Page 135 of Forbidden Need

“He doesn’t need to talk to me about her. I’m not his keeper and the family takes priority over everything else, everyone else.”

“Protect the top, that’s good,” Strat said. “I almost believed you.”

Her shoulders dropped and she slid closer as he did the same from his end. “I hate it. Of course I hate it. The man I love is… I can’t ask him not to, we’re talking lives here. The Byrnes want to kill Nicole McDade. Conn has to handle it.”

The buck went all the way to the top, and she had to accept… She didn’t want the visual and couldn’t think about it.

“Biz wants her dead. His wife, his choice,” her friend said. “McDades don’t work for him anymore and Score would never do it. Harsh of Biz, seeing as she’s standing by the fucker. Any other woman would get a divorce and split with the cash.”

“Nicki isn’t capable of looking after herself.”

“Yeah.”

“And women don’t leave McDades. Not those McDades anyway.”

“Not those McDades? That mean you can leave Ire?”

“I’d never want to.” Life with Conn was the only future she could see. Her friend accepted that, better than her brother. “It makes me sick that to save Nicki’s life, he’ll have to…”

Her stomach clenched, desperate to rid itself of the nausea.

“Nicole is only family on paper. Why does Ire care if she’s dead?”

“I’ll tell you who doesn’t care. Whisper,” she said. “I think she’d do it for free, if it didn’t mean giving the Byrnes a win.”

“Does Nicki think there’s a chance Biz will get out and they can be together again?”

“He wouldn’t have her.”

“Putting a price on her head is a damn clear message. What the fuck does he have to be pissed about? She never testified. Did she help the feds or something?”

Her eyes flicked away, lips parted, her teeth still together beneath. This was Strat. She trusted him with her life.

“On the QT,” she said, leaning in. “Like most classified QT, our throats will be slit in our sleep for sharing this kind of QT…” His head went back in a quick nod of understanding. “She was fucking Burl.” The prolonged blink from her friend was more than surprise. “Trying to get pregnant, though Burl had her on birth control she didn’t know about.”

“Fuck.” Sinking back, he ran a hand through his hair. “It’s a Greek tragedy.”

“Irish, but yes. It’s fucked up. Not all crimes were broadcast at the trial.”

“That’s a fucking mess any guy would want to keep a lid on. No wonder he wants her dead; I’m surprised he hasn’t put conditions on collecting.”

“Conditions?”

“Like making it hurt.”

Torture. Pain. Biz wouldn’t think twice about what his wife endured. He’d only see the humiliation.

“Haven’t heard anything about Burl being punished for it.”

“No, ‘cause he wouldn’t,” Strat said. “It’s fucked up, but even Biz wouldn’t…” Wouldn’t he? Brother had turned on brother before, would son turn on father? “He might. The problem is Burl’s better at it.”

“It? The game?”

“And doing what needs to be done.” Strat splayed his fingers on the table. “If Burl heard Biz put a price on his head, he’d have his son slaughtered before sundown.”

“If he has the reach.”

“Heard Raze hit the road. Running for his life?”

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