Page 57 of Forbidden Need

“I know about Nicole McDade,” Tulip called after her. “About the bounty.”

She turned, almost gobsmacked until she saw Daly hurtling toward them.

Racing back to the woman, she caught her cuff and pulled hard, dragging her across the room and tossing Steeple’s door out of the way to shut them inside.

“Are you insane?” she hissed at Tulip.

“Sersha?” Steeple said, rising from the desk.

Tulip kept her focus. “Don’t ever, ever, say anything that could, in any way, be construed as a threat in front of Conn’s guys.”

“What’s going on?” their boss asked.

“It’s one big game of Telephone,” she explained to Tulip. “You say something, one guy repeats it to another, and it gets back to Conn’s ears.”

“Are you afraid of him?”

“No,” she said. “But learn you’re playing with live ammunition when you wade in with these families. Learn it fast. Don’t get caught in the crossfire. And, shit, where did you grow up? I thought the innocent thing was an act.”

If this was an act too, the woman had to be careful facing off with “shoot first, ask questions later” McDades.

“I didn’t expect you today,” Steeple said. “What’s happening? What happened?”

“Nothing happened. Tulip’s just overeager.”

“I don’t think it’s overeager to report the news. You lied to us. To your people. You didn’t say anything about being romantically involved with Ire.”

“To you or my family.”

“So how do we trust you?”

“Do I care if you trust me? What difference does it make to you?”

“You had valuable information, instrumental to my story, and you didn’t even hint at it. Why not just refuse to help? Why come along?”

“I came along because Steeple told me to. And so you wouldn’t get hurt.”

“The bounty is why Razer is here, isn’t it? Why is he protecting his sister-in-law?”

“You’d have to ask him.”

“Great,” Tulip said, plucking a phone from her pocket. “When? I can fit into his schedule.”

“I’m not his social secretary. Jesus, you think Razer McDade does what I say?”

“Tulip, will you give us a minute?” Steeple asked. “Please.”

The woman looked at them both and then left, slipping her phone into her pocket.

Steeple gestured at the first chair and sat in his seat again.

“You better not demand I give an interview,” she said, dropping into the seat. “I can’t. And I can’t believe she was so… forward.”

“It’s her job. One you used to do too. Don’t blame people for treating you different. Everyone is shocked.”

“About my relationship with Conn? Not my grandfather being murdered?”

“Now that you ask, yes. I’d have put money on the second being more likely. I’d have bet my house on the first never happening.” He linked his fingers while pulling in closer to his desk. “Is it real? How did you…? Ire McDade doesn’t play around.”

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