Bayou Bishops Box Set: Books 1-12

CHAPTER 11

“So what’s the plan?” Tegan asked quietly while looking around at the empty hospital. “Is it a ghost town because of the hurricane?” she wondered, her eyes getting stuck on the very good looking swamp doctor. He’d gone from Mr. October in his doctor coat, jeans and zero shirt to Mr. Lay Me Down To Sleep in his blue jeans, biker boots and a black t-shirt. It all showcased a tight thick waist and a chest that went on and on, mother of all.

Naturally, he showed zero interest in her. Probably why she liked hanging out with him. Zero interest meant zero men problems. It ain’t often but there comes a time when you meet a guy you want to be bothered by. And Dr. Swamp Sex was exactly the kind.

“This is a checklist,” he said, handing a notebook to her. “We make sure everything is done on that.”

She took it then followed him when he suddenly went mobile, reading as she walked. “What the world is a… Boo-Boo Brigade?”

“My hurricane hustlers. Every hatch has a team of people that handles hurricane prepping for all in the hatch.”

“Now that is cool,” she said, hopping over a sudden log in her path. “So, we need to make sure they did their jobs, correct?”

“Correct.”

“Where we headin’ now?”

“I need to take a ride to the Main House and talk to Mah-Mah in person.”

“And that is?” she wondered, fighting to keep up. “Damn hoss, you got some long legs.”

“She’s the mother of the Hoard so to speak.”

“Ohhhh nice.” They were on a dock now. Pretty little spot where they were. “What you need to talk to her for?”

“Ask her if she has room for one more.”

“One more? You mean me?”

“Yes ma’am.”

She glanced back then stopped when he hopped on a boat with a huge fan on the back of it. “I thought I was helping you?”

“You are,” he said, holding his hand out to her.

She eyed it for a second and took it, letting him pull her onto the boat. She fell into him, getting a good feel. All muscle. Good lord, he was one sexy swamp steer. He led her to a seat and helped her on it.

She stated the obvious, “High seats.”

“For seeing.”

He fastened her seat-belt and handed her what looked like headphones. “Put these on. You want me to stash your hat, so you don’t lose it?”

“Nobody touches my hat,” she informed. “I’ll hold on to it.” She removed it and put the headphones on. “What’s this for, music?”

“To block out the noise of the boat and to hear me speak over the intercom if I need to.”

She glanced behind her, watching him climb on the seat in back of hers, curious and a little nervous.

“Can you hear me?” he asked in the headphones.

“Yes. Can you hear me?”

“I can, so you don’t need to yell.”

“Sorry,” she muttered.

“Starting up. It’s loud. And it goes fast.”

Now she was a lot nervous. “How fast?”

“It can do one thirty on a clear road.”

“One hundred thirty?”

“Yep.”

“On a road?”

“Water road,” he said.

“Water road. Got you.” The noise he warned about was felt more than heard, shaking her skin, blood and bones. “Have mercy!” she cried. “What kind of boat is this?”

“An air boat. Her name is Boo-Boo.”

“Oh, holy night,” she cried when he finally maneuvered them to a water road and hit the gas.

His deep chuckle filled the headset, rattling her as much as that engine on their ass. “Are we gonna survive this?” she yelled.

“If I’m not blinded by your hair.”

She glanced back as he dodged her whipping mane. She fought to gather it at the front then gasped, “My hat!”

“Fuck,” he muttered in her ear.

“I’m sorry, I was trying to get my hair out your face!”

“I should’ve stored it,” he said, turning the boat around so fast she squealed in terror.

“There,” she pointed, taking off the headset and undoing her seat belt as he slowed near the cherished keepsake. She lay on the edge of the boat, reaching. “Five more feet,” she called. “Three more. No!” she yelled as it slipped under the water. She lunged for it and went in headfirst. By the time she came up sputtering, Dr. Swamp had hands on her, yanking her back onto the boat.

“My hat!” she cried, glancing back. “That’s my mommas.”

“Really,” he muttered, removing his t-shirt and jumping in. She watched as he went on a rescue mission, diving under several times before coming up with it in his hand and swimming back. He set it on the boat, and she picked it up, offering her hand only to have him ignore it and pull himself up. He stood before her, and she eyed his massive chest and rippling abs. “Those… bruises should be looked at,” she muttered, shaking her wet hat. “Thank you. It’s my lucky hat.”

“Lucky?” He used his shirt to dry himself off and lifted a lid at the side of the boat, tossing it in. He reached his hand toward her, and she wondered what he wanted.

“You’re not holding it,” he assured.

Oh. The hat. She handed it to him, and he put it with his shirt and shut it then opened another one. He tossed her a brown towel and she caught it. “Thank you,” she said, drying her hair then upper half. She gasped to herself at seeing her white top was practically clear as glass! Bra showing for the world to see. She wrapped the towel around her chest and tucked it, then climbed back onto the highchair, feeling like a wet clown at a rodeo. She put the headphones back on.

“Seat belt,” he blasted in her ear, scaring the shit out of her.

“Can you warn me?” she cried, reaching for the damn thing and clicking it in.

“Tighten it. I’m not taking another dive.”

“Very funny,” she muttered, her pulse hammering. “I can swim just fine.”

“Good to know, Texas Tegan.”

She glared at him over her shoulder. “Anytime Dr. Dirty Waters.”

There went that chuckle again, rolling all over her like thunder in a coming storm.

Dear Jesus, bringtherains.

****

Cat looked all around for Ethan, worry gnawing in her gut. Where the heck was he? He said he was right behind her. The Eveque and his wife invited them to the Main House because Mah-Mah was throwing a Hurricane Party and The Twelve and blood family would be going. And whoever else in that Hatch needing shelter.

She just needed Ethan to hurry so she could tell him she was so wrong about what she’d said regarding his AI family. He’d all but panicked when she mentioned destroying that dungeon. At that time, she hadn’t realized it meant he’d be destroying the only family he’d had all these years. Poor sweetheart. Of course, they would find a way to cut out the evil without killing his AI angels. If he thought he had to do something so terrible, he’d be tortured right now. Which was why she needed to tell him.

She tried his phone one more time, getting the voice mail again. She opened the text box, hoping he saw it. Hey, wanted to tell you I was so very wrong to say you needed to destroy your AI family, of course we’re not doing that. We’ll find another way to remove the bad things without hurting the good. I love you so much. Please hurry.

“Heyyyy!”

Cat turned, seeing a beautiful woman in overalls headed up the Basilique steps. “I’m Beth, Sahvrin’s wife.”

She sucked in a breath. “The Belle Eveque? Oh my goodness, I’ve heard so much,” Cat said, smiling at how pretty she was.

“I’ve been excited to meet you,” she said, eyeing her with a huge, knowing grin before leaning in and whispering, “How’s married life going?”

She realized she might be the first woman she actually wanted to talk to about that. “Like a dream.”

“So it’s true? You and Ethan are…more than just an arrangement of algorithms and numbers?”

Cat had to laugh real good at that. “I’m happy to finally tell somebody that I’m the happiest woman on my side of the world.”

She brought her hands together in a clap then pressed them against her chest, beaming with joy for her. “I’m so happy. Bishop has been so worried about his T-8-Bit.”

“Why?” Cat wondered, trying not to be alarmed.

“Mostly the stuff about his past,” she said with regret before smiling. “But that mess is on its way out the door, thanks to you.”

They weren’t out the woods yet, but she nodded, again looking around. “He was supposed to be here by now. And I can’t reach him.”

“Bishop said he was running a little late, he just talked to him.”

“He did? Did he say why?”

She smiled then gave a funny look. “Bishop said you must’ve done quite a work in him. That he’d never heard him so poetic.”

“Poetic?” She didn’t recall him ever being poetic.

She wagged a hand. “Something about removing something to reclaim land.”

Panic punched Cat in the stomach. “Something about a false idol?”

“Yes!” she said, then drawing her brows together. “What’s wrong?”

She pulled out her phone, her heart beating her chest to death as she dialed Ethan again.

“Is everything okay?”

“I need to get in touch with him,” Cat said, her panic sending her in erratic circles.

“Is Ethan okay?”

“NO!” she gasped, tears filling her eyes. “No, he’s…he’s going to remove the only family he’s ever had because I told him he needed to, but I was wrong, he doesn’t, he shouldn’t! Please, help me, I need to stop him. I need to go to him!”

“Okay, okay, we’ll find somebody to take you.” Belle Eveque looked around, pulling her down the Basilique steps. She put her fingers in her mouth and let out a whistle. “Lucas!” she yelled, waving.

They hurried toward the man now jogging.

“Yes ma’am?” he asked, out of breath.

“Is there a way for you to grab a swamp dragon and run her to 8-Bits?”

He eyed Cat. “The Hack House?”

“No, his real house,” Cat hurried.

“Uhhh, not real sure how to get there.”

“Dammit. Bishop!” Beth yelled, waving and pulling Cat with her.

When they reached him, he demanded, “What’s wrong?”

“She needs to get to Ethan right away, it’s an emergency,” Beth whispered loudly.

“I told him he needed to get rid of the AI part of his life,” Cat gasped, covering her mouth.

Bishop’s gaze snapped to her. “AL and Big G?”

She nodded, tears streaming. “We had a huge fight last night and I’d said that before I understood,” she cried, grabbing Beth’s hands and pleading. “I didn’t realize Big G and AL are part of what I told him to get rid of!”

She’d only seen Bishop up close a few times but the panic on his face brought hers. He pulled his phone out, swearing in French then turning. Pacing. “Come on, mon frier, pick up.”

Seconds more and he shook his head and shoved his phone in his pocket. “Let’s go,” he ordered Beth and Cat.