Shade felt an immense wave of love fill him. "Cory, the healing was mutual. You healed me in a way I wasn’t sure could happen. You have already repaid me. You love me. And I can ask for no greater gift from you. I will always love you, son."
Shade walked to the door, his hand around the doorknob and he stopped without turning around. "Just love her, son, it is the best thing you will have in your life, to have that love returned to you."
Walking out the door, he headed downstairs when he heard a small voice screaming with glee. "Daddy!" He was a father now, and he loved every second of it, even knowing his ass was about to go diving into a pool to retrieve a dinosaur.
66
Braden angrily tossed the Washington Post aside as he picked up the newspapers from Iowa and Florida, reading the very negative reviews from the press. Alec was starting to slip in the polls and it had nothing to do with Alec. The reporters all took note of his good looks and charm, and how his constituents seemed to flock to him, but then the focus always turned to Rissa, and never failed to include a photo of her, looking sullen or bored.
Kelsey entered his hotel room with another stack of newspapers, and tossed him the latest issue of People magazine. It featured a cover photo of Alec, all smiles, with Rissa standing off to the side, eyes glaring at him. The headline read, "THE NEW CAMELOT IS CRUMBLING!"
Braden grabbed up the magazine, which had provided such great coverage of their wedding, and now seemed only too eager to showcase this riff. But then again, how could they not? Even Braden knew the divide between them was obvious for all to see. Despite the number of times Alec had lectured her, and how many times she promised to do better, as soon as she wasn’t the focus of everyone's attention, she pouted like a spoiled two-year-old.
Braden flipped through the magazine, looking at picture after picture of the couple, Alec smiling and Rissa looking sullen. "Fuck!" He tossed the magazine across the room.
Kelsey handed him a Midnight, which he downed in a gulp. "Don't even bother looking at the rest of these newspapers. It's just more of the same. What are you going to do, Braden?"
Braden slammed the glass down on the table. He’d never lost a campaign before, and now, this bitch was going to destroy his perfect record. "It's time for a showdown. Alec needs a reality check."
Braden stormed out of the room, and headed for the Canton's suite, as Kelsey plopped down on his unmade bed, thinking to herself, he needs more than that.
Reaching the large double doors that lead to the suite, Braden banged on the door. Mateo answered and let him in. "The boss is in the living room. He's watching the morning news coverage, and he's not very happy."
Braden snapped at him, "Yeah? Well, that makes two of us!"
Braden pushed past Mateo and into the separate living room of the Presidential suite to see Alec standing with his hands on his hips, as the morning news gave a recap of the campaign. “Camelot is crumbling" seemed to be the catch phrase on every reporter’s lips, no matter which channel they turned to. Braden's face was red with anger as he paced.
"We're going to lose, Alec, you are going to lose, and it's all because of her. You better find a way to get her under control. I've done everything I can, and she ignores me at every turn!"
Alec poured himself a Midnight and offered a glass to Braden. "I'll talk to her."
Braden shook his head. "You've been talking to her, Alec! She needs more than talk. She’s going to destroy your campaign! The American people have to see two things. They have to envision you as their President, trust you will keep them safe, and feel that. But they also have to envision her as their First Lady, even though she doesn't make any policy decisions, she represents this country, and right now, they're not buying it!"
Alec paced as he drank. "All right, Braden. I get it. Let me handle it."
Braden stormed out of the room, shouting as he left, "You better fucking handle it, or plan on spending your retirement years in Connecticut, because you won't have your Senate seat to go back to."
He slammed the door behind him as he left. Alec went to the bedroom door and tapped lightly, but didn’t get an answer. He’d told Rissa they’d need to leave by eight this morning and it was now a quarter till. When he opened the door, he found her still in bed asleep. "Rissa!"
Rissa had heard the alarm when it went off, but ignored it and fell back to sleep. Sleep was a wonderful escape from the nightmare that was her life right now. She’d drank too much Midnight the night before to take the edge off her hunger, but now the alcohol had left her feeling sluggish. She rolled over when she heard Alec calling to her. "Why do you have to be so loud, I’m trying to rest." Rolling back onto her stomach, she moaned, her head pounding.
Alec grabbed a handful of her blonde hair and dragged her from the bed to her feet. Controlling his beast, he spoke through gritted teeth, "I told you be ready to leave at eight. You’re screwing up this campaign, Rissa. Do you even care?"
He pushed her back onto the bed. "You know what? Stay home today. Get some sleep. I'm better off without you anyway. You're not going to pull me down."
He turned on his heels and stormed out of their bedroom to encounter Mateo. "Where's Hyde?"
Mateo told him he’d gone out to pick up more cigarettes and would be back momentarily. Alec slipped his phone into his pocket and grabbed his laptop just as Hyde returned. Alec barked at him, "She’s not to leave the suite today, understood? The last thing I need is more bad press."
Hyde dropped the cigarettes on the table as he responded, "Yes, boss."
Alec stuffed a pack of the cigarettes in his pocket and nodded to Mateo. "Let's go.”
Mateo gave Hyde a look, warning him not to make further inquiries. “I'll fill you in later, brother.”
Hyde nodded and sighed. He’d seen the news already, and he didn’t need Mateo to tell him what was going wrong.
Rissa was stunned and then angered, as she realized he was going to leave her here alone. She jumped up from the bed, as the door slammed and could hear him barking at Hyde. Wrapping the sheet around her, she rushed out of the bedroom in time to see him preparing to leave the suite with Mateo. "Oh, no you don’t!” She screamed at his back.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Hyde reaching for her, blocking her from following Alec. She turned on him like a caged animal and came at him clawing and screaming. "Get off of me. Now!"
Alec turned to look at her and she ran to him, clutching the sheet to her chest, her voice rising, "So, this is all my fault? I don’t think so. I’ve done everything you’ve asked! I feel like a pawn in your game for power. This is all about you. So, tell me, master, have I always been a pawn? This won’t change, will it? It will be the same in the White House.”
She felt her body shaking from the anger. "Can you not feel me, Alec? Just try to feel what I feel. I gave up everything for you, and this is what I get in return?"
Hyde and Mateo slipped quickly into the foyer, to give them as much privacy as possible in this confined space.
Alec gripped her shoulders, shaking her. "You’ve not done everything I asked, my darling, and if you’re a pawn, you’re a poor one at best. Turn on any TV, pick up any newspaper, and your sad, pouting face is there for all to see, the poor little rich girl, no longer the center of everyone's attention. And what exactly have you given up? You live like a fucking queen, you have unlimited access to my money, you have cars, jewels, whatever you’ve asked for. You knew what you were getting into when you mated with me, so don't play the fucking victim now. Stay here, and behave yourself, and the next time I say be ready by a certain time, perhaps, my darling, you’ll learn I mean what I say. I’m tired of this shit, Rissa. Stay here and Hyde will make sure you don't encounter any press today."