The image of my mom in an orange jumpsuit behind bars, growing old and missing out on Hope’s life and ours, sticks in my mind. And I’ve always had rage when it comes to Maximillion, but now, I want to kill him.
“He’s going to pay,” I growl.
“Steven, we should go home,” Harper says.
My phone rings and I freeze. It’s the ringtone I set for Maximillion.
“You sick son of a bitch,” I bark into the cell.
Harper’s eyes widen.
“Are you ready to stop playing games and step up to the plate,” he asks.
“What are you talking about?”
He snorts. “This is happening because you haven’t reported for duty. Get your ass into the campaign office on Monday and this all goes away.”
“Did you ever feel even an ounce of anything for her?”
His voice lowers. It’s full of arrogance. “Of course I do. You don’t think I’d make this happen without a way to have her in my bed by Monday night, did you?”
“You motherfucker,” I yell. “You’ll never touch her again.”
He snarls, “Don’t make claims you know won’t stick, Son. She’s mine. She’s always been mine. She’ll always be mine. Now man up and do what’s necessary.”
Ted pulls up and gets out of the car.
“Steven, get in the car,” Harper says.
I walk several feet away from Harper, Claire, and Ethan. “You think she’ll let you near her after this?”
Maximillion scoffs. “Again, you’re talking about things you know deep down aren’t true. Now stop being emotional. You’ve got my blood, act like it. I’ll see you Monday.” He hangs up.
Stunned, pissed, and shaking with disgust, I don’t move.
“Steven, get in the car,” Ethan sternly says.
“Please,” Harper begs.
“Harper, let’s go.” Claire leads Harper to the car.
“That—”
“Don’t talk about anything until we’re in the car,” Ethan advises. “Take a deep breath and get inside.” He holds his hand toward the vehicle.
I obey, and when I slide in, Harper grabs my hand and squeezes. Her green eyes are full of worry, and I hate the fact my family life is so screwed up, and she’s being dragged into it.
The door shuts.
“That was the governor?” Claire asks.
“Yes,” I reply.
“What did he say?”
“If I report to him for work Monday, then all this goes away for my mom.” My head begins to pound, and blood thumps between my ears.
“What? How?” Harper asks.
I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
“Steven, why does he want you to work for him?” Claire asks.
“The morning I was named a Marquis’s Top Ten Under Forty Professional, he called me and said I was going to head his finances for his campaign. I told him no then. He showed up in my apartment the next night after Quinn’s wedding. He was sitting there when I walked in. He insisted again I was going to work for him.”
Claire tilts her head and squints. “Why is it important you work for him?”
“He said it would look good for his campaign since I had good press behind me from the award. Other than that, I don’t know.”
“I have a hunch why,” Ethan offers.
“What’s that?”
“You’re a genius when it comes to numbers. Someone with your skills could hide money really well. When we met with Noah today, you saw things on my spreadsheet that my MBA, Ivy League grads didn’t find. If he’s in with the mob, your skills are vital.”
“There’s no way I’m laundering money for him.”
Harper squeezes my hand again and scoots closer.
I stare out the window into the darkness, fuming at how I couldn’t have figured out a way for my mom to leave him at some point over all these years. I knew the day would come when he would completely break her into thousands of pieces, but I didn’t ever contemplate this.
Claire slowly replies, “Maybe you should launder money for him.”
I jerk my head toward her. “Are you crazy?”
“Hear me out.”
My heart races, and I release a big breath. “Fine. Why would I break the law?”
“If we wired you, the FBI could get proof it isn’t your mother who did his dirty work.”
“What if he catches me wired up?”
Claire smiles. “The beauty of technology is something can look like one thing and be used for an entirely different reason. The FBI could have you wear a watch, or a necklace, or even cuff links. Any of those items could record your conversation.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep.”
“Claire, do you trust the FBI agents who arrested Beth?” Harper asks.
“The FBI is dirty, too?” I growl.
Claire shakes her head. “I don’t know. But I’d rather call an agent I trust.”
“Who would that be?”
“Agent Creedie.”
Ethan groans.
“Stop it,” Claire elbows him.
“What’s wrong with him?” I ask.
“Nothing,” Claire insists. “He’ll help us.”
“And be drooling all over you the entire time with his puppy dog eyes,” Ethan adds.
Claire rolls her eyes but doesn’t deny it.
“But he can help?” Harper asks. “You trust him?”
“Yes.”
“He’ll do anything for Claire, especially since he’s still trying to make it up to her for almost putting her behind bars.”
Claire tilts her head and smirks at Ethan. “Let’s not exaggerate. He only questioned me.”
Ethan grunts.
“No offense, Claire, my only concern is my mom not going down for this. Is he the agent we should talk to?”
“Yes. I’ll handle it, but I don’t want to do it over the phone. Do you think Jamison can get us back to New York in his plane tonight?”
“Yeah.”
I call Jamison, and he assures me he’ll set it up. I hang up. “He said he’d text you what time they approve the flight plan for.”
“Good.”
“Sorry to end your trip short.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Ethan assures me.
“I’m assuming I’ll be back in a day or so anyway,” Claire says.
“I’ll have Ted take you back to your hotel and keep him on standby for the airport. Text Jamison whenever you need to come back, and he’ll send his plane,” I instruct.
The car stops outside my building.
“Steven, I know this is hard, but don’t do anything stupid,” Ethan advises.
“Don’t take any more of his calls. And if he’s been in your condo, it might be bugged, so don’t talk about the case there, either,” Claire says.
“You think he’s recording us?” Harper cries out.
Claire raises her eyebrows. “Do you put it past him?”
“So, he would have...” Her face turns red. “Oh, jeez.”
My gut drops, and I pull her closer to me. “No. I don’t put it past him at all.” I turn to Harper. “We’re staying at a hotel or Quinn and Jamison’s until this is over. There’s no way he could have gotten into their place with their security. There’s video footage as well as personnel everywhere.”