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The crowd is in the middle of a collective laugh, the sound of two hundred people snorting through their noses. I forget what this gathering is for; some city chamber of something-or-other rubbish. Not that it matters.
Ballerini preens onstage at the podium. He’s raving about this being a new era for the city and blah fuckitty blah. I can’t listen to his garbage and tune him out after about six words.
Conner points to some empty seats but I’d rather stand in the back and check out the scene. Besides, sooner or later Mayor Fuckface will notice me standing here and I’d like to be able to glare my heart out when that happens.
I’m so busy firing invisible bullets through my eyes that I don’t even notice there are other people seated at a cloth-covered table onstage until Gage nudges me. My mother’s up there, which isn’t a shock. Matilda is not only a leading member of the corporate community but she has always been a big campaign contributor.
Anyway, she might have no clue about what happened with Tess. Whatever Gage said to Ballerini was effective and he squashed the so-called ‘scandal’ before it got traction.
Matilda’s bright hair is piled on her head and she stifles a yawn as the mayor yammers on and on. Seated beside her and also looking kind of bored is the police chief of West Emerald in full uniform. Josh Ballerini sure seems to have an awful lot of free time to act as his brother’s personal assistant. Gage says there’s a rumor that Josh is favored to take over the much larger Em City force when the current chief retires next month.
Smells like crony bullshit to me. Typical politics.
Meanwhile, the sight of the three of us propped up against the back wall has stirred some notice.
Faces turn and a buzz ripples through the room. Reporters seated near the stage pivot and a few snap photos when they see who stands in the middle of our trio.
Conner had the right idea in thinking that the city’s most beloved sports hero would give the mayor a solid reason to keep the peace. If Ballerini throws me out or tries to slap cuffs on, there’s no way Conner would stand around and watch. No doubt manhandling everyone’s favorite quarterback would turn into a PR nightmare.
Not for the first time and definitely not for the last, I feel a rush of appreciation for the two men who walked in here with me.
These are my brothers. For better, for worse, for always.
The mayor’s microphone crackles and he pauses. Finally, he’s noticed our arrival and it’s thrown him off. He clears his throat, pulls on his tie and glances back at his brother like he’s expecting help.
I do my best to project the fire of my hatred to the stage. I hope he can feel the burn.
Matilda, however, has noticed nothing. She looks at her phone.
Ballerini wraps up his nonsense with some hasty thanks amid gushing about how he’s honored to be the ruler of this great city. Polite applause swells through the room and expensively dressed people rise from their seats.
“What now?” Conner asks.
“We wait,” Gage replies and throws me a look.
I shrug. Sure, I’ll wait. Another minute won’t kill me.
Then a face swims into view and I nearly lose my cool.
I haven’t seen Pierce Carrington in person since the day I pitched him down a flight of stairs. Now I think I didn’t go far enough. His bones have healed and he’s walking around free and clear without so much as a limp. That sucks.
My face was covered that day. I shouldn’t be recognizable to him. Yet he pauses six feet away. A flicker of something menacing skates across his face. I stare back at him with a silent challenge.Just give me a fucking reason, asshole.
He works with Ballerini now. When I remember what he tried to do to Tess and how Ballerini didn’t even want to hear about it, I have to scrape my tight fist on my jeans to stifle the lust for vengeance.
Carrington’s throat bobs and he looks at Conner. Some part of his reptilian brain decides that a public clash isn’t in his best interest. He leaves the room, but I was wrong about something. He does have a slight limp after all. Cool.
Matilda has finally noticed we’re here. She stands on the stage, a baffled look on her face, and crosses her arms, no doubt suspicious about what we’re up to.
Ballerini and his brother are in the middle of a private conference. The mayor runs his mouth like he’s spitting nails and Josh shakes his head while occasionally glancing our way.
Aside from a few grim members of the security team, there aren’t many people left in the room.
That’s enough waiting. “Don’t hold me back.”
Conner shakes the hand of one last fan and Gage curses under his breath. I hear them fall in line behind me as I take a stroll down the empty aisle toward the stage.
Matilda thinks I’m on my way to talk to her. “Micah, what on earth are you doing here?”
