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“One hour.” He reminded me and then disappeared around the corner with the senator.
28
Arsen
Ignoring the baleful look my father was currently drilling into my side, I stalked ahead of him into the room. Niles smirked, his face smug even as blood smeared it. He was proud he’d hurt my boyfriend. Proud he’d ripped the world right from beneath our feet.
Maybe my anger had been misplaced with Matthew, but it definitely was not with Niles, and it propelled my fist right into his face with so much force the man dropped to the floor with a grunt.
Shaking out my hand, I stared down at him. “You’re fired.”
“Fired!” Niles wailed from the floor. “You can’t fire me. I’m the one who just saved your ass and your father’s reputation!”
I grabbed his tie, yanking his upper body off the floor while bringing my fist back again. “Yeah? Well, your delivery sucks.”
I swung, but Dad caught my arm. “That’s enough. This is hardly the time or the place.”
“Is there ever really a time or place for a homophobic asshole to cause a scene and hurt people I care about?” I spat.
Niles scrambled to his feet. “Stop thinking with your dick and look at the facts! Your father and McClaren have been at each other’s throats practically since they were both elected. Two senators from two different parties representing the same state is a recipe for disaster.” Niles turned to my father. “He wants you out, and we both know it. Smearing your name in the press is the perfect way to block you from re-election so he can push his agenda without interference.”
He had my father’s ear. Dad was definitely considering his words. I admit it looked bad. Bad enough to make me pause before. My father and Matthew’s father, rivals. It was an irrefutable fact. Niles was right in that the men did not get along and they blocked each other at every opportunity. It made for difficult politics. Nothing was getting passed. Many probably didn’t know it, but the state was at an impasse. Stagnant and unable to move forward toward change.
Was this something John McClaren would do? One thousand percent.
But Matthew?
I met my father’s eyes unflinchingly. “Matthew didn’t do it. He isn’t even capable.” I knew it in my bones.
Niles grunted. “Of course he is. He’s McClaren’s son. Snakes spawn more snakes.”
Was that supposed to be a one-liner? Pathetic.
“Some snakes eat their own,” I pointed out, recalling the way Matthew looked while telling the room how awful his father was to him. How he had basically disowned him.
How he thought I would disown him too.
I should be with him right now. I should have stayed. My heart thumped, and I glanced at the door.
“It’s no coincidence that the second McClaren’s offspring shows up, Arsen is arrested twice,” Niles pressed, his face taking on an unfortunate shade of purple. “He’s the only one with motive and opportunity.”
“No, the one with motive is McClaren. Matthew didn’t even know you’re my father,” I asserted in his defense.
Niles laughed. “You really believe that?”
“Yes,” I told my father. “I do.”
Dad seemed torn, the politician in him shrewd enough to believe Niles, the father in him wanting to believe his son.
“If this really is McClaren, why would he send his son to do his dirty work?” I pressed. “It’s a direct link right back to him.”
“Maybe he thought he buried the kid’s identity enough that no one would find out.” Dad considered.
I made a rude sound. “He would know you have the same connections he does. He would know you could find it if you knew where to look.”
“He has a big ego. Maybe he underestimated me,” Niles said.
This guy had the communication skills of an alarm clock. He also had an ego the size of the Grand Canyon.
