Page 47 of Forbidden Bond

Her palm glided down to the location of the gunshot that pierced him. Or she tried to, he caught her hand and pressed it against the family tattoo at his clavicle instead.

“It’s handled.”

“He said I should come alone.” She’d certainly learned her lesson on that. “And he said…”

“He said what? Don’t hesitate with me.”

“I don’t hesitate because I don’t trust you, I hesitate because I don’t want to say the words, face the truth. He said if I brought the Irish, there’d be a barbecue, and… he said you had yours coming.” The words hurt as they passed her throat, but they just bounced off him. “Will you stay here? Please?” The angle of his head wrung a sigh from her lungs. “I know, I had to ask. You talk about keeping me in chains to protect me, while it seems all I do is put you in danger. Everyone in danger. Is this it? Will Strat’s life be the cost of us letting Evander keep his? It’s not fair. Was I wrong?” Her decision, to let Evander live, was meant to save the McDades paying a grave price. “I’m poison to everyone I love.”

“Macushla, you need to rest.”

“Rest?” Was that offense or fear? “I have to go. I have to be there. I have to be with—I can’t let Strat—”

“Strat would prioritize your safety over his.”

“That doesn’t make it right.” She tore her hands from his. “I’m not more worthy, I’m less worthy. He has a family to protect. If either of us should survive, it should be—”

“Get back in bed. Daly’ll bring you something to eat.”

“I don’t want something to eat!” Alarm wouldn’t yield to sanity. Her blood pumped hot and there was no way to vent the steam with him being all composed and accepting. “I want to help my friend.”

“You’ve done your part. It’s McDade business.” Which meant it was his duty to take care of it. “You’re a good girl.”

Because she again presented him with a dangerous situation with no obvious out? Was this going to be her grandfather’s all over again? Maybe without her there, it would be easier for him to focus.

“I love him, you know. Strat.”

“Aye.”

“I love you too. I thought I lost you and—if anything was to happen to either of you… Just as it feels like I’m pulling you closer, now Evander wants to steal you away from me.”

“No one steals anything from a McDade, not without consequences.”

“You’ve been laying low here. Keeping things quiet at Stag.” With one thing in her mind, she didn’t want to miss other important developments. “There’s something happening. You have a strategy.” He didn’t say anything. “What happened at the prison? With Whisper?”

“The power balance has shifted.”

What did that mean? “You said that to me before. After we were out. Should I be scared?”

“You will be protected, Macushla. I won’t let you down again.”

“I got you hurt, that wasn’t you or the McDades. This was the McLeods, they threatened the McDades.”

“And you’ll have to make a decision.”

“McDade,” she said, curling her fingers into his shirt. “I said it that night, and will always choose—”

“Not that choice.”

Niall came back in before she could ask what he meant. Her guy went to the desk, his number two on his heels. When Conn confused her, usually Strat made sense of it for her. Even if he didn’t know the details, the way her friend talked to her, how he monitored her reactions and nudged her this way and that, she got there in the end. Without him… how would she live without Strat?

“Ford.” She spun to the men having a hushed conversation. “Should I call to—”

“We’ve got it under control,” Niall said.

Wasn’t always an easy guy to read. Though he was right, they weren’t rookies and knew way more about these situations than she did.

“Him and Vex used to move in the same circles. He might know a—” Both men’s unimpressed expressions pushed her lips to the side. “Which you know, of course, and don’t need me to tell you. Can I come and sit in the car?” Nothing, but nothing was needed. “How do I help?”

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