Bishop |18+|

Ch.42

Antonio

[TW: sexual assault references]

"I don't know what happened." Alia hesitated. "I don't-"

"Alia." I spoke into the phone, keeping my eyes on the road. "Listen. It's ok-"

"I'm sorry." She gulped. "I'm so sorry I didn't mean for that to happen, you know I didn't."

"Baby." My hand glided down the side of the car wheel, making a turn onto a cut off road that stretches onto a gravel path, tucked away behind trees and foliage. "I know you didn't, I'm not mad but I need you to calm down."

Alia's voice over the phone wavered before I heard her voice muffled by a cloth, taking deep and heavy breaths. Everything just had to go wrong today, didn't it?

We never get a break.

"Ok." I parked my car in the driveway, looking out the window. "Now tell me what happened, and take your time I'm listening."

"Some students in my lecture hall found my article." She gritted out over the phone. "I found the website they were looking at and fuck... the whole article was complete, with my name and picture. Everything."

Motherfucker. Her details—her fucking face was out for the public to see. I have a good fucking idea who did this, and I'm close to figuring it out. So close. My hand clenched the wheel before I pulled back and turned off the ignition of the car, looking out at the house I parked at. A beautiful home—an open mansion that was hidden away, untouched.

So familiar.

"Tell me you're with someone." I spoke, looking down to grab my gun. Pushing the car door open with my shoulder, I stepped out with the phone to my ear and tucked the gun away in the back of my pants before closing the door. Alia's ragged breathing only fuelled my concern, and her grunts did little to hide the amount of fury I'm sure she had.

"Kiki and Ray are with me back at my apartment." Alia sighed out. "I'll be fine."

A grin ran across my face hearing that. She's starting to grow more independent, and I'm proud of her for that. Good girl.

"I'll be coming back soon, ok baby?" I spoke. "Don't worry too much about the article I'll deal with it. Love you, stay safe."

"Te amo." She replied before hanging up. Alia was strong, I knew it. Maybe it's her resilience, maybe it's just simply the things that happened the past few months that strengthened her firm grip on the whole situation. I trust that she'll be fine.

Without further ado, I put my phone into my pocket and walked towards the front door. The flowers were still there—red bunches of roses that sprung out from a thorny hedge. The trees stilled once the wind surpassed the land, a deathly silence in place of the whistle of the Earth's blow.

I forgot how quiet it was back here.

Glancing through the windows, I side stepped and knocked on the front doors, echoing throughout the spacious building... and it didn't take long for someone to answer.

With the door now ajar and creaking once it opened fully, my eyes laid down on the person in front of me. I bit back my words.

"Annie?" Grace looked up at me, her head cocked to the side with a raised brow. She wore a halter neck black dress, short and just barely rode up her thighs fully.