Total pages in book: 189
Estimated words: 174749 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 874(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174749 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 874(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
“What the fuck do you want?” I ask, growling.
She reaches over and runs a hand down my arm. “Nice to see you too, Mayor Jeffries,” she coos. “Looks like you’re having what you would call a ‘bad fucking day’.”
“What the hell do you care?” I ask sharply, and I can tell people are trying hard to pretend not to listen while straining to catch a glimpse of our conversation. “You came up all the way from the city to tell me that?”
“No,” Tina says, after a pause. “I came to help you.”
I laugh darkly. “By giving up and letting you take those factories?” I ask her, looking into her dark eyes. “By sacrificing those jobs.”
She signs and leans closer as she whispers into my ear. “By knowing who your friends are, and helping them now, so that they can help you later.”
I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise. I can feel her hand rest itself on my thigh and give me a gentle squeeze. It slowly starts travelling up, heading toward my cock.
“Ms. Ling,” I say, controlling my temper and keeping my voice at a whisper as I turn to her and look her in the eyes. “I have never said this to a woman, but get your fucking hands off of me before I knock you the fuck out.”
Tina seems to straighten up at my words and her demeanor changes. She looks at me coldly.
“I’d watch your back if I were you, Liam Jeffries,” she says as if talking down to a fucking peasant. “You never know when you might lose even this,” she says gesturing toward the bar.
And with that she turns around and begins to walk away.
I watch her go, and wonder if I should have maybe taken her back to my place. That ass, as it flexes would tempt any man. But I’ve had better with Vivian.
A few minutes pass after Tina walks out of the bar and I realize the only thing keeping me together in all this is thinking of Vivian. And the night that we had—me, her…and yeah, Carter. I could sit here and think about that night all day but wouldn’t you know it, the news anchor has got to fucking keep ruining my day.
I listen in fucking horror as he begins, “The Daily Journal has also confirmed just now the fact that there is a fourth player in what is turning out to be the political scandal of the year in this quagmire. A Miss Tina Ling—from the People’s Republic of China and apparently the head of the local Communist Party in Shanghai. Ms. Ling is the de facto mayor of Shanghai and has just confirmed to this station in an exclusive statement that she has been meeting secretly as well with Liam Jeffries about the possibility of relocating the Boltiador family factories to China to comply with Governor Carter’s environmental legislation.”
Fuck. I’m fucking sorry, but I have no more fucking words. This entire political world is filled with snakes. And if they’re not snakes, then they’re fucking vipers.
“Can I get another fucking beer?” I ask the bartender.
She nods, her face dark, and pours me a pint. Then she looks at me as she spits in it. And calmly places it in front of me.
Yeah. I fucking deserved that right now.
Shit.
20
VIVIAN
A
lright, hun, I think I can understand Carter cancelling yesterday. I mean, he’s got a problem with someone inside of his team or someone outside who’s trying to screw him. When a Democratic Governor gets accused of sending jobs over to Communist China, the last thing he probably wants to do is go out to Le Cirque with a Senator who is an avowed Independent and likes sex, and a Republican playboy mayor. At least, not to a restaurant where a steak costs $115 before sides.
So yeah, I mean, I can totally understand calling off dinner. But then, as the situation gets worse the next day, I would have maybe thought he’d give me a call to keep me apprised of the situation, you know?
But even if he didn’t I guess I can understand that. He’s probably thinking that it’s best right now to be in lockdown mode—completely hermetically seal himself off in a bubble. That’s why he’s a man, and I’m a successful woman.
When shit like this hits the fan, I usually go the opposite route. Go find allies as quickly as I can, and build a wall. It’s how all the times in the past some zealot has tried to make an issue about me being a “fallen woman” I’ve had the political capital and firepower to blow them out of the water.
I mean, I’m telling you this, but you probably already know. When you’re in trouble, you can retreat, or you can reach out to those closest to you.