Read Online Gray Bishop by Kelly Meade - Free Book Online Page A

While he doubted Father would make the decision to send Rachel away, allowing her to stay would be an unpopular choice. Rachel would need Devlin’s support, and Devlin would need theirs. The entire situation was sticky and complicated, and it would only escalate the longer their emotions were toyed with by the triplets and their games.
    “You’re half human, but you’re also half loup,” Knight said. Loup blood meant something, damn it, no matter the rest of the DNA. “I’ll do what I can to make sure you aren’t abandoned, Rachel. I promise.”
    “Thank you,” Rachel said. “Your family has been very generous, even when we don’t deserve it.”
    “Stop,” Devlin said to her. “Lila wasn’t your fault.”
    Knight frowned. “Lila? Lila Smythe?”
    “Yeah, she got in Rachel’s face this morning about me. It got nasty. Rachel slapped her. Rook and Bishop handled it.”
    “You slapped Lila Smythe?” Knight couldn’t hold back his surprise. She’d had a crush on Devlin for years, even while flirting with every other male loup within a five-year age span, including himself. She was cute, granted, but Knight gave her little thought beyond her skills as a waitress at her family’s restaurant.
    Rachel’s cheeks colored again. The poor thing blushed a lot. “Yes. Your brother Bishop asked me to apologize, and I did, but slapping her felt wonderful.”
    Knight pressed his mouth tight so he didn’t smile. “I’d say you have a firecracker in her, Dev. She’s going to give you a run for your money.”
    Devlin grinned and slipped his arm across her shoulders. “I’m counting on it.” He gazed down at her fondly, but something dark slipped by.
    A stray emotion Knight did not miss on his friend’s face. Devlin had been part of the group that went to investigate today’s lead in the woods. He hadn’t asked Bishop or Father or anyone else for details beyond dead half-breeds and that goddamn chess piece. But Devlin had seen something that was still haunting him, and it was Knight’s fault. He was the one the triplets wanted.
    “It was bad today, wasn’t it?” Knight asked softly.
    Dev pressed his lips together, his face grim. “Yeah. You know, I saw the devastation in Stonehill, and I saw the kill firsthand at Potomac, but this . . . I overheard Jillian say that they enjoyed this slaughter. They wanted those people to suffer.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “It’s not your fault, pal.”
    “Indirectly, it is.”
    Devlin pulled away from Rachel and herded him into the corner of the room, away from listening ears. “Fuck that, Knight, you know better,” he said in a harsh whisper. “It’s not your fault those nutcases want you. All of this is on them, not you.”
    He didn’t want Devlin worrying about him and where he placed his guilt, so Knight lied. “I keep telling myself that. Maybe one day soon it will stick.”
    “Make it stick. No one blames you.”
    Sure they did. No one was going to say it out loud, though. They’d only tempt the wrath of the Alpha, his sons, and a lot of enraged enforcers who had sworn to protect the run and all of its inhabitants. And Knight didn’t care if some people blamed him. They couldn’t possibly think anything of him that he hadn’t already thought of himself.
    “I know,” Knight lied again. He hated how good he’d gotten at this. “Come on, I didn’t let you drag my ass over here to be all serious. Let’s play some pool.”
    Devlin grinned. “Okay.”
    “You ever play, Rachel?” Knight asked, turning to address the dark-haired woman.
    “No, but Devlin promised to teach me,” Rachel replied.
    “If you want to learn how to win, you’ll let me teach you.”
    “Hey.” Devlin took a swipe at him, and Knight ducked, tamping down a flash of fear at the harmless gesture. He laughed and swatted at the back of Devlin’s head.
    Rachel looked at them like they were both crazy.
    ***
    The book’s words began to blur. Jillian snapped it shut. She’d been