Page 36 of Forbidden Bond

Save for signature lines at different locations on the various pages.

He tossed the pen to her knees. “They’re from Ire.”

Which was supposed to soothe her? If her love put the documents in front of her, sorry, the all but blank pages, in front of her, she wouldn’t hesitate to put pen to paper. Sign now, print the contracts later, they could put anything on them. The first thing to wonder was who “they” were. Were these from her man or someone else?

Narrowing her eyes on Daly, she searched for any hint of duplicity or betrayal.

“You know, you have every right to hate me.”

“Hate you?” he asked. “Why would I hate you?”

“Vex’s threat. Someone told you he threatened Ire’s guys and I didn’t tell him. Then you and Niall got hit.”

“That was a million years ago, Blue. You think I’m conning you? Playing both sides?”

His affront was potent, yet she couldn’t pass up the opportunity. “Tell me something.”

“Tell you what?”

“You want me to sign these?” She shook the folder in the air. “I’ll sign ‘em. If you show trust in me, tell me something.”

And his offense disappeared in a sigh. “You don’t doubt my loyalty, you’re manipulating me,” he said, to which she smiled, for the first time in a while. “You won’t sign unless I answer one of your questions.”

“You can tell him I tortured it out of you,” she said. Though if he hadn’t seen Conn thus far, she doubted he’d be running back to an emotional reunion. “All I want to know is if he’s okay.” And why he was insisting on distance between them. Why he hadn’t looked for her. Why he wouldn’t talk to her. “I won’t survive without him, Daly. Every breath hurts. I need to know. Give me some hint he’s… that he’s okay.”

“In a bad way” suggested otherwise. Was it a bad way like he was in pain, or in a bad way like they still didn’t know if he’d make it alive? And how had they failed? Who failed? At what?

Daly’s shoulders descended as he propped a forearm on the banister. “Niall’s with him.”

Okay, that was good except… “Does that mean you’re not all at the same location?”

“There’s a trusted few. Those who know the site anyway. We drift in and out when he needs us.”

“Which you know because Niall tells you?” She exhaled as he shrugged. “Not exactly a revelation that Niall’s the one closest to him. Has he told you about his—”

“Sign.”

Daly had been with her since the start of this. Since the very first night she’d been dragooned into Connel’s office.God that night… Their time together could’ve been so different. Strange just how much one person could change. Something once meaningless had become her reason for being.

Signing the first page and the second, each new line felt like one closer to losing her connection to him. Daly would leave and then what? She’d just live there forever? Waiting? Wasting away?

She stopped about halfway through. “Why all the secrecy? He trusts me. Conn trusts me.” Or he had before he got shot protecting her. “Will you tell him…?” She swallowed. “Tell him I’m sorry.”

“Probably knows that. You’re asking the same questions the guys have too. Think the picture’s crystal for the rest of us? You’re a good girl, Bluebell.” Except he snickered. “By McDade standards. Night was crazy frantic, things moved fast. It felt like the whole world was on its head. Hasn’t fixed itself since…” And they didn’t have their leader for stability. “Truth is…” There was that spear of hope. “Most of us thought you were with him.”

Right. She sagged. If they hadn’t seen him, they didn’t know who was with him or what went down. They may not have known she was ever at the meet in Henry’s house. How could the McDade crew know if no one other than Niall was at his side? She would’ve been with Conn if her father hadn’t dragged her out of there.

Her guy wasn’t always the most forthright, had he told Niall the full story?

“I don’t have a phone,” she said. “But if you’re seeing Niall, ask him to get in touch. Show up himself or ask one of you guys to get a phone—”

“You can’t get a phone?”

She gestured at the bedroom. “I’m staying right here, where Conn wants me to be.” Showing she could be trusted, that her loyalty was steadfast, was important. “Strat’s the only personwho knows this location and I asked him to go. Tell Niall the superintendent’s at my old apartment. In case he wants to…”

Unsure if Daly was on the inside of what happened, she didn’t say too much.

“I can bring you whatever you need.”

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