Page 37 of Forbidden Want

“Sweetheart?” she practically spat the word at him. “Get out of my way.”

But when she tried to muscle through, they closed ranks.

“You’re not getting in.”

She stepped back. Neither of them were looking at her. No Daly to back her up. No Strat.

“Fine,” she said, “forget it.”

Except rather than go out, she went into the club. What the hell was going on? Ignoring the people and the music, she made a beeline under the office and went toward the spiral stairs.

Before she even got there, the guy on security moved aside and unhooked the rope barrier that hadn’t been there when she went up with Connel. At least, she hadn’t noticed it then.

Thank God someone was with the program. She ran up the stairs, crossed the balcony, and went into the living room. If he was laid up, he’d be in bed, right? But it was dark, no one was there.

He’d be in the office. He was always in the office at that time… if they weren’t busy having sex.

She ran down the stairs or started to. Halfway down, she noticed Niall in the shadow at the bottom. As she inhaled to ask what was going on, he laid a silencing forefinger on his lips.

What the hell? Her confusion might have been funny, if a voice hadn’t carried from beyond the curtain Niall blocked.

“…is not a free pass. You understand?” Shit. That was Lachlan. What the hell was he doing? “She’s doing a job. That’s it. Writing a story. Don’t think no one’s watching you, McDade.”

Silence dragged on. She itched to go through there and get between them. Except her brother put her in the apartment and said goodnight on her promise she was going straight to bed. It wasn’t a lie; she hadn’t specified whose bed. Semantics. Maybe she was spending too much time in Stag.

“Anything else?” Connel asked, more bored than intimidated by what she could tell.

“You touch her, I’ll come for you.”

“Okay,” Connel said like he couldn’t care less.

“I’m not joking around.”

“And I’m not laughing,” Connel said, on the edge of his patience. Funny how well she was getting to know his intonations. She should, they spent enough time in the dark. “You think in my line of work I don’t have people threatening me every day? Yours isn’t the first leveled at me tonight, I won’t lose sleep over it.”

“She’s my sister.”

“She’s a grown woman,” Connel said. “Believe me on that.” Her mouth dropped open. Did he have to add that? “Now I have a meeting, so if you don’t mind, detective, my guys will see you out.”

Which was the nice way of saying they’d kick him out. Why had he come? If it wasn’t so embarrassing, she’d be furious.

Her fear for Connel helped by routing her emotion elsewhere.

The office door closed. Niall waited just a second before hooking the curtain aside to check the coast was clear.

She wasn’t waiting anymore and squeezed around him before getting the nod. Connel stood behind his desk.

“Baby…” she said, rushing over to lay her hands on him. They went everywhere. To his neck. His face. His collarbone. There wasn’t a mark on him. Not a single visible scratch. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“I have a meeting.”

“I heard,” she said. “I’m sorry about Lachlan. I didn’t know he planned to come over here. I’ll talk to him.”

“As I said, I’m not worried.”

Something seemed off. She couldn’t figure it out. Maybe it was her brother, or her absence, or his fight with Evander… Or it could be the last three days had spoiled her and she’d forgotten professional Connel could be so aloof.

“I am,” she said, sliding her hands up to link them at the back of his neck. “You could’ve been hurt. What if Evander was armed? What if they outnumbered you? He’s nothing. Don’t give him the satisfaction.”

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