“Ms. Roberts.”

I couldn’t help smiling. “Thank you for picking up the phone, Wendy. Since you obviously knew it was me, I’m surprised you did.”

A sigh met my ears. “I really do wish I could help you. Rather, I wish I could go back in time and do things differently.”

“Would that include your affair with Bradford Steel?”

Another sigh. “No. As much as I hated the idea of being the other woman, Brad and I… Well, we had a connection that I think few people ever find. It was like we knew each other in a previous life or something. Our souls were connected.” And one more sigh. “I don’t mean to sound all esoteric. I’m actually a pretty level-headed and down-to-earth person.” She let out a chuckle.

“I know you are. I know from our previous talks and also from the fact that you were a newswoman. You had to be pretty grounded to do that.”

“I’m glad you can see that side of me. I honestly do wish I could help you. I wish I could help those boys and their sister. There was no love lost between me and their mother, but I adored their father. He was everything to me. Those boys… God, they all look just like him.”

“So I’ve heard. Marjorie tells me she’s the only one who bears even a slight resemblance to their mother. And that’s just in the shape of her face and lips. Otherwise she’s a female version of her brothers.”

“If you had known Brad, it would make perfect sense to you why his genes were so dominant. That’s the kind of man he was. Dominant. Controlling, but in a completely loving way.” She sighed once more. “Why am I even telling you all this?”

I wasn’t sure why she was either, but I wanted her to continue. Desperately. “If it helps to talk about it, please do. I’ll be happy to keep your confidence. I’m really only interested in helping the Steels.”

“Well, to be honest with you, I get a good feeling from you, Jade. I know you’re Marjorie’s best friend, and you wouldn’t hurt her. I have no idea why your boss wants to investigate the Steels.”

Something in her tone made me pause—as if maybe she did know why my boss wanted to investigate the Steels.

“Can you tell me a little more about Bradford Steel? Marjorie doesn’t talk a lot about him, and of course she doesn’t remember her mother all.”

“All I can tell you is that he was like no one I’d ever known before. His presence, his mere stance, denoted strength, everything a man should be. I can’t explain it any better than that, and I’m sure you don’t understand what I mean.”

Oh, but I did understand. Clearly Talon was quite a bit like his father. And from what I could tell, both of his brothers were too, in more than just looks.

“Have you ever been in love, Jade? Have you ever been willing to do anything for another person? Have you ever been willing to give your whole life to someone else? Because that’s how it was with Brad and me. And I feel confident in saying that he felt the same way I did. If Daphne hadn’t gotten pregnant with the oldest son, I don’t think they would’ve married.”

Oh, how well I did know. And maybe it was time to open up to Wendy, especially since she was opening up to me. Besides, Talon had said we could take our relationship public.

“Wendy, I actually know exactly how you feel. I really do. And the reason I know that…” I cleared my throat and drew in a deep breath. This was the right thing to do. “I’ve kept your confidence. I ask that you keep mine.”

“Of course,” she said.

“The reason I understand is, I’m in love. With Talon Steel.”

Silence on the other end of the line.

“I suppose that’s a lot to take in,” I said.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“Talon has…issues.”

That was the understatement of the world. “I know. He’s in therapy.”

“Has he told you? I mean, why he’s in therapy?”

It occurred to me that I could say yes. Then Wendy would spill some information that she thought I had. But I couldn’t do that to Talon. I had promised that I wouldn’t pressure him, that I would let him tell me whatever he needed to tell me in his own time. So I turned off the attorney in me. “No, he hasn’t. He’s just not ready yet, and I’ve promised him that I won’t pressure him.”

“I would tell you if I could.”

“Yes, I believe you would. But don’t. I owe Talon more than that. I owe him my trust. If he’s ever going to trust me the way I trust him, he needs to know that I’m not trying to find out what’s going on behind his back.”

“It sounds like he’s lucky to have you, Jade.”

“I don’t know about that. I can only tell you that what I have with Talon sounds a lot like what you had with his father. He fills a room with his presence, with his strength and dominance.”

Wendy let out a laugh. “And it can get pretty fun in the bedroom, can’t it?”

My cheeks warmed. I hadn’t expected her to get that personal. “Well, without divulging anything private, I can agree with that.”

“Like father like son.”

I could almost see her smiling through the phone.

As fun as this conversation had the capacity to be, it was getting far beyond why I had called Wendy in the first place. “I believe Talon will tell me when he’s ready. And in the meantime, I’m not going to try to flush out anything he’s not ready to tell me about. But I am concerned. My boss, for whatever reason, wants information on the Steels. And let me be honest with you. I don’t know exactly why. All he told me was that it was classified. He said it was possible that they might be involved with organized crime and money laundering.”

Wendy gasped. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Honestly, Wendy, I don’t think they have anything to do with organized crime. I haven’t seen anything to indicate that they’re involved in anything illegal.”

“I can tell you right now that they’re not. Neither Brad nor his father would have dealt in any kind of crime or dirty money. They were both true gentlemen. Integrity meant the world to them.”

“I believe you.” And I did. “But Larry wanted to investigate them for some reason. Do you know what it might be?”