Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Filling the doorway is the man who is almost the exact, albeit older, physical replica of Maxim. Our eyes narrow and our shoulders stiffen at the same time, the only things about us in synch. He closes the door behind him.
“Miss Hunter,” Warren Cade drawls. “I wondered when you’d turn up.”
Turn up like a bad penny if his disdainful look is any indication of how he feels about me.
“I’ve been around,” I tell him, keeping my voice as neutral as possible. “There’s a lot riding on tonight. We all want Owen to do well.”
Any polite pretense disintegrates from his face. “You better not ruin one damn thing for my boy.”
“I want Owen to win. I’m willing to set aside our personal differences long enough to get your son elected because I believe he will take this country in a direction that benefits those most vulnerable among us.”
“You’re so concerned about the most vulnerable, yet every time I turn around you’re ingratiating yourself with extremely powerful men, specifically my sons. Why is that, Miss Hunter? I think you’re as hungry for power as the ones you claim to hate.”
“Your sons came to me, not the other way around. I don’t want power. I want what has been promised to my people for centuries. I only want what is ours to remain ours. What was stolen from us, where possible, to be returned. You’re the one constantly collecting things that aren’t yours as if you don’t already have enough.”
“Enough?” His laugh is dark and twists between us. “What is this concept of enough? It sounds wholly un-American. There’s never enough. Ask my son if he ever gets enough.”
He leans down to look directly into my eyes. “Not Owen. The other one. Maxim’s just like me. You do know that, right? Under all that clean, Greenpeace shit, he’s as ruthless and insatiable as I am, though he doesn’t like to admit it. You think some girl from the reservation will ever be enough for him?”
Never be enough for Maxim? For the man who put himself between me and a pack of dogs before he even knew my name? Not enough for the man who shook me awake from my nightmares and held me all night? The man who begged for my forgiveness, admitted he was wrong and came back for me…just like he said he would?
“You hate it, don’t you?” I ask, my voice low and taunting. “That I’m the one he wants?”
His confident smile flickers, slips.
“You know him so well,” I say. “Not Owen. The other one.”
I take a bold step closer so my words have less space to travel.
“You know Maxim well enough to see that he didn’t come back for Owen. He came back for me.”
“You’re wrong,” Warren says with an ease belied by the hard glimmer in his eyes.
“Am I? God, it must grate that your son wants…how did you put it? Some girl from the reservation? The girl who can’t stand you and gets in your way at every turn?”
“You should be very careful,” Warren says, his voice a threat.
“Or what? You’ll destroy my career? Come against my friends? My family? You don’t scare me.” I laugh with sudden realization. “I scare you. Because you know that if you hurt me, Maxim will never forgive you.”
“That’s ridiculous.” His laugh scoffs, but I see something in his eyes—the same thing Maxim doesn’t want me to see in his. Longing. He longs for a relationship with his son the way Maxim longs for him. He misses Maxim, but he can’t have him.
And I can.
“I know your secret, Mr. Cade.” I tip up on my toes and whisper in his ear. “You love Maxim most.”
When I step back, a vein bisects his forehead like a lightning bolt. The anger swirls around him, cyclonic and forceful. If Maxim’s own words didn’t convince me how much he cares for me, his father’s response does.
“Now if you’ll excuse me,” I say, keeping my voice low. “Your other son needs me.”
I open the door, step inside the room, and close the door in Warren Cade’s face. A deep breath settles me and clears my mind of the unpleasant encounter before I approach Owen. He’s seated on the bed, iPad beside him, and he looks perfectly at ease. He’s a natural. He doesn’t just poll well; he is a good man. He’ll be good for our country. He’ll unite us but still be uncompromising for the people who deserve defending.
“You ready?” I ask.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” His smile is a little weary, but I’ve seen him in action enough to know when the lights come on, so does he. He’ll bring the energy we need.
“Tonight has already been a huge success, and your announcement is gonna top it off in the best way possible. After this, it’s a whole new ball game, and we’re ready to play.”