ELEVEN
“YOU SLEEP IN MY BED. Where you’re safe.”
Connel’s words played in her dreams. The first real good night’s sleep she’d had in a long time came in their bed. Until she woke lonely.
Leaping out of their sheets, she couldn’t believe she’d slept through to the afternoon. Where was Strat?
First her guy, then her best friend. Not in the kitchen, the living room, Whisper and Raze’s room.
“Strat!” she called, throwing open the door to the opposite room.
Sound drew her in, and she pushed open the bathroom door. Shirtless, bent over the sink, he spat toothpaste and straightened up.
“You know there’s new toothbrushes in here?” her friend said, opening a drawer in the vanity. “Deodorant, cologne everything.”
“That’s what you say to me?” Stomping over, she socked his shoulder. “What happened at the hotel? Did Ford go over? How could you leave me sleeping?”
“You needed it. And I’m not totally clear on the rules of admittance to Connel McDade’s bedroom.” He wiped his mouth with a towel. “Nothing at the hotel.”
“Nothing? What’s nothing? And it’s my bedroom too, by the way.”
“Guy at the hotel told Ford to get lost.”
“And that was it? He walked away?”
“With Jagg at his side? No fucking way.”
On a groan, her head flopped back. “Please don’t say there was a brawl in the hallway.”
Or arrests made in the McDade name.
“No brawl, mighta went that way but my boy used his head.” None the wiser, she shook hers to prompt him. “Used your name, Bluebell.”
Ah, her breath bated. “Fuck.”
“And it worked, which has gotta mean something.”
That her name still held sway? Yes.
“What did they learn?”
“Jack squat.” They went to get his tee-shirt from the bed. “Guys worked in rotation with four others, schedule hasn’t been changed up for two weeks. Which is…”
She blinked. “Which is what?” Except she already knew. “Not like Niall.”
Not like the McDades in general.
“No, Scamp. Don’t think I have to tell you Ire McDade—”
“Believes in rotation. All guys know all sites and positions.”
“Never know when any situation might need reinforcements.”
If Niall wasn’t following business as usual, something was wrong at the top.
“What did Nicki say?”
“No one’s allowed to talk to Nicole McDade, are you crazy? She’s the enemy and on the top tier. Niall doesn’t want her to manipulate the guys.” Or seduce them. “Which works for her, she doesn’t associate with the help.”
Hmm, yeah, she should’ve guessed that.
“I should call if—”
“No calls in or out.”
“I’m Bluebell.”
He snickered and moseyed on by. “That’s not what I meant.”
“What?” She trailed along behind him to the kitchen. “You think I’m barred too?”
“I think you’re giving Nicki too much airtime. What do you think she’ll know?”
Good point. If Conn wasn’t chasing her down, he wouldn’t be racking up a phone bill with his cousin’s adulterous wife either.
“If he was okay, he’d be here by now.”
Strat opened and closed cabinets, looking for what he needed to put on coffee.
“Might not know you’re here.”
“He knows.” Going to the window, she gazed at the street below. “Where are you, Mo Grá?”
Somewhere out there. Dead or alive, her man was out there.
“What’s the plan today? Get supplies? You need to eat.” That was the last thing she cared about. “Where’s next on your hunt list?”
“This is it.” She spun around. “I go to our bedroom and wait.” Strat prickled, gaining mass with solemnity. “I exist beneath him. I don’t think. Don’t make decisions.”
“Is that his rule?”
“It’s my oath.” Happy to take ownership of it, the directive gave her strength. “I yield. Surrender.”
“And you’re so sure he’ll come through?”
“Yes,” she said. “You can go.”
“Not a chance I—”
“I want you to go. You have a whole life out there to get back to. Tell Lachlan I’m fine, don’t tell him where I am. Don’t tell anyone. This place is secret. No one can know.”
“If you’re gonna be holed up here—”
“Only until he comes back.”
“You don’t even know he’s alive.”
“Alive or not, he’ll have a plan. He takes care of me like no other man can.”
“Your brother will want to see you.”
“I can’t leave, wait in our bedroom, that’s the rule.” Not that she’d signed a contract or anything. “I’ll be fine.”
He did a quick run through of stocks. “There’s nothing here to eat. Nothing to—”
“Don’t worry about me. Go check how Lach’s doing with the superintendent.”
“Your father. You should be there.”
“Soon as Conn is back, I will be.”
“Scamp…”
Done with the conversation, she departed the kitchen. “I’m going upstairs to take a bath. See yourself out. Strat.”