Page 75 of Forbidden Bond

Nicole’s floor.

Steeple wouldn’t know that, so why was she his first thought?

“Why tell me?” she asked. “You came straight to me. Why?”

His somber, pale affect wasn’t encouraging. “Irish down,” he said. “The cops got there, and, on their radios, they kept saying—”

“Thank you.”

Spinning on the spot, she snagged her purse and didn’t even bother to shut down her computer. Her phone was in her hand when she joined Daly by the elevator.

“Bluebell—”

“You know about this?” she asked, selecting a contact while calling the elevator.

Daly took her phone from her hand before she could dial. “Bluebell—”

“I’ll fucking kill him if he’s got himself hurt.” Her and the trio of men entered the elevator. “This is Nicki, isn’t it? Give me my phone.”

Why had he taken it anyway? Why had she let him?

Didn’t look like the guys had been given any insight. “He won’t pick up.” Okay, so they had some insight. “We’re on a blackout tonight.”

“A blackout, what—”

“A communication blackout.”

“Why?” she asked, but the guys just looked at each other. “Tell me what the—”

“We don’t get the why, we just get the order. No communication.”

“Why would we—”

“Usually, we’re covering someone’s ass,” Hock said. “Can’t be asked to testify about something we know nothing about.”

“Doesn’t it look strange, just suddenly no calls?”

“Calls are made, just… strategically.”

“Where is he?”

That provoked a collective snicker. “We don’t know.” All three shrugged. “Think Ire McDade keeps us in his private loop? We’re not in the inner sanctum.”

She couldn’t argue with that. Being his girlfriend, his lover, she was the epitome of his inner sanctum and she’d been blindsided. What chance did these guys have of knowing the plays?

“You know what it’s like to love a man like him?” she muttered as they went to the street.

“No,” Daly said, opening her door as the other two got into their respective vehicles. “And I don’t guess he’d want you to tell us.”

With a single exhale, she put a hand on top of the door sandwiched between them. “I’ll tell you this…” Because she wasn’t really going to bitch to his men, or anyone, about their relationship. “There’s not a damn thing he could do that I wouldn’t support him in. I’m his. Forever. So why is he determined to drive me nuts?”

Though Daly’s lips thinned a little, their corners did upturn just slightly. “I’m thinking it takes some crazy to be part of this world.”

And she couldn’t argue with that. “Take me to the mansion.”

That’s where she’d last seen him. Was he likely to be there? Who knew? Drinks with Play were still an hour away. Maybe she could track her guy down before then to get some kind of explanation. Coercing him to share would be easier than doing the same to his cousin.

Irish down.

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