Rissa listened as her excitement waned. Iowa? Who in the hell chose this place to begin? She sat back and dropped her legs to the floor, her hands folded in her lap, her smile fading. Mingle with farmers? A state fair? Oh no, she wasn’t going to be stomping around some damn hay riding, cowboy roping fair in the mid-west, acting as though she was happy! And Braden would advise on her wardrobe! She could feel her beast rising. Her face was scrunched tight as she stood up and started pacing. Off the rack? Kiss babies? Oh, hell no!
Saying nothing, she walked to the bar with a purpose and poured a tall Midnight, downed it in one throw and poured another. Slowly turning around, her eyes bored into Alec's. "Is this some kind of cruel joke, Alec, some scheme you cooked up with Braden?"
Alec drew on the cigarette before stubbing it out in the ashtray. "Rissa, you were mortal once. Didn’t you pay attention to your own political process? Do you ever bother to watch the news? This is how campaigns are conducted. I have to win the vote of the people. That means we mingle with the people. Every hand we shake, and we will shake thousands, is a potential vote. How did you think this was going to go?”
Walking with a determined stride across the room, she crossed her arms over her chest, her Midnight still in hand. "Seriously Alec, Iowa? I don’t give a fig about the poor, we’ve spent our lives mingling with the best, brightest and richest people in America and now you want me to mingle with some poor farmer and expect me to just jump in with both feet? I don’t do Iowa. I do Boston, New York, L.A., and Chicago! I do D.C. and I handle some of the oldest money in this town, so let me dig in my closet and have Braden pull out my cotton dress and my grannie shoes and show them a good time!"
Throwing back her Midnight, she drained the glass and gritted her teeth. She wasn’t going to do this without a fight.
Alec took a deep breath before he answered. "And just how would that look, my darling, if all the other candidates have their wives at their side, except me? All campaigns start in Iowa, and it will be the first of many state fairs we’ll attend. And I suggest you climb off your high horse and learn to deal with the ‘poor’ as you call them, if you ever expect to live in the White House. You knew what you signed up for with me, so don't start pulling this shit now."
"Oh, I signed up all right. I signed up to be your mate, and do as you command, but this was never in the bargain. Off the rack? Alec, I’m a blue blood, I’ve never in my life owned anything off the rack. And let me assure you, I’ll have a stylist and you can bet your vampire ass it won’t be Braden Childs. This shit? Pulling this shit? In case you’ve forgotten, I fucked that old buzzard, so you could go on this campaign. Don’t strangle me now, Alec, don’t. Give me some space to do things my way and get you to the White House. Braden may have the brains, but you and I are a team. I won’t do this."
Alec stood, towering over her. "Rissa, I’m not asking you to dress in rags, and there will be many fundraising dinners with the elite where you can dress as expensively as you want. But there is a time and place for everything, and you’ll follow Braden's direction, and mine. And while we're on the subject, you'll need to make some decisions about your business."
He towered over her and she could feel his heat, smell him deep in her nostrils. Her business was her life line, hers alone. He had nothing to do with her success and now he was going to control that as well? She felt a line drawn in the sand. "Choose your words carefully, master."
Alec squinted, deepening his frown. "Excuse me? Are you giving me direction now?"
Slowly lifting her hand, softening her tone, she let it slide gently across his cheek, her eyes never leaving his. Her hand trailed down his neck. "Not direction, advice."
He grabbed her wrist, squeezing tightly, speaking through clenched teeth. "I don't take advice from my mate. It’s the other way around, or have you forgotten?"
Rissa felt the pressure on her wrist, he could snap her bones in two, but he wouldn’t, especially not now, he needed her. "I haven’t forgotten. I just ask you to remember I built my business from the ground up, it’s mine. It’s who I am. Please Alec, remember that."
Alec released his grip and sighed heavily. "Rissa, be practical. For the next eighteen months we’ll be on the road, traveling from state to state. You can leave one of your employees in charge in your absence, but that would only be a temporary solution. If I win the Presidency, you won't be able to continue with your business. Your best option is to sell the business now, while you still have the strong reputation attached to it."
Rissa felt her heart crack. Sell? She slowly backed away from him, her eyes wide with astonishment. She was speechless. Never did she consider she’d have to give up the one thing she excelled at. It was hers! She turned and walked to the large window, staring out at the lights of Georgetown. She had to take a chance on him; she had to believe in him. If she wasn’t going to be the Darling of G-town, she’d have to be the First Lady of the White House. She turned her head and looked at him over her shoulder and for the first time, she wasn’t sure of this anymore. "I'm scared."
He went to her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. "It’s a risk, my darling. There’s no guarantee. But if I should fail at the White House, I promise you, I’ll do everything within my power to help you restart your business. If you have someone who you think can run it in your absence, then do that. Keep it. You’ll have it to go back to in eight years when I’ve completed my Presidency. But without that, I don't see many options, do you?"
His arms felt like a safety net. His voice was softer, caring, and she was grateful he understood how much she was giving up. "I guess I never thought about this part of it. I know most mates don’t have the advantages I do. I get to be my own person, have the freedom to make my own decisions in my business without consulting you on anything. Please never think I take that for granted, Alec. I know how fortunate I am being your mate. I need some time to think about this. My assistant can handle things until I make up my mind whether to sell it outright."
Spinning around in his arms, she laid her head on his chest. "Alec, tell me you can do this, assure me and I’ll do whatever you want. I love you and I’ll do what you need. I don’t like being scared."
He uncharacteristically gave her comfort and allowed her to lean against his chest as he held her. "It’s my intention to succeed. I wouldn't undertake this if I didn't think I could achieve it. It was the only reason for getting the Senate seat in the first place. I was bored with the immortal manipulations for land and power, and found the mortal struggles entertaining. Eternity can be both a blessing and a curse, my darling. I’m afraid one can become quite jaded with life. Take some time to decide what you want to do with the business, just understand you won't be here to run things on a day to day basis."
"I know you can do it, Alec. You’re my wicked vampire, who else could tackle this chaos." As she laughed softly, he walked away from her and got himself another Midnight. "Alec, is there anything else?"
"I can't think of anything else for the moment, darling. The campaign will be exhausting. It’s non-stop with speeches and fundraising. Putting on a good face regardless of what’s happening behind the scenes. It’s always about managing your image and controlling how the public sees you. That’s where Braden comes in. He’ll run the campaign, get us where we’re supposed to be, manage the events. I just need you to play the role of dutiful and devoted wife until we're in the White House. Can you do that for me?"