Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“Stop being dramatic. And don’t use your father’s illness to avoid your obligations. If you want a divorce, come play the good little wife for the cameras until my grandfather’s reelection.”
She wasn’t going to talk Todd out of this. He had no good side to appeal to, and—as he’d reminded her—his grandfather was a powerful senator who could buy off the press and threaten social media companies into suppressing the video of Brent’s murder.
“All right. But I will visit my father before coming to DC.” When Todd opened his mouth to object, she held up a hand to shut him up. “The optics would be bad if I didn’t. Publicize my visit if you want. I don’t even care if your grandfather tries to get sympathy votes from my pain anymore. But you’re not stopping me.”
Todd dissected her with a familiar, flat stare, as if he sought to identify a dead bug on the sole of his shoe. That expression used to hurt. Once, it had reminded her how badly their marriage was failing. Now it only assured her that she was getting to him.
“One visit,” he snapped. “In the next week, we’ll coordinate a trip to your father’s hospital, complete with press. You’ll wave, be appropriately teary, and take someone along to support you. Not him.” Todd tossed another glare at Matt. “After that, you’ll come crawling to DC like the white trash you are, and you’ll be mine until after the election. That’s nonnegotiable.”
She glared back, secretly relieved Todd hadn’t insisted on coming with her. “Press is fine for my walk into the hospital, but the actual visit and my father’s room both remain private.”
Todd shrugged as if conceding that point meant nothing. “A sick, shriveled old man isn’t good for our image, anyway.”
Madison gritted her teeth. How had she ever been vulnerable enough to be taken in by this snake? “After that, I’ll return to DC, but I want separate residences.”
“No. If we don’t live together, the separation will be noticed. You’ll stay in our apartment.”
She’d known the request was a long shot. And as much as she hated it, Todd was right. “I’ll pretend to play house, but I will not be alone with you—ever. I’ll be hiring round-the-clock bodyguards.”
He laughed. “Do you think any muscle in DC would protect you against a Pershing?”
If they ever wanted to work in the swamp again, no. She resisted the urge to lean on Matt and considered her options. But she was out of her element, and she needed protection guaranteed to put her safety first. “You’ll pay for two bodyguards of my choosing, not based in DC, to watch over me twenty-four seven.”
“Why are you stupid enough to imagine I would do that?”
“Spin it to your advantage to increase the family’s likability and win your grandfather more votes. Say Winston’s enemies have made political threats against me, and being the protective husband you are, you insisted on ensuring my safety. Since the rumors of your—how do I say this nicely?—leisure activities have been a part of Winston’s image problem, that might go a long way to quieting the rumors that our marriage is empty and you get your jollies by seducing too-young girls. By the way, how is Todd Junior?”
He scowled. “You can’t prove he’s my kid.”
“Please… He looks just like you, and your father writes that girl a check every month so you don’t have to submit to a DNA test.”
Todd lunged at her. “If you don’t shut the fuck up, I’m done negotiating.”
“You’re not,” Matt insisted, stepping between them. “She needs two bodyguards. I’ll be one of them.”
Madison gaped. Did he understand that Todd would take every opportunity to humiliate him? And if that didn’t satisfy her husband’s twisted side… Well, he’d proven he wasn’t above murder.
Todd hesitated, his shrewd stare volleying between her and Matt. “Okay, Romeo. This will be fun. I’ll pay whatever your going rate is. Who’s your other watchdog?”
“I am,” Ethan Garrison piped up, settling his ball cap on backward before crossing his inked arms over his chest.
Matt whirled with a narrow-eyed glower. “No.”
Ethan shrugged. “Not your choice, sport. You don’t like it? Take it up with the bosses. They had the same idea about her protection, and this was their decision.”
Madison tried not to wince. Matt and his youngest peer got along, as the old Southern saying went, like oil and water. They neither liked nor trusted each other. How the hell was this going to work?
Deke nodded in confirmation. “Hunter, Logan, and I talked about it for nearly two hours last night. Nash was their first choice, but he needs more recovery time after dancing with the three tangos’ knives. So…Ethan it is.”
One-Mile shrugged apologetically. “Sorry. My dance card is full, buddy. And Zy, Trees, and Kane are all on missions.”