Don’t talk to me.
Don’t talk to me.
Do not even fucking think of talking to me.
“Sorry for all the crying…”
Fuck me.
“It’s alright, don’t care either way,” I stated and grabbed my lipstick.
“This city!” She inhaled sharply her fist clenching at her sides until she finally smacked the black counters. “Why is everyone here so cold? I don’t get it? I’ve been here a month and everyone is just horrible and miserable! It’s like the most negative people on the planet decided to move to Chicago and live!”
“Then leave,” I said calmly, finally facing her.
“What?”
“Pack your shit. Get on the next bus to nowhere-I-don’t-give fuck-vile and stay there instead of bitching to people who do not know you, nor would like to in five-star hotel bathrooms,” I replied. I put my rings back on, dropped my lipstick into my clutch and turned to leave before she further ruined my mood.
I made my way back to the door before remembering something. “If the most negative people on the planet have moved to Chicago, what does that say about yourself? If you can’t make here, that is no one else’s fault but your own.”
She stood there like a statue frozen in her own hypocrisy.
“Ma’am?” Huston Murphy, my head of security, stepped up to my side, glancing back over my shoulder at the door. “ We heard shouting—”
“I’m fine. What did I tell you, Murphy? I’m not like past governors, and you don’t need to hover, especially in one-on-one situations” I said. It was times like this that I wished I still had Fedel and Monte beside me. Since becoming governor, everyone on my staff needed to be squeaky clean to the point of annoyance.
Like all American boy Huston Murphy, 31, a decorated Marine, and recipient of the Medal of Honor, born and raised in Chicago, black hair, blue eyes, 6’1 and a half. He was also voted most popular in high school—queue eye roll. No arrests, no tickets, just a few unpaid student loans. When his file came across my desk two months ago, I wanted to shred it. Anyone with that clean of a record had some secret. I didn’t trust him with my shoes, let alone my life. However, Mina insisted.
“Ma’am, your family is heading to the cars” he said to me.
Ma’am.
Ma’am.
Ma’am.
The more he said it, the more I heard Ethan’s voice in my head saying ‘Dad’s the boss.’ I spent twelve hours pushing his hairy head out and he goes and stabs me in the fucking heart.
“Ma’am—”
“Governor. Just call me governor!”
LIAM
When she left, both Neal and Declan cringed at what would only be one hell of a fight tonight. I was partially excited, but then I remembered the look in her eye as Ethan spoke.
Grabbing him by the bow tie, I crouched down right in front of him.
“Dad?”
“Hold your ears,” I said seriously and I waited. Frowning he did what I asked. “To everyone you meet I am the boss, the Ceann na Conairte, Don. There is only one person alive who is the exception to this and it is your mother. The reason being is that she is the boss, the Ceann na Conairte, Don. Everything I am, she is. Saying anything less than that is an insult. Are we clear?”
I could see he looked hurt and confused, but nodded. His head dropped down. I stood back up and put my hand on his head, rubbing the back of it when he dropped his hands.
“Ethan, will you walk me and wait for your mom?” Mina asked with a
smile.. He nodded and stepped over to herleft, and as always Neal stepped up just a little bit in front her, like he was going to guard her with his body. He’d been doing it for so long that I don’t even think he realized it.