Page 133 of Forbidden Need

“Beeks is frantic.”

“Score says let it burn,” Raze said as he sauntered in, no crowding for him.

People moved away from him like shoals of fish in the unseen current. No one would dare get in his way, probably even his wife. No, second thoughts, Whisper would crowd anyone.

“Yeah, ‘cause he’ll never go back there now.”

“A phoenix rises from the ashes,” she muttered.

“He sure does,” Raze said, fixed on his cousin. “Helluva coincidence, don’t you think?”

Was that a reference to the Carlyle? He hadn’t been in on the conversation they’d just shared.

“Heavy handed of Silvio,” Whisper said, like she was trying to figure it out too. “Why strike there and not here? If we’re burning each other’s shit, seems practical to start local.”

“No,” Conn said under his breath. “This isn’t Manzani work.” His short exhale signaled he was pissed. “Fuck!” Okay, maybe pissed was an understatement. He tensed to action, nodding at his lieutenant. “I want Madison Byrne here within twenty-four hours. No excuses. If I have to send someone, I’ll mail her back to her father in pieces, starting with the pretty ones.” Next was Whisper. “You’re going to the prison. I want you in front of Biz.”

Whisper laughed, folding her arms and cocking a hip. “Damn, you are smart.”

“Score’s on his way north.”

“No,” Conn snapped at Raze. “Tell him to head west. Clancy’s got a few miles in him yet.”

“Nero wants it to burn,” Whisper said, brimming with impressed excitement. “If he can’t have it, no one can.”

Razer laid an arm over his wife’s shoulders. “Next stop Burl?”

“No,” Connel said. “He’s irrelevant.”

Whisper whooped with her next laugh. “Daddy won’t like that at all. Not even a courtesy call? I love it.” Whisper pushed her shoulder into her husband’s body. “Did it just get hot in here?”

“To get back in,” Conn said, ignoring the Doherty, “Burl has to prove he controls Biz.”

Everything was connected somehow. Except, she couldn’t figure out…

“Silvio sent his men to Miami. Doesn’t it follow that he’d be in on this? Responsible for this?”

“Whisper’s gonna find out.”

“From the horse’s mouth.”

“Will he accept a visitation request?”

“Not many people visit him,” Whisper said.

“He wants in on the action, to swing at us. Damn right, he’ll accept the request.”

Her guy spoke again, this time to his lieutenant in their native language.

Whisper pouted. “You know that’s rude.” Conn and Niall carried on. “Doesn’t it piss you off, High Class?”

“No, it turns me on.”

Whisper’s shoulders rose and dropped in an exaggerated sigh. “We don’t know what’s good for us. Damn our McDades.”

“We should’ve seen this coming,” Conn said to his cousin like no one else was in the room. “All the bullshit is connected.”

“You think Biz is…”

---