Chapter 3
Gary reclined in his plush leather chair, his thoughts swirling with the weight of the phone call. The news his college friend had delivered was more than just curious; it was downright unsettling. What the hell was happening with Ethan Howell?
Of course Gary knew about Ethan’s little empire. Ethan had lured Gary into the inner circle of his friends, shown him all of the…interesting…benefits of what he’d set up in Todras. However, Gary had also assumed that the man had an iron grip on his petty, little kingdom, everything neatly under control.
Yet, the revelation that Ethan's world was on the verge of unraveling sent a shiver down Gary's spine. He pondered his next move, a cocktail of conflicting thoughts churning in his mind. The power to halt the investigation rested on him. With one phone call, Gary could shield Ethan from the impending storm, protect Ethan’s secrets, and maintain the delicate balance of their clandestine relationship.
Gary's eyes flickered with a mix of contemplation and apprehension. The knowledge of Ethan's malevolent actions in Todras tugged at his conscience, yet a darker, stronger desire lingered. The memory of those women, with their unique talents, sent a shiver down Gary's spine. The temptation to indulge in the forbidden pleasures Ethan offered was like a shadow lurking in the recesses of his thoughts.
But he had to consider his political life as well. Gary knew that he was being groomed for higher roles within politics. His name was being bantered about as a potential senate candidate. He just had to win re-election as governor and he would show the people with power that he could sway his voters.
So bringing down Ethan’s house of cards would give him a great deal of positive press. But that would also lose him those decadent nights of pleasure. Plus, Ethan had been a very generous donor during the last election. Gary knew that every decision he made had to be done with the back drop of manipulating voters.
He turned in the leather chair, his thumb and forefinger rubbing his chin as he considered the problem.
If Gary helped Ethan, then those delicious, decadent nights with those…uh…ladies…would end. The things Ethan made those women to do…Gary didn’t want to deny himself those pleasures. He’d never known such salacious activities were possible until he’d met Ethan. Gary’s particular preferences weren’t something he could ask a normal female to perform.
But Gary hesitated, debating with the competing desire to experience that sexual bliss again versus the political gain of a salacious headlines with his determined face in front of the cameras, vowing to crush the criminals. Perhaps now wasn’t the time to pander to his…sexual proclivities. Perhaps now was the time to think of his political future. He had another election coming up. Ethan had promised that the videos of him with the woman would never be found, so Gary was confident that the police wouldn’t find anything.
"Hey, Big Brother!" Cindy's voice echoed through Gary's office as she barged through the previously closed door. His office door was guarded by a state police officer whose authority seemed to melt away in the face of Cindy’s exuberant personality.
Gary shot a scowl at the officer, his irritation evident. The guy was supposed to be a formidable presence, capable of stopping even the most persistent nuisances. Of course, dealing with his annoying sister was a different type of challenge. The sibling rivalry between himself and Cindy was notorious, a constant battle for dominance that played out in the most inconvenient places, usually whenever the press was around to witness their battles.
Cindy carelessly tossed her Prada purse onto a leather chair, indifferent to the expensive leather that the tax payers had unknowingly provided him during the state house’s most recent makeover. Her cashmere coat followed, draping over the purse as if claiming the chair and office as her personal space instead of the revered office of the governor. With one hand on her slim hip, she flashed her overly made-up face at Gary, a sly smile dancing on her lips.
The air in the room crackled with the unspoken tension of their hatred for each other. At that annoying expression, Gary's scowl deepened, a silent acknowledgment of the malignant hatred that he felt for his baby sister. The constant clash of wills, the endless struggle for supremacy, unfolded like a theatrical performance in the confined space of Gary's office.
“What do you want, Cin?” he asked, enjoying the nickname that suited his younger sister perfectly.
“I want a scoop,” she replied, her tone implying that her brother was an ignorant mess. She was the most watched evening news anchor in the capital city, but Gary wasn’t going to assist her career. Never had, never would.
He leaned back in his leather chair, lacing his fingers over his no-longer-flat stomach. “I got nuthin’,” Gary replied, briefly thinking back to the conversation he’d just had with Tazim. Gary dismissed the thought, preferring to wait to give his sister any information. He saved his bits of information until there was a time when he could manipulate Cindy with it. “And even if I did have something, why would I tell you about it? You just announced that you’re running against me in the next governor’s election.”
She grinned unrepentantly and Gary’s only consolation was that Cindy’s makeup would crack if she smiled too hard.
“Yeah, that kinda burns a bit, doesn’t it?”
She gracefully sashayed around the chair, sinking into its plushness with a calculated elegance. Crossing her slim legs, she showcased her Jimmy Choo shoes, the subtle gesture revealing an air of sophistication that never failed to rile her brother.
"I heard a little rumor about your friend from..." she trailed off, glancing up at the ceiling and snapping her fingers in mock forgetfulness. "What's the name of the gorgeous guy you tried to set me up with a few years ago?"
Gary rolled his eyes and sighed with irritation. "Sheik Tazim el Butrim, Ruler of Androna," he retorted, saying the name with deliberate emphasis, as if testing Cindy's pretense. Had she genuinely forgotten, or was it all part of their game? But as soon as the question formed in his mind, Gary knew better. Cindy never forgot names; she was the ultimate networker.
"That's it!" she exclaimed, slapping both of her manicured hands onto her thigh. "Sorry that didn't work out for you." Her grin widened as she pretended to flick a non-existent speck of lint from her nylon wrap dress. "I wasn't in the mood five years ago to be shut away as some rich man's trophy." She cackled, her tone carrying a malevolent edge. "Although, I wouldn't have minded spending some of his yummy money!"
Gary brushed off her quip, determined not to let her get under his skin. "You make enough money as a reporter, Cin. You don't need a wealthy man to bankroll you." The tension between them simmered beneath the surface, a subtle dance of sibling rivalry that played out in every conversation they shared.
“You know what they say! One can never be too rich or too thin!”
He eyed her waist pointedly, disagreeing. She’d lost more weight and, in his opinion, had reached the point of “too thin”.
“But that’s not why I dropped by.” She pulled her phone out of her purse. “I’m hearing rumors that something really big is happening, but no one knows the details. I was hoping that you’d share whatever information you might know.”
“Nope,” Gary replied quickly. Probably too quickly. Cindy’s eyes narrowed, clearly smelling blood in the water.
“No, as in there’s something huge in the works and you won’t tell me about it? Or no, you don’t know what’s happening?”
Gary laced his fingers together over his slightly protruding stomach, leaning further back in his leather chair as he mocked his younger sister. “No, I’m not telling you anything.”
Her eyes narrowed, her false eyelashes making her eyes look like they were wreathed in spiders. “So you, as the governor of our great state, are unaware of whatever is happening within the borders?”
Immediately, Gary mentally cursed. Cindy might be his sister, but she was also – one, a reporter and two, running against him in the next election. She’d use any and everything to win. If she even suspected that a big investigation was going down and Gary wasn’t told in advance, she would report on that without hesitation. He could already see the headlines! “Governor Kept Out of a Major Investigation!” And she’d imply that there was a reason why Gary wasn’t informed.
“Cin, if something significant were about to break, do you honestly think that I’d tell you what’s happening?” he asked.
Unfortunately, his comment only ignited her curiosity. “So there is something going down!” She clapped her hands together and stood up, almost giddy now. “And you’re refusing to tell me the details. That’s fine. I have other sources. I’ll probably have more information before you do.” She grinned as she picked up her coat and purse, flinging them dramatically over her forearm. “Check the news in an hour,” she called out over her shoulder. “You’ll hear all about it.”
Gary watched, irritated that his sister was probably right. She would get more information than his team of investigators. Damn it, even with Tazim’s head’s up, Gary worried that he’d be caught behind the curve on whatever the hell was going on! And that could be disastrous for his campaign!