Page 109 of Forbidden Bond

Was she wearing a seatbelt? Nope. Grabbing it, she quickly put it on and slouched low.

“Why are they following us? The mansion?”

Could they take trouble there? Should they?

“To find out where we’re going. The prisoners are being moved to the mansion. We can’t risk these guys getting hold of anyone. If they follow us there, we’ll lead them right to what they want. Give them a way in. Might as well set off a flare.”

Okay, they couldn’t do that. That had to be the Byrnes goal, to follow someone from Stag to confirm where their prize was being taken.

“So we don’t go there. Where?”

“Hold on,” Strat said and sped up. “Call Ire.”

“I can’t.” Her friend did a double take, his frown deepening. “If I call him now, he’ll drop everything to get here. We can’t let him—the family has to endure.”

“Right.”

And everything Conn planned would be shot to shit. The others needed him there. Niall needed him there. If the Byrnes were launching a full-scale op to get Madison back, which they had to be, there would still be fighting going on. There was no one she trusted more as a strategist than Connel McDade.

“There’s a gun in the glovebox and a couple of clips.” Before she could open it, Strat reached over to yank her seatbelt tight. “Hang on.”

As he increased his speed, he took a corner fast, thrusting her both back and to the side at once.

“Can we outrun them?”

“Not in this,” her friend said, narrow eyes on the road until flicking to the rearview for a second. “How bad do you want it?”

It? Being her? That wasn’t a question for her, it was intended for whoever was in the vehicle behind them.

“They want me.” She was the bonus prize. The toy with the meal. The backup plan if their first failed. “Don’t they? That’s what this is.” On another tight corner, she grabbed the door and console. “Shit, Strat, what are we—”

“Good.”

“Good? What’s good?” Because that long drawl was more daring than happy. “Strat?”

“They’re sticking with us.”

“And that’s a good thing?”

They sped along a straight, weaving in and out of any traffic that got in their way. Was the point to get the cops involved? Shit, if they did that and the Byrnes meant business, they’d end up with dead LEOs whose only offense was showing up to work.

“If they get you, they trade you for Madison.”

“That’s something, they won’t kill me.” Except the moment their eyes met, she finished the thought. “Me.” Apprehension shook her throat. “They’ll kill you.”

“Least then you won’t have to fire me.”

“Strat—”

The quick turn of the wheels stole her words to a gasp. They shot down an alley, past a dumpster and Strat slammed onthe brakes, turning the wheel to bring them around at an angle in a screeching stop.

Thrust one way then the other, her head spun.

Strat was alert. “Get out your side, stay behind the back wheel.”

“Stay behind the—what?”

Brakes squealed, not theirs, the Byrnes.

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