Corrupted Union

3

“Say what you came to say.” Dad’s command hung in the air. “As you’re aware, the mayor is close to announcing his appointment to replace the retiring police commissioner. The man he plans to put in power is even more corrupt than the mayor himself, which isn’t saying much.” The shadow of a grimace darkened my father’s face. “You know as well as I do that as the governor, I have no control over who is appointed to that position.” “Come on now, Alexander.” Keir tilted his head. “You’ve been in the game long enough to know how it works. Just because it’s not in your job description doesn’t mean you don’t have any influence.” “I’ve built my career on integrity.” Dad glared. “I don’t intend to throw that away now.” “You don’t have to cross any lines to cast your influence. Say you had some very private information about the mayor—information he’d prefer to keep out of the press. That knowledge might give him reason to rethink his decision.” Dad glowered. “That’s blackmail.” “It’s politics, and you know it.” Keir maintained his unflappable tranquility throughout the conversation, as though plagued by perpetual boredom. He was fascinating to watch. “And you would provide me with this information in order to help install who? Someone equally as corrupt but more in line with your way of thinking?” Keir tipped his chin. “Men as upstanding as yourself are hard to come by, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t find someone better suited for the job. Someone we could both agree upon.” Dad shook his head, his lips pursed. “I have no plans to interject my authority over the mayor. So if that was all …” Dad crossed his arms and stepped back to clear the path toward the front door. I could have told Keir that would be my father’s answer. His standard of ethics was unimpeachable, which was one of the reasons I worked so hard to measure up. As though he’d only been trying to help for my father’s benefit, Keir slowly bobbed his head. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” His eyes lifted to mine, deflating all the air from my lungs like a leaky balloon. “Is that a threat?” I shook loose of Keir’s thrall to look at my father. I’d never heard such violence in his voice. Keir lifted his hands in surrender. “Just reminding you that once a new commissioner is named, it’ll be that much harder to get rid of him. Government red tape and all that bullshit.” “Again, not my problem.” “Now, that doesn’t sound like the city’s renowned savior.” Keir wasn’t ready to give up. I wasn’t sure if I was impressed or annoyed. Dad glared at him. The air grew saturated with a suffocating display of power, neither man willing to back down. Keir finally conceded with a smirk. “I suppose I’ll see myself out.” His eyes caught mine one last time before he turned for the door. Watching his retreating form was like watching the shoreline disappear as I drifted out to sea. I wanted to call him back and make him stay so I didn’t lose that feeling of breathlessness he had created. But I knew that yearning was reckless and counterproductive to everything I’d worked toward—like bingeing an entire pizza after a week of clean eating—only so much more catastrophic. Someone like Keir Byrne would decimate the landscape of my life. Why was I even thinking about him? I shook my head, hoping to rattle lose some sanity, then went to give my dad a hug. “Sorry about that,” I murmured. “I shouldn’t have let him in.” “I’m surprised you did. He doesn’t exactly give off neighborly vibes.” I raised my brows with a touch of levity. “I was trying not to judge.” Dad huffed out a laugh and kissed my forehead. “It’s good to see you, Ro. I can always count on you to brighten my day.” I wished the sentiment brought me joy rather than a tightening of the vise around my rib cage. “Bad one?” I asked. “Nah, just long. You staying for dinner?” I shot him a calculating look. “Depends. What are you having?” “I do believe Melody has a lasagna ready to go in the oven.” Licking my lips, I closed my eyes in savory anticipation. “I take it that’s a yes?” “I suppose I can work it into my schedule,” I teased. “As if you’d pop in all the way up here for anything else.” “Ouch!” I grinned, knowing my smiles never fully reached my eyes and wondering not for the first time if my parents could tell or if they’d forgotten the difference. OceanofPDF.com “I was startin’ to think you’d been hit by a bus. T’was the only explanation I could figure that would keep ye away.” My grandmother’s penciled-in eyebrow arched high on her forehead. My paternal grandmother had trouble getting around but was still as sharp as a tack. If I was scared of anyone in my family, it was her. I’d be better off letting down my own mother than disappointing Nana Byrne. Where my mother, Brenna, was firm but understanding, Nana’s authority was absolute. “No buses, Nana. Just running a bit behind.” I kissed her cheek, earning myself a reluctant smile. If only she knew how much worse it was. I hadn’t forgotten or even accidentally run late. I’d sat outside the governor’s place in my car and debated intentionally skipping dinner to stalk Rowan Alexander. I’d known the governor had a daughter, though I hadn’t anticipated running into her. I’d read about her as part of my research on her father. Twenty-two. Rich. Flawless face full of makeup in every single picture of her. I wondered if she slept in the damn stuff. Probably in a sorority and never been told no in her life. Finishing her final year at NYU with a political science degree with pretty dreams of following in her father’s footsteps, no doubt. Or at least, that was what I’d envisioned. I’d been wrong. She wasn’t anything like I’d expected, and the disparity gnawed at me. Who was this girl, and why was she so damn … controlled? Her reaction resonated with me in a way I couldn’t ignore. It was a forced calm I knew all too well. Through the years, I’d been told by more than one person that I was dead inside. Too detached. Too unfeeling. I knew that wasn’t the case. I had my reasons for the way I was, which made me endlessly curious about Rowan.What made her stone cold enough to face an intruder twice her size without so much as a tremor in her voice? I’d sat in my car and done more research into her without finding anything remarkable other than a pencildick boyfriend who probably didn’t know what a c**t was, let alone where to find it. I’d had to battle the urge to follow her home and learn everything I could about her. Did she tuck her head and hurry along the sidewalk or keep her chin raised, daring anyone to meet her eyes? Would she take a cab or slum with the rest of the city down in the subway? The only black SUV out front was her father’s.