He drew in another puff. “Just thinking through your last debate with Keith next week. I want to make sure you drive our message home before ballots are cast.”
“Hey.” I stepped back and gently tugged his shoulder.
He turned, a lit cigarette between his thumb and forefinger.
I grabbed the cancer stick and broke it, as was my usual pattern. Chris was accustomed to it, but usually, he put up more of a fight.
“Gonna quit this someday.”
“What?” I jerked my attention to his eyes.
“Not today, but I’ll try. For you.” The honesty in his blue eyes jump-started my heart.
I knew breaking the habit wasn’t a walk in the park, but he wanted to try. For me.
“I’d like that.” I smiled. “Not because I’m trying to control you but because I lov—I mean, like you. A lot. A whole lot.” I spread my hands wide.
“You like me, huh?”
“Yes. I definitely like you,” I agreed, nodding.
“I like you, too.” He smiled, his eyes teasing and glinting in the soft light.
“The debate.” I quickly changed the subject, not at all ready to go there with Chris. I’d decided to take this relationship, whatever this was, turtle-crossing-the-road slow. “We’ve gone over the talking points, I’ve been out in the community, we’ve raised the money, and I’m ready. I won’t let you down.” I shook my head. “Not like last time. No more lovers’ spats.”
“I should hope not.” He leaned against the rail, taking me in. “Besides, he’s no longer your lover. That would be me.” He pointed to his chest.
I lifted my head. “Right. Speaking of lover . . .” I stepped closer, crowding his space. “Come to bed. I’ll put your mind at ease.”
He lifted me, cupping my ass. “I more than like you,” he whispered against my lips. I shivered, wrapping my arms and legs tighter.
“How much?” I dared him to say more.
“Let’s go to bed. I can show you how much in there.”
He walked us back inside the condo and showed me just how much.
* * *
“I’d like to order a poppy seed bagel, please.” I smiled at the young woman behind the counter. “Oh, and a medium coffee, no sugar or cream.”
After I got my order, I settled at the two-seater table in the back, then sipped my coffee, I smiled, staring aimlessly out of the window. I needed peace, away from Chris’s nervous energy and the nosy but well-meaning questions from my coworkers and friends. Surprisingly, the small café that I’d frequented over the years had always given me calm. I was so close to achieving my goal I could taste it. Sure, I had a battle ahead, but I was so ready to fight for what I wanted.
My phone pinged, signaling an email. I was tempted to disconnect, but with weeks until the election, I needed to stay on top of communication.
I opened the email, though I didn’t recognize the name or the email address.
I scanned the email and gasped. “Holy. Shit.”
Keith had been a bad boy, a very bad boy. I leaned back, stunned. Stunned and thinking what I should do.
I needed to tell Chris, stat. This email changed everything. I slung my purse on my shoulder and hustled out of the coffee shop. The bad girl in me rubbed her hands together. The debate was just two weeks away, and this would make a splash. I finally had the bastard by the nuts.
I tossed the printed documents in front of Chris.
“What is this?” He smiled up at me from his desk.
“Just read it.”
He crooked his finger. I leaned down, knowing he wanted a kiss. After a quick smooch, he grabbed the pages and moved them to the corner of his desk. “All right.”
I backed away. “Can you read it now?”
“Right now?”
I nodded. “Yes! Right now.” I snickered. “You won’t believe it.” I settled into the seat in front of his desk.
Chris chuckled. “Fine, sunshine.” He reached for the papers, a bemused smile on his face. After reading the first page, he frowned, flipped through the others. After a few minutes, he was done.
“Damn.” He rubbed his face. “He’s trying to force a county vendor to contribute to his reelection?”
“Apparently, he’s trying to blackmail him. He wants two hundred thousand dollars.”
Chris whistled. “So I see. He really is an asshole.”
“He’s a liar and a cheater and, good grief, I can’t believe I loved him. I was going to marry that crook.”
“Yeah, you dodged a bullet on that one.” He shook his head, eyes still on the papers.
“Right!” I jumped from my seat. “And how stupid does he have to be to send threats via text and email?”
“He’s not stupid. He just feels powerful, invincible.” He sighed. “I noticed it only after a few months of campaigning. It’s like he enjoys playing with fire. Women, money, power—it’s all a rush for him.” He looked up. “Do you have any idea who sent this to you?”
“No. The email and name are anonymous.”
Chris nodded. “How do you plan on using this information?”
“I’m not going to bring it up during the debate, of course!”
Chris sighed. “That’s a relief. I don’t want another crazy debate with you two.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you. I’ll be discreet. I can have someone reach out to a paper and plant the bug in their ear.”
“What?” His voice was sharp.
“I . . .” I sat back down, licking my lips. “You don’t think it’s a good idea? This could ruin him, change the tide, and I’ll be a sure win. According to the latest polls, we’re pretty close.”
“You’re still ahead and on your way to win, Sienna. You don’t need this.” He tossed the documents back on the desk. A few loose papers fell on the floor. “I can’t believe this.”
“Believe what?”
“Believe that you would stoop so low to win.”
“I’m not stooping low.” I pointed at the pages on the floor. “Stooping low is when Keith threatened to leak news about that man if he wouldn’t contribute to his campaign. I’m simply passing along the info to the right people. I don’t see how that’s so bad,” I said, my voice defensive. I couldn’t believe Chris was acting so uncool about this. He was a campaign manager, for goodness sake. Surely, he could see how this could work in our favor.
“You don’t see what’s so bad, that’s what the issue is.” He pulled his dreads back from his neck. “A year ago, you wouldn’t have even considered this.”
“A year ago, I was a fool.”
“Not a fool. Sweet, kind—”
“Weak.”
“No, strong.”
“I am not that girl anymore.”
“You’re my sunshine.”
“No, I’m not anyone’s sunshine. I’m just me. A woman who gave her heart to the wrong man. A woman who was dumb enough to turn down a well-into-six-figure job to be a freakin’ public defender. A woman who used to let people take advantage.”