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“What!” I snap and rub my arm.
“Caleb is meeting the mayor out front. He’s early. Get a move on,” Chris barks out at me.
I look down at the unmade coffee cups and growl at myself for being transported back to a happy time. A time when I was looking forward to being home for a while, meeting Shay out of work hours, and having some fun. Now, I can’t remember the last time I had fun.
“Clay!” I hear bellowing from the square, and I move delicately through the space.
I growl at Chris for his impatience, but really, I’m just pissed off at the world because these memories are getting me down. The happiness behind them is welcomed, but the crash after they fade is soul destroying. I remember everything I don’t have now, and it knocks me into the abyss. A place I need to claw my way out of all over again.
“Here.” Amber thrusts a takeaway coffee cup at my chest. “I’m gathering that look on your face is down to the lack of coffee this a.m.”
“Thanks.”
The door bursts open, and Caleb walks in with the mayor and his assistant. I don’t know his name, and I don’t really give two shits either. He looks like a stuck-up fucker.
“Boys.” The mayor steps into the middle of the room and shakes his head at me.
“Sorry, Mayor, but I don’t think I look like a boy.” Amber looks up from her iPad screen.
“My apologies, ma’am. So, who wants to start talking? Because right now, I am pissed off with you all. Why couldn’t you wait to speak to me first? You’re all aware of damage control, yes?”
“Caleb tried several times to call you. We either got fobbed off by your monkeys, or you didn’t reply. What else were we supposed to do? Trust me, we tried every avenue before we took the next step.”
“You mean you did every possible thing before you bad-mouthed the U.S. Army?”
“Yes, sir,” I state proudly. I’m not backing down now.
“All of this for a woman.”
“I beg your pardon.” I stand up and Amber follows me, puts her hand on my chest, and pushes me back. “How fucking dare you, Mayor! Would you do everything in your power to save your wife? Your daughter? I’m damn sure you would. So, if you have nothing to bring to the table, get the fuck out of my compound!”
“Hold on!” Caleb jumps in and waves his hands around. “Emotions are running high here, Mayor. My brother is just concerned about Shay. We all are. The army left us no choice. Shay and Josh are out there somewhere, and their families deserve to know where. They deserve to either get their son and daughter home to love and care for, or to lay them to rest. So far, the army has blocked us all out. Shay’s family is getting no answers. Everyone is in the dark.”
The mayor looks me up and down and shakes his head. “You know I’ve invested a lot of time and effort in your company. I have always been on Team Shawland’s side, but I’m not sure what you want from me this time.”
“I want someone to help find the woman I love,” I say, sounding weaker than I did five minutes ago when I wanted to strangle the Mayor of Chicago with my bare hands.
All eyes turn to me and goosebumps rise on my arms. It’s roasting in here, but my body is feeling the effects of losing Amber’s contact.
“The whole country is talking about this. Clay, you know better than any of us how the army works. Are you telling me that, if Shay wasn’t missing, you’d be accusing the army of neglect and poor conduct?”
“If anyone came to me for help and I found out what I know now, yes, I would. This isn’t just about Shay. This is about the thousands of men and women out there fighting for this country. They deserve to have people on their side that have their back. When I was out there with my team, I never settled until I knew where every single one of them was. This wouldn’t have happened on my watch. I would have torn up that fucking warzone until I found them that week. Your men in the army are lazy now. In fact, let me rephrase that. Your men and women that work the field are not lazy. They’re dedicated to their jobs. The goons that sit behind desks, barking orders, they don’t give a shit as long as their monthly salary hits their bank account. Is that the type of people you want running the show?”
“I’ll look into your claims myself, Clay, but in the meantime, I ask that you don’t publish any more stories. You don’t talk to the press.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I can’t promise anything. I won’t promise anything until I know something is being done to find Shay and Josh.”
My team looks between me and the mayor. No one says a word, and the mayor just stares me down.
“I’m going to let you calm down for a day or two. Caleb, can I ask that you keep your brother on a tight leash.”
I snigger and turn my back before he really sees me lose my shit.
“I will keep an eye on my brother, Mayor, but I won’t stop him from finding Shay.”
“I need to say this. As mayor of this city, I will shut this place down if you guys cause any more trouble for me and our city. I will reach out to the army and see what can be done.”
“Noted.” Caleb nods and folds his arms over his chest.
