Oracle Seeing (The Phoenix Files Book 2)

by Kelley, Morgan

  Not his wounds.

  But his beautiful Bishop.

  He was going to make it right, and then make her see the truth.

  They were meant to be together.

  Forever.

  He began his plan to set fate back on the right path.

  * * * O R A C L E * * *

  When she got to her place, she was still pretty angry, but the idea that Lucian and that bitch would pay was more than enough to help her get over it.

  What she needed was a long bath to soak away the filth of that jail, and time to plan tomorrow’s news story.

  She was going to crucify Lucian.

  Wendy was going to enjoy this.

  As she pulled into her garage, she let the door close behind her. It was better safe than sorry. The world was full of weirdos, and she didn’t trust the man she had just called.

  He was a criminal.

  They turned on people so easily.

  As soon as the doors closed, she stepped out of her pricy vehicle. The second she did, something felt wrong.

  She could swear she felt like she was being watched, but that wasn’t possible. Wendy was safely inside her house.

  This was her sanctuary.

  As she headed toward the door that would give her access to her home, she heard something and turned.

  The second she saw him, she was scared.

  He shouldn’t be there.

  “Wait!”

  The strike to her face was enough to break her nose and take her to the ground.

  “You’re such a bitch, Wendy. You’re just as bad as them,” he said, as she whimpered. Her hands were covering her face, holding her nose as the blood gushed down her pretty shirt.

  He was pleased that she had been hurt.

  Honestly, he’d wanted to hurt her for a very long time. She was nothing more than a whore who slept around to get a story.

  Payback was a bitch.

  “Please,” she begged, staring up at the tire iron. “Don’t do this.”

  He was going to do more than this. She was going to suffer like nothing she’d ever seen before. All those crime stories were going to look like child’s play when he was done.

  “What do you know about Lucian Monroe?”

  She was scared.

  “Tell me!”

  She began spilling her guts. She told him everything that she knew, including the passcode for his gate. She’d bribed a housekeeper to get it.

  You know…in case she needed to get to him.

  “What else?”

  She told him about his security, about where his bedroom was, and anything else he wanted.

  “You have files on him, don’t you?”

  She nodded. “They’re in my office in the locked drawer. The key is on my keychain. You can have them. Please let me go. I didn’t do anything.”

  He knew she was lying.

  “Remember the Lawrence Stall case?” he asked, tapping the tire iron in his hand.

  “Yes, the one Lucian was working before he nearly died?”

  “Yes.”

  “What about it?” she asked, trying to move away from him. If she could get to the door, locking him out, she could call the cops.

  “You were the reporter who worked that one, weren’t you?” he asked.

  “Yes, I was.”

  “You reported on it, you also publicized that case, and you made him infamous.”

  She swallowed.

  She was screwed.

  “Yes.”

  “Well, thanks to that, you kept the people of Ravenswood from seeing the truth. You kept them from mourning the loss of someone who didn’t deserve to die. It was buried because of you, and now you’re going to pay.”

  She screamed, but it was too late.

  He hit her over and over again in the face, punishing her for being such a media whore.

  As he beat her to a pulp, she gurgled in her own blood.

  He had no mercy because she deserved this pain and so much more.

  She’d made it a media spectacle, and because of her selfishness, gobbling up the attention, the real victim was ignored.

  Now he’d fix that.

  It was time.

  She would be the next one to be found.

  Fate had planned it this way.

  He had his fourth victim, and when they found her, they’d have their fifth too.

  He was nearly done.

  Then he would be at peace.

  Finally.

  * * * O R A C L E * * *

  Sheriff Bishop Killion’s

  Brownstone

  When they got to her home, they knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was the right place. The media obviously had followed Roxy and Bishop there.

  That was fine by him.

  He was going to fix this, even if he had to take a few more shots to the face from the angry coroner.

  Bishop was worth it.

  As they got out, he headed through the crowd and to the door. The media shouted questions at him.

  They were simple.

  Why was he there?

  Were they a couple?

  Where they in danger?

  Did this have something to do with the case?

  He had the answers to all of them, but first, he needed to secure the most important part of this.

  Bishop.

  At the door, he knocked, ignoring the camera flashes. When Roxy told him to go away, he wasn’t even going to entertain that idea.

  He’d hidden enough.

  It was time to claim what was rightfully his. He was going to be honest, tell her the truth, and pray she’d forgive him.

  Lucian was there to make Bishop see the truth. He needed to fix her heart. He’d worry about himself after the fact.

  If not, he was going to die alone.

  If he couldn’t have her, he didn’t want anyone. The sheriff was meant to be his wife.

  He wasn’t above pulling the Avalon card.

  When Roxy wouldn’t let him in, he pulled the key he’d swiped from her hidden spot that first night he’d come there. He’d meant to put it back…

  Actually, he hadn’t.

  He planned to keep it for the rest of his life—especially since her place was the only home that gave him peace. It was her presence in the small space that made him whole, and he wasn’t giving that up.

  Jagger watched him unlock the door.

  “She’s going to kill you.”

  “Bishop won’t. I have to believe she still loves me.”

  He laughed. “I was talking about the maniac who wields a scalpel on the dead.”

  Yeah, about her…

  “Can you distract her? Apparently, she likes you.”

  He wouldn’t bet on that. Roxy liked his dick, and that was about it. Jagger only wished he really knew what the woman was thinking.

  “I’ll try.”

  “Thank you.”

  He pushed the door open, much to Roxy’s horror.

  “Get out! I’m calling the police!”

  He pointed at Jagger.

  He flipped out his badge.

  Now she was glaring at him too. “If you take his side, I’ll kick your ass too. I can take you both!”

  Jagger sighed.

  Well, he’d have to see if that was accurate. He hoped she didn’t go for a nut shot.

  He liked his.

  Heading her way, he scooped her off her feet, tossed her over his shoulder, and carried her toward the kitchen. “Move fast, Lucian. She’s going to kill us both.”

  So much for this woman wanting him.

  Jagger knew that was dead as of that moment as she cursed him out. Roxy began fighting, and he simply carried her to the kitchen where she could try to kill him with everything in there. He hoped Bishop had a first aid kit.

  Oh, and tile for easy blood clean up.

  Lucian bounded up the stairs.

  At her door, he didn’t even knock. He had to see her. When he peeked his head in, he wanted to be sick.
<
br />   Bishop was in the bed they’d made love in that morning, and she looked like hell.

  She was pale, her face was scratched up, and she was sporting more bandages than he wanted to see—ever.

  “Get out, Lucian. You’re not allowed here.”

  Her words hurt, but he deserved them. In fact, he’d said the same thing to her. Payback was a bitch.

  “I need to talk to you?”

  “What’s wrong? Wendy wouldn’t take you back?” she asked, rolling to her other side so he wouldn’t be able to see her face.

  As she scooched down in the comforter, he wanted to hold her in his arms.

  “I was wrong.”

  She didn’t speak.

  “Why did you hurt me like that? What did I ever do to you, Lucian? I know you think I destroyed you ten years ago, but today…that was more payback than anyone deserved. I really loved you.”

  He hated that she’d used the past tense.

  “You still love me.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Bishop, you don’t mean that.”

  She started to cry. “Go away. I give up. I fought for you for as long as I can. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t wonder why you hate me so much, and I can’t play this game. You win. You want to be alone, you got your wish.”

  He didn’t want that.

  He wanted Bishop.

  Lucian had always wanted her.

  “I need you to listen, and then I need you to understand.”

  “What’s to understand? You told me I was just sex and you didn’t love me. You told me that you were going back to Wendy. You let me walk out of your house. You let me leave, Lucian. That said it all. You let me leave twice and I’m not sticking around for round three. You had all the chances you’re ever going to get.”

  He was aware.

  Lucian had to pray he had a shot.

  “Today, I called Wendy. I told her I’d do an interview, no holds barred if she left you alone. She agreed.”

  She didn’t want to listen, but she was a captive audience. It wasn’t as if she could jump out the window. It seemed childish to cover her head with a pillow until he left.

  “That’s great, Lucian. Have fun. You can rekindle your love.”

  He wanted to be sick.

  Lucian never loved Wendy. After meeting Bishop, he knew the truth. He’d been using her as much as she used him.

  He had to keep going. Bishop had to listen. “After that, I thought I’d bought you some time. She wasn’t going to go for the jugular, and you’d keep your job.”

  She wanted to cry.

  “You don’t get it. The job doesn’t matter. You did. I would have left with you, Lucian. If you asked me to run away with you, I would have gone. I would have quit my job to run into the unknown with you. That’s how much I loved you.”

  He got that now.

  Again, the past tense made him ill.

  “I was scared, Bishop. Then I had company.”

  She didn’t know where he was taking this.

  “I’m sure you and Wendy had fun.” Who else would he be talking about? Who else could make him turn against her like this?

  She prayed he didn’t tell her they’d hooked up. She’d start vomiting there and then.

  “Wendy doesn’t have access to my home, Bishop. It wasn’t her who visited. Silas showed up, and he told me that if I loved you, I’d leave.”

  “He did not!” she said, sitting up.

  The room spun.

  She wanted to throw up.

  Her head was pounding.

  “You don’t have to believe me, but it’s true. You can ask the FBI. They were there. Silas told me to leave you alone. He told me if I loved you, I’d let you go. You may not believe it, but I was so worried about you, and how I’ve already hurt you, I thought it was best. I was wrong.”

  She stared at him.

  “I did this for you.”

  Yeah, like he’d done it before too.

  “Get out.”

  “Bishop. I swear.”

  “Get out! You’re not going to make me hate him when you’re the one who destroyed me.”

  He got it.

  She never wanted to see him again.

  “You lost your final shot, Lucian. You can’t hurt people like this and expect that they’ll be here when you come to your senses.”

  Oh, he was aware.

  Still…

  “I’ll fight for you, Bishop. I’ll keep fighting. You may hate me, but I’m going to come here every day for the next two years. I’ll knock on your damn door, and I’ll sit there until you talk to me.”

  She wanted to cry.

  “I’ll do it because you do matter. I’ll do it because I screwed up. I’m going to do it because you came back for me, even when I didn’t deserve it. You do deserve someone who will fight for you. I’m going to be that man.”

  She wanted to believe him, but he was missing the point. He’d told her he didn’t love her, want, or need her.

  How did you recover from that?

  You didn’t.

  She couldn’t.

  “You should go. Like I said, Lucian—you said things to me that I don’t think anyone could forgive.”

  He moved toward her, and she flinched back away from him like a wounded animal.

  He deserved that, and he knew it.

  “Don’t worry, Bishop. I won’t ever force myself on you. I won’t hurt you ever again. I just want to give this to you. Here.”

  In his hand, he held the note he’d written her. It was sealed in the envelope.

  “I was going to go away for a few weeks, giving you time to get free of this, and then I was going to mail it. It explains it all.”

  She didn’t want it.

  She didn’t want him.

  “Go away, Lucian.”

  He knew she needed that grand gesture to prove it, and he’d give it to her. If it took the rest of his life, he’d find a way to prove it to her.

  “I’ll go, but I’ll be back in the morning, and the next morning, and the next seven hundred and thirty mornings. I’ll not stop at two years. I’ll keep coming back until you take me back, forgive me, or end my life. I’m not giving up. You’re worth the fight, Bishop. When I thought you died, I wanted to follow you. My heart couldn’t go on without you. While you may not love me any longer, I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

  Tears filled her eyes.

  God!

  Why couldn’t he have told her this hours ago?

  Why couldn’t he have said these words instead of the ones he lobbed at her?

  She had to be honest.

  “It’s too late, Lucian. You can’t take back what you said to me. You drove that knife into my heart. You told me you were going back to a woman who loved tormenting me. If you wanted to hurt, damage, or break me, you did it.”

  Oh, he was aware.

  He’d been a fool.

  “You said them. You put them out there. I have to carry them with me for the rest of my life.”

  She was right.

  Well, he’d make sure he put the right words out there for her and the world to see.

  Starting now.

  He went to touch her, and she moved away. He didn’t care. He still tried, like she had all those days. He lowered his mouth to hers and gently kissed her on the lips.

  “Watch the news. I’ll make you see, Bishop. This isn’t over yet. I’m not living the rest of my life without you. I’ve given up too much. I love you, and I’m going to prove it.”

  With that, he dropped the letter and headed out.

  She didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. Bishop could hear him walking down the stairs, the slamming of her door, and then the shout of the reporters below her window.

  She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV just as Roxy entered the room.

  “Are you okay?” she asked. “He had his Marine baboon keep me in the kitchen. I tried to get past him. Oh, I kind of got your frying pan embedded in the
wall. Don’t ask.”

  She stared at her. “Uh, okay.”

  “Did he hurt you?” Roxy asked.

  “No, but he’s up to something,” Bishop offered, just as the media outside went silent.

  That freaked her out. Before she could say anything, the live feed came on her TV.

  There was her house.

  Her yard.

  Lucian.

  Only he wasn’t wearing his eyepatch. He wasn’t hiding from the media attention. He stood there, arms crossed, back straight, and he began answering questions.

  For her.

  Oh God!

  He was facing the world, his soul and damage bared for all to see. How could she hate him now?

  She listened to the reporters throwing all kinds of questions at him.

  “How is she?” one shouted.

  “My fiancée is fine. We’re asking right now that you give her time to heal, and we’ll discuss more with the media as we can.”

  At the word fiancée, the reporters went wild. Only they weren’t the only ones.

  Roxy stared at her. “You’re marrying that asshole? After all of this, you’re going to saddle yourself with that dickwad?”

  Bishop didn’t have words.

  She must have hit her head that damn hard.

  She knew he’d never asked, and at that point, she wouldn’t have married him if…

  Who was she kidding?

  Already, the wall was crumbling.

  “I’m here to report that that the woman I love had a terrible accident tonight, and thanks to this killer, he nearly took her life. She’s not giving up, and she’s going to fight. In fact, we all are. I’m going back to my law practice, I’m going to be helping the FBI, and my services will be pro bono for the sheriff’s department from today forward. I’ve decided to come out of retirement and make the criminals pay for their crimes. Ravenswood needs to be cleaned up all over again.”

  There were questions about a wedding.

  Gasps from the crowd, and even one from inside in her bedroom.

  Bishop couldn’t think straight.

  What the hell was he doing?

  “We haven’t picked a date, but I like the summer. I think I’ll have her marry me at Graymoor under the night sky. Bishop will look gorgeous under the stars.”

  She stared at the TV with her mouth open.

  What the hell?