Page 60 of Forbidden Bond

“Not long.”

“How did you get out? Did Niall find you?”

“I picked the lock and got to the car,” he said. “Niall was waiting here with the doc.” So he’d been there the whole time she’d been away? “He’d already sent Daly and the others on the hunt—”

“We went to Strat’s.”

“I know. Guys showed up there less than an hour after you left. Doc put me out.”

To treat his injury or to calm his temper? Maybe both. She couldn’t see her guy choosing to be unconscious, but if he needed any kind of surgery, sedatives would’ve been the only option.

“It was Niall,” she murmured. “He kept you alive.”

Because if it was up to her guy, he’d have been in the car, bleeding, chasing after her. Logic didn’t always feature when fear and anger stoked adrenaline.

“Not the first time he’s done that.”

Much as she and Niall weren’t exactly bosom buddies, his allegiance to Conn and the McDades was undeniable. They should spend more time getting to know each other. Not that the guy ever seemed to have an iota of free time.

“My father drove us to a motel. We stayed holed up there drafting and redrafting a ridiculous story neither of us could agree on.”

“I know.”

Her head shifted. “You couldn’t have got that from Strat… How much time have you spent talking with my brother?”

“Enough to know your father’s debt will never be paid.”

“And by extension mine. Baby, I—”

“Hush. You take your lead from me.”

“Always.”

“And know I could choose to take your father out any time.”

Out? As in his life? Though surprised Conn was leaving Ronald in his current role, she shouldn’t have been. Position gave them influence.

And the other thing? That her father may lose his life any minute? How did she feel about that? The daughter part of her recognized she should protest and defend, but it would be theater. She and her father never got along. Did she want him dead? Maybe. No, not with any vehemence, though given he’d killed his own father… Actually, the more she thought about it, the more she wanted the decision to be someone else’s. Ronald killed her grandfather, shot her lover, then abducted and imprisoned her. If anyone should desire revenge, it would be her.

Objecting felt more like conforming to the expected response. It wasn’t respectful for anyone to want someone else dead, but in those dark recesses, the truth didn’t hide.

“He took my grandfather down without warning,” she said. “If Ronald didn’t give someone else that courtesy, why should he be owed it from us?”

He kissed her slow. “Beautiful.” With a single word, he lightened her burden. “He’s useful for now.”

“Because in his job, he can help us. What about Silvio? Won’t he come after Ronald? He could want him to work for the Manzanis again.”

“Silvio Manzani has enough going on. And we have his son. He’ll have to bargain for him back.”

“So long as we have Evander, alive, we control Silvio. Do you think he’ll call Atlas back?” The middle Manzani brother. “Do you know where he is?”

“No, because I don’t want to. I know people who do, that’s enough. He’s useless to me as he is. If that changes, I’ll call in a favor.”

“Who knows where he is? A Manzani who owes you? If Silvio knows where Atlas is, why doesn’t he drag him back?”

Even kicking and screaming would be Silvio’s style. The man didn’t have any direct heir, no one who could take over quickly. Helios, the eldest, was in prison, and had been all his adult life. How much had Silvio taught his son? Was he ready to take power if the need arose? Did he want it?

“Silvio doesn’t know.”

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