Page 132 of Rebelonging

"Hospital Girl?" I said.

Lawton gave a sheepish grin. "I didn't know your real name."

"Well, you could've mentioned it tome," I said. "I never gave you a hard time."

Bishop made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort.

"Hey," I said. "I didn't. Much."

I turned back to Lawton. "So why didn't you tell me?"

"Maybe," he said, "I wanted you to love me, not that guy on the sidewalk."

I rolled my eyes. "Because the guy on the sidewalk lost a fight? Lawton, don't you get it? Win, lose, it doesn't matter. I don't love you because of what you do or what you have. I love you because of who you are."

Lawton grinned. "You wanna say that again?"

"That's it," Bishop said. "I'm gonna go get your car. See ya in a few days."

"Um, actually," I said, "I think I lost his keys."

"Not a problem," Bishop said.

"So you've got a spare?" I said.

"Something like that."

"Hey," Lawton called out to Bishop, when he was halfway to the door. "Have 'em drop a car in visitor's parking, will ya? Something low-key."

Nodding, Bishop walked out the door, silently, just like he'd come.

"He's kind of scary," I said.

"Baby," Lawton said, "you don't know the half of it."

"Speaking of which." I turned to face him. "Since you're incapacitated…"

He raised his eyebrows. "Incapacitated? That's what you think, huh?"

I gave it some thought. I'd seen him walk away from a different hospital looking far worse than this. "Hey, I'll take what I can get." I gave him a stern look. "Time to answer some questions, mister."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

I glanced toward the door that Bishop had just walked out of. "Just what is it that you two are involved in?"

His smile faded. "What do you mean?"

"Oh c'mon," I said. "Don’t play dumb. You know exactly what I mean. You've got this bullet-proof car and all kinds of weird skills—"

"Like what?"

"Well, like getting into locked houses, for starters."

"Oh that."

"Yeah. That."

"Sorry," he said. "I can't tell you."