SHOCKS OF PLEASURE still shimmered through her. Spasms of delight shook her as her heart slowed. In bed next to Connel, at the club, sweat clung to her skin. Sated need was impossible to comprehend. She’d never been so sexually satisfied and desperate at the same time.
In the darkness, her awareness was still hazy when he kissed her quick then jumped out of bed.
“Were you thinking of her the whole time?” he called from the closet.
She smiled and rolled onto her side, propping her head on a hand. “No worse than you thinking about Evander while we were doing it on the desk earlier.”
He reappeared, frowning; he was always frowning. “You’re the only thing in my head when we’re fucking.”
He retreated.
She sank onto her back. “We should stop having so much sex.” Her smile grew again. “You’re ruining me for other men.”
“What time is your hospital appointment tomorrow?”
Today more like, it was somewhere in the early hours. These times with Connel were fast becoming her favorite. When they were alone. In the dark. In bed.
“Two,” she said. “Strat will take me. Lach will probably show up… They like him over at the hospital. Nurses like him.”
“Women like authority,” he said, joining her again, returning to their bed.
“Do they?” she asked, her fingertips meeting his cheek when he loomed over her. “They say women go for men like their fathers.”
His reaction to that statement was nothing like Strat’s.
“How’s that working out for you?” he asked and kissed her slow before dropping onto his back beside her.
“I guess it is the authority,” she said. “My grandfather, my dad, they were always the most powerful men in whatever room we were in.” The way he shifted his head brought her onto her side again, this time her hand tucked under the pillow. He often did this, just lay there, head in his pillow, gaze on her or the ceiling. “What?”
Because she could see a question behind his scrutiny.
“He ever hit you?”
“My dad?” she asked, almost laughing. “God, no. He’d have to acknowledge me to hit me. Him and Lach on the other hand…”
“They fought?”
“Lachlan’s so desperate for his approval, he’d beat his own ass before Dad ever got close. Did I tell you about the weird conversation I had with him?”
“With who?”
“My dad. It was the day before the… thing.”
“The attack. You were attacked. Targeted and assaulted. It didn’t just roll off if you still can’t call it what it is.”
“That’s for later,” she said, wriggling closer to rest her splinted arm on his chest. “Lach got me into the police records department.”
Interesting slow blink of his emerald eyes. “Think of all the evidence you could destroy with access like that.”
He wasn’t smiling, but she laughed. “It’s the records room, not the evidence locker.”
“A lot of statements aren’t copied to other places. If it’s old enough, it’s not digitized. They leave tapes in files, video and audio.”
“Do you want me to destroy evidence for you?”
His head shifted so their eyes met again. “Would you?”
Free and easy felt so good.
She wasn’t concerned and rose to kiss him. “I could go to prison for a long time.”
“Not if we grease the right people… What did you say about waiting twenty-five to life…?” Leaving that lingering, his sincerity could go either way. “Tell me about the conversation with your dad.”
“I was leaving Records and he caught me in a stairwell.”
“Caught you?”
“We met,” she said. “Lachlan told him I was there. It was strange, really strange. He seemed… stressed. And my dad is never stressed.”
“What did he want?”
“He started by asking me to dinner, which straight away is strange because we’d already had lunch less than a week before. I can go a month without hearing from my father. Two meals in one week? Never happens.”
“I thought he’d be more on you after the attack,” he said. “That he’d have squads dedicated to your protection. Superintendent’s daughter, alderman’s granddaughter, he could justify it.”
“I don’t doubt Lachlan thought about it,” she said, rising to slide a leg over him, straddling his torso. “I’m happier you’re doing it.” His nuance was subtle, but that drew his curiosity. “More sex this way.”
Bowing over him, their lips found each other again. “Dunno, bet there’s a lot of boys in blue desperate to nail the boss’s daughter.”
“I have dated cops,” she said, her fingers trailing down him as she sat up again. “A lot of cops.”
“I bet you have.”
“Trouble with guys like that, I never know if they’re interested in me, or getting close to the men in my family.”
“There’s always an ulterior motive,” he said, cupping her breasts. “There’s power in having influence.”
“Lachlan’s too good to be manipulated like that. Though I know he feeds his ex information from time to time. He trusts her. Still loves her, I think.”
“With you. You have influence.”
“I don’t. I suppose people could think that, but it’s really not true. Any guy might believe I could whisper in my father or grandfather’s ear for them.” She exhaled a laugh. “Boy, would that guy be disappointed.”
“You’re his daughter. You don’t think he’d do whatever it took to keep you safe?”
“I think his concern is the integrity of the institution. Something he drummed into Lachlan over and over, all his life. In the hospital last week, he was pissed Lachlan wanted to be part of the investigation.”
“To get a conviction, the process has to be airtight. Chain of custody, ethical boundaries, all that shit.”
“I guess,” she said, her forefingers caressing the furrows of his ridged body. “It’s enviable how my father can be clear-headed and detached all the time. Every time I react with emotion, he gets so pissed off.”
“He lives with rules. Expectation. There’s a lot on his shoulders.”
Her lips curled again and she planted a hand on his chest. “Are you defending my father? The superintendent? You? Mr. Ire McDade?”
Connel didn’t seem to find it funny. “You don’t even realize it.”
Her smile faded when he responded with such solemnity. “I don’t realize what?”
“We’ve killed together, Macushla,” he said, his hand sliding over hers. “I don’t give a shit about the superintendent. Honestly, couldn’t give a crap. The guy doesn’t enter my head.”
“Okay, you want me to stop talking?” she asked, figuring he was done listening to her bullshit. Climbing off him, she tried to lie down, but he still held her hand on his chest. “There’s no reason you should give a—”
He yanked her hand, jerking her to him so hard, she gasped as her body, injured arm and all, collided with his.
“You think you react with emotion? Baby, you haven’t met me,” he snarled. “I defend the cunt who hurt you or I kill him. Choose your poison.”
“The cu… my father? You’d kill my father?” she whispered, stunned and… awed.
“If you asked me to.”
“You’d kill if I asked you to?”
“You follow my orders, Macushla. Whatever I tell you to do, you do.”
But that didn’t work the other way, did it? Unless she told him something was utmost for her well-being. She couldn’t imagine him ever resisting anything that would assure her welfare.
Like every part of her was a tingling, exposed nerve, his words vibrated everywhere. They’d had sex, but it didn’t matter, she could feel herself growing slick for him again.
“It’s seductive,” she murmured. “Your world. Being a part of it. I didn’t realize before that I… it’s exciting and terrifying. I’ve done things with you, I… I’m not scared of it. Why am I not scared of it?”
“Where are you always safe?”
“With you,” she said.
It could only be him. Had to be him. She hadn’t felt that way with Evander. She didn’t fear Connel or his world; their connection was true. Instinct. Out of the stratosphere compared to anything she’d experienced with the man they called Vex.
“Do you believe that when you say it?”
“Yes,” she said, losing herself in him. “I always feel safe with you.” And she didn’t fear him. Maybe she’d have lounged there in that reality a little longer, if it wasn’t for the conversation with her father intruding. When she sat up, he let her hand move back to his torso. “They know you’re colluding with councilmen. He wanted their names. My father wanted to know if I had access.”
“To me?”
“I told him he did a lot of talking about doing the right thing. That it wasn’t the right thing to abuse someone’s trust. I told him it was unethical and went against my professional integrity to discuss anything I saw or heard in relation to my work. I told him it wasn’t my responsibility to tie bows for the cops.” Her attention floated away. “I forgot all about… I guess that’s why he was still pissed in the hospital.” A whisper of a laugh crossed her lips. “He said I’d always be protected in this city. Then the next day, I…” Sinking down, she nestled against him, resting her head on his shoulder, by his stag head tattoo. His arm curled around to lose his fingers in her hair. “He said if I withheld, I was an accessory.”
His digits clenched. “He threatened you?”
“I don’t think he meant it like that. He was just trying to scare me. I called him paranoid… It’s ridiculous, right?” she said, turning her lips against his skin. “He wants the names of city officials I’ve seen you interact with and I refuse to cooperate, but I tell you every detail of my conversation with him. Maybe he didn’t raise me so smart after all.”
His fingers spread a little more against her scalp, massaging his entitlement into her. She closed her eyes, appreciating his warmth and acceptance.
“Sonofabitch,” he murmured.
Her eyes opened. “What are you—”
“Shit,” he said and got up, forcing her to move aside.
“What?” she asked as he picked up his cellphone from the nightstand. “What is it?” He dialed. “Baby?”
“I don’t want you alone with him,” he said as he raised the phone to his ear.
“Alone with who?”
“Your father,” he said, then raised the microphone. “One second…” His eyes widened as they met hers. “Macushla? Acknowledge my order.”
“Yes, okay,” she said, still flummoxed. “I won’t be alone with him.”
He raised the phone and started for the doorway. “They’ve got the superintendent.”
The words hit her as he exited. Got the… she didn’t know who he was talking to, but what he’d just said implied…
He returned to go into the closet where his voice rose. “…at the club… We didn’t get that far… Aye…”
She got up to peek inside at him. “Conn?”
Now wearing underwear, he opened an arm her way, phone still at his ear. “As soon as…” She went into his proffered semi-embrace, and he pulled her against him. “Do it… Aye… Bet your fucking life.” He hung up and tossed the phone onto the vanity. Taking her upper arms, he parted their bodies to make eye contact. “Daly’s gonna take you back to the loft.”
“I don’t want to go back to the loft,” she said. “Are you coming with me?”
He snagged one of his shirts to feed her arms into it. “I’ve got business.”
“Business at three in the morning?” she asked. “What did you mean they have the superintendent? Who has him?”
He exhaled and snagged her hand to lead her out of the closet and seat them on the edge of the bed.
“What did the guys we killed want?” he asked, catching her hair between his fingers as he scooped his large hand around the side of her head.
“They wanted to know who was on your payroll.” She searched her memory. “Who you were greasing.” Her attention leaped to his. “Who’s McDade got on the council?” His expression relaxed enough to agree with the conclusion she was reaching on her own. “They wanted the same information my dad wanted.”
“When your father didn’t get it the easy way, Silvio Manzani sent his guys in to get it the hard way.”
She couldn’t even think, it was… unfathomable. Her chest tightened; sickness constricted her throat.
“No,” she said, her head moving in a loose shake. “No, but that means…” Her ears rang. “My father wouldn’t.”
“People are complicated, Macushla.”
“No,” she said, trying to focus. Her father would… he wouldn’t. How could he get mixed up with someone like Silvio Manzani? “Does he have something on him?”
“Maybe,” he said. “Or your father’s like every other sap out there.” She sought an explanation. “Pussy or green, baby. Only two reasons a guy does anything.”
And family. At least he was nice enough not to add that one. If her father was in cahoots with the Manzanis, it wasn’t for the sake of their McLeod family.
“Maybe he wants evidence,” she said. “Maybe law enforcement knows you’ve paid people off and he wants to bring them to justice.”
“You wanna talk to him? Ask him what’s going on?”
Did she? Would he be honest with her? “I have to talk to Lach.”
He pulled her a little closer. “You put this on him, baby, he’ll do what any man would do and confront your father. If it’s true, he’ll pursue him.”
Would Lachlan arrest their father? Was that even possible? How could she put her brother in that position? And if they were wrong…
“This is about the Harvest deal?”
“Yeah.”
“What is the Harvest deal?”
“Over at the old Harvest site by the river, there’s a complex of empty buildings. We want it.”
“The city owns it?” she asked.
He nodded. “And we need the area rezoned.”
“You need votes and willing officials,” she said. “What does that have to do with Manzani?”
“Where is the Harvest site? Geographically?”
It struck her fast. “The border of McDade and Manzani territory.”
The Gambatto buffer was dwindling by the day.
“Aye.”
“They want it too?”
“Stopping us from getting control of the region is their priority. And that means taking it from us. It’s all haggling, baby, who has more, who has less.”
“So they have people in their pockets who will jockey for them.” But she didn’t get it. “My father doesn’t vote on council meetings. He isn’t involved in zoning decisions.”
“Bet a lot of guys in that building owe him. New guys want to impress him. You said he has power.”
“Yeah, but not like my grandfather… Oh, God…”
“I don’t know about the old man,” he said. “Approaching him is a risky move.”
“He’s never taken a payoff?”
“Not from me.”
Sense was returning, though incredulity took its place. “Can we consider my father might be acting under duress? Maybe he’s a victim, under pressure.”
His touch descended until his thumb ran across her lower lip. “Either way, he’s feeding Manzani.”
Grief was weighty. “We can’t trust him.” He caressed her face while she gathered the courage to ask, “Did he know?” Biting into her lip, she fought to dam the tears. “Did he… that Manzani sent his guys to me?”
For a second, he said nothing, just watched the lip she worried. “You want to stick to our honesty kick?” Was she ready for the potential answer? Either way, she nodded. “I can lie to you, baby. I’m good at it.”
“Conn,” she begged.
“If I find out he knew Manzani’s plan to target you, don’t ever leave me alone with him,” he said. “Only one of us will come out alive.”
It wasn’t a yes. Wasn’t a no.
“Boss?”
Though she was the one with her back to the doorway, Connel closed the open shirt over her body.
“In a minute,” he called to his guy. “You wanna stay here, Macushla?”
Feeling like that. Dirty. Used. Betrayed? No, she didn’t want to stay there. She wanted to go to her dad to demand the truth. Would the answer make her feel better? If he was in trouble, maybe they could help. If not, and she found out he’d known about the attack in advance… She’d be sick. And then what? He was in charge of the police. Why would anyone believe her over him?
“I’ve gotta go talk to the guys.”
“Wait,” she said, catching his hand before it could go anywhere. “Wait, baby…”
She guided his hand to her breast as she pushed up to press her mouth to his.
Squeezing her, he caught the back of her head to force her mouth closer. His tongue went deep, giving her a taste of that security she craved.
He gripped her hair to release that shared pressure, though their lips stayed whisper close.
“You’re a McDade,” he growled. “You’re gonna be okay. You’re a McDade. Tell me.”
“I’m a McDade.”
He kissed her fast. “Lay down and I’ll be back later. Want a pill? Something to help you sleep?”
“No,” she murmured, laying a hand on his chest. “You’ll stay close?”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, increasing his pull to ease her further back. “This is your kingdom.”
“Act like it,” she whispered. “I’m a McDade.”
“You’re a McDade,” he said and kissed her quick. “Stay here.”
He got up and left. She stared into nothing for some length of time, then sank forward to bury her face in Connel’s pillow.
Her father corrupt? It was the Twilight Zone. He couldn’t have known she’d be hurt. He couldn’t. No, they hadn’t always had the best relationship, but he wasn’t callous. Pussy or green. Would they motivate her father? Maybe if he wasn’t the man she thought he was. Either he was in serious trouble, or she’d been duped her whole life.