Chapter 7
"Me desculpa, mas eu n?o quero ter cuidado. Quero uma paix?o de estragos, daquela que fingimos n?o querer" - Luisa Sonza and Baco Exu do Blues.
Moving to New York wasn’t a hard decision, and neither was waking up next to Julia. She was a submissive from the same BDSM club I used to frequent, just in a different state.
"Do you think he’ll like me?" Her voice was sleepy and drained, a clear sign that today wasn't the day for a second round.
"You’re perfect, don’t worry." I climbed out of bed in my boxers and threw on a robe to go have a smoke. "Just remember what we discussed."
"He’s a sucker for the chase. I got that much the last time we 'accidentally' ran into him. He even sent flowers to my office." I nodded. Frank had been circling Julia since our second date—a move I’d orchestrated specifically to put them in each other's path.
"And you’re playing your part perfectly. I have a briefing to get to. Head back to your room and I'll see you at the gala tonight." I returned her smile as I lit my cigarette and took a long drag. "I’ll send the hair and makeup team to your suite."
"Thank you, Ma’am. It’s my pleasure to serve you." She stepped closer, silently asking for permission. I slid my hand over her bare hip and kissed her, exhaling a cloud of smoke against her lips.
Once Julia left the suite, I pulled on a shirt and opened my laptop, establishing an encrypted connection. I waited for the prompts to clear, ensuring the line was secure before starting the call.
Giorgia appeared on the screen, looking sharp in a tailored suit with her hair in a side braid. Even when I knew she was relatively relaxed, it was always hard to know how to handle her. She could be many things, but normal wasn't one of them.
"It took you two days to return this call, Kelsey. Is everything alright?" I saw something moving rhythmically in her hand—likely a pen she was fidgeting with.
"Just travel logistics. I’m in New York for the party conference. Since it wasn't an emergency, I figured I’d spare you the interruption."
"The shipment arrived at the destination without a hitch. I’ll send the next dates disguised as accounting spreadsheets and payroll logs."
"Perfect. Now, I want to talk about your sister."
"Is she okay? Does she need something?" Giorgia looked up, her gaze locking onto the screen.
"She’s a bit down. She had a brief fling with the Governor of California and his wife, but you know how throuples can be."
"Did they make her feel inferior? Did they use her?"
"I’m not calling to put a hit out on anyone, though the Governor’s head wouldn't be a terrible trophy. He was rude to her, yes. But I think she needs a sister right now. Maybe invite her to spend some time in Brazil."
"I’ll handle it. I'll take care of all three," Giorgia said, her voice dropping into a low, dry rasp. "Make sure she feels good tonight."
"There’s a gala this evening. I think it’ll lift her spirits." I saw a trace of a closed-mouth smile on Giorgia’s face before she gestured to someone off-camera.
"I’ll call her. We’ll talk during your next flight."
As the chat window closed, I smiled at the thought of expanding our political reach. Looking at the spreadsheet of representatives and senators, I realized the red highlights Vanessa chose were there to show exactly how many seats we now control in each house.