THIRTY-ONE
PICTURES, STORIES, drawings from when the McLeod kids were young. The floor was covered with folders, paper, photographs. Oh, yeah, and pizza boxes, half eaten sides, and a bunch of empty cups too. Three fully grown men, as ripped as her guards, needed nourishment to get them through. Gotta keep up, all night long.
No, ah, laying unfair requests on them would be, well, unfair. Snuff’s third yawn reminded her of the time.
“Shit,” she said, stuffing things back into a transparent pocket. “I’m sorry, guys.”
Daly hunkered down next to her to pick up a photograph. “Sorry for what?”
“It’s late, you’ve been with me all day.”
“It’s almost two a.m.,” Hock said. “Doesn’t mean nothing when you never go anywhere before noon.”
When the boss was in her bed, sure.
“We’re here as long as you need us.”
“Does anyone live close by? We can drop you off. I want to go to the club. Anyone know if Conn’s still there?”
Standing up, Daly took his phone from his pocket. “He’s still there.”
The mess stretched far, putting everything back in its place took a while.
“Do you think someone could pick this up and take it to the mansion?” she asked. “I don’t want it to get lost in the shuffle of everything when we clear the place out.” And Conn may appreciate one or two of the pictures, like the one still in Daly’s hand. “Hey.” She snatched it from him. “What are you doing with this?”
“Something to stick on the noticeboard for the guys,” Daly said without hiding his amusement.
“Yeah, the boss would love that.”
A high school picture? Yes, she wore the uniform like a good little girl. Had it really been that revealing? She didn’t remember now, but it seemed a little risqué for homeroom. Hock and Snuff bumped her while peering over to get a good look at it.
“Nice.”
“You three go drool somewhere else,” she said, giving each of them a shove to break up the huddle and slipping the picture into her purse.
“We’ll get guys to pick the chest up,” Daly said. “It’s in safe hands.”
Of that she had no doubt. McDades were thorough, and careful, and aware how their leader would respond if they showed her any disrespect.
“Ask them to look around for a key too. It would be good to keep everything secure.”
“We don’t find it, we’ll replace the lock.”
Though who would care to steal the sentimental stash? She’d have to reach out to Lupe, thank her for the prompt to check it out. And to ensure her grandfather’s former housekeeper was enjoying her new role with the McDades. She hadn’t followed up since Conn made the suggestion. The woman was her grandfather’s significant other in the last years of his life, she was practically family.
On the way out, the couch stalled her. That, the desk, the room… she swallowed disgust, anger, terror, it couldn’t happen again, and she didn’t want any reminders.
“Bluebell?” Hock asked.
“Have a bonfire.”
“A bonfire?”
“The couch, the desk, the drapes, anything in this room that burns, I want it gone. Permanently gone.” Her stern eyes met Daly’s. “You understand?”
“You got it.”
Some of it could be priceless antiques, or it could be cheap tat made to look old. Whatever the case, she was adamant. None of those things, those memories, had a place in their lives.
Overall, it had been a successful night, and she didn’t want to lose the high. Staying positive, she wouldn’t let her father influence her mood.
“No one answered my question about digs,” she said as they got to the street. “Can we drop anyone off? I don’t mind taking the long way round if it gets you guys home sooner.”
If Conn hadn’t chased her yet, he was still in the midst of his agenda, whatever that was. Hers still wasn’t completely clear. What she did know? She needed to go to the club and ask her guy for help.
Better him than her, but still, her heart hurt a little when she thought of it.
“Home soon?” Hock asked. “We sleep at the club, the mansion, wherever you need us to sleep.”
As Daly opened the car door, headlights swung around the corner and a vehicle came to a stop nose-to-nose with her ride.
“Get in the car,” Daly said.
She only got a step before the driver’s door opened. The height of the guy would betray him even if she wasn’t familiar with his silhouette.
“Swerve,” she said as he strolled onto the sidewalk. This was no coincidence. “What can we do for you?”
“Need to talk.”
“These are my guy’s office hours, he’d be happy to accommodate. Do you need directions, or a note from the teacher?”
“I need to talk,” he said, jerking his head toward her grandfather’s stoop.
“Okay, I’m not going in there with you.”
He held up his hands. “Packing nothing.”
Hock and Snuff went to check. Not that it mattered. A guy of his stature didn’t need a weapon, not to take down someone of hers.
“You want to talk to me? Come to Stag.” Going around the door, she didn’t care Swerve wasn’t happy. “We’ll talk there.”
“I want to talk alone.”
“And we will, at Stag… if my guy agrees to it.”
“Need his permission for everything?”
And it was funny he thought that would spur her into complying. She had nothing to prove. Did Conn do business and have conversations without her? Yes. As she did in return. But Swerve? No. No way. Divide and conquer wouldn’t work. She and Swerve had no personal relationship, so whatever he wanted to talk about, it was business. McDade business.
“Are you afraid, Swerve?” If he could taunt, so could she. “Is Ire the Big, Bad Wolf? Don’t worry, I’ll protect you… if you’re nice to me or have something I want. Otherwise, you’re on your own.”
She got in the car and Daly closed the door. It wasn’t only the location that put her off getting cozy with Swerve. The guy was crazy, sure, and they were holding Vex, one of his allies, under lock and key, neither of those were points in his favor.
“You’re fearless, Bluebell.”
“What do I have to fear with you guys around to keep me safe? Let’s go to the club,” she said, though that had been their intended destination anyway. “And keep an eye on him.”
Strength. Commitment. Loyalty. These were McDade qualities. Supporting her guy meant supporting the family. His family. Their family.
After sifting through the memories in her grandfather’s chest, she had to wonder if they’d have the same for their children. Any time the subject came up, Conn spoke like it would happen. Business got in the way, family drama got in the way. They’d had little time to discuss how either of them saw their future together.
Would they ever be secure? Would their children? Though she didn’t doubt his resolve to keep her safe, Conn never made any promises about his own life. Raising kids alone would be tough. Raising McDade kids… If Conn wasn’t around, would she have the ability to protect them?
At Stag, she didn’t wait though a car pulled up right behind her. Daly and Hock took her inside while others corralled Swerve.
The guys on the stairs up to the office made way for her and her guards. They’d maybe think twice about letting Swerve by, except he was with McDade security already, they could take him down if necessary.
In the office, Conn was at the desk with a half dozen other guys in the room. Strat, on the couch, Niall, of course, a couple of others she didn’t know. They were high enough in the ranks to hang out with Conn, so she guessed they were safe.
“Hi, honey, I’m home,” she declared and dumped her purse on the desk to bow and kiss him. “I brought company.”
Snuff and Stranger led Swerve into Conn’s office with Familiar at his heel.
“Vermin?” Conn asked. “You take pity on the mangy stray? Need me to put it down?”
Swerve actually snickered. “Thinks she’s being smart, she’s too scared to meet with me alone.”
Conn’s hand slid up her leg, as he pushed out the chair, he directed her between his thighs to sit on one.
“No, she’s a good girl, does as told. She’s McDade property, you don’t approach her. Need another lesson in manners, Manzani?”
In that busy room, any hostile confrontation could get violent, and Swerve’s odds weren’t great.
“I’d ask you the same. Stepped up in Hustle when no one wanted you there, Irish.”
“That why you’re here? Fighting the baby’s battle for him?”
“No,” Swerve said, sauntering up to the desk to toss a flash drive down. “Figured I’d give her the dignity of seeing it first.”
“It?”
Niall snatched up the drive and plugged it into a laptop, dropping into the chair at the end of the desk to load it up.
“Fun times, McDade. You and your perfect little bluebell,” he said with a sneer. “Want the world to know how depraved you are?”