming soon)
Bound by Bounty Book 2
Bound by Bounty Book 3
Standalone
More Than Bargained
Plus more coming!
Ruthless Bishop: Dark New Adult High School Bully Romance (Sinners and Saints Book 3) Page 32