23. Mack
Mack
Franco’s words continue to ring in my ears. Mayor of Greenwood. A position of power. Well, whatever power he might get with the title. Damn it! It’s another thing on my plate I have to worry about. I don’t even know what a mayor does for a town.
“Is this seriously happening right now?” I ask again for the millionth time.
“Yes,” JJ says grimly, tightening his lips into a straight line with no hint that he’s about to hyperventilate like I am. “It appears Franco is making big moves on the board by becoming mayor.”
Is it hot in here? Are my lungs still in my chest? Fuck. I rub over my heart, trying to mentally count backward from ten. Because this isn’t fucking good. Not good at fucking all.
“A heads-up would have been nice. Now I really need a goddamn drink,” Hux huffs, eyeing the bar.
I discreetly suck in a breath. “Now, we’re talking. How about… Oh no—” My stomach drops when the devil herself saunters through the crowd, grinning as she sets her sights on Huxley. “Dude, run far and fast; she is coming,” I warn in a low voice.
“Fuck,” he grunts, swiping a hand down his face. “Don’t say it. Don’t tell me…” Pure panic runs through his voice until the little demon shows her wicked face.
“Huxley! Baby,” Amanda coos, running a hand down his chest. Her eyes dilate as she stands closer to him. “Jasper. Macklyn,” she greets in a monotone voice, like being in our presence is such a displeasure to her.
The way she says my entire first name has me wanting to drown her in the toilet.
A used toilet. Maybe she could choke on some toilet paper.
Used toilet paper. You know what? That’s not a bad idea.
I wonder who would really miss her. And it’s not like her daddy could take us down.
Then it would be obvious who Preston, the congressman, was aligning himself with.
Yes. Yes. So many plans run through my mind, and so little time to do them. Hux only has until May before he’s walking down the aisle and saying I do—when he really wants to say hell no.
I grin and then grunt when an elbow meets my ribs. Rude.
“Fucker,” I grunt, rubbing my side. You’d think all the alcohol would tame the pain, but it’s failing me on all levels. Double rude.
“I know what you were thinking about.” JJ’s gaze darts to the woman we all want to drop in a hole and forget about.
“Doubtful,” I scoff. “Unless murderous toilet plots are on your mind, too?”
JJ blinks several times as he digests my words and shakes his head.
“Amanda,” Hux grits between clenched teeth, forcefully removing her hand from his chest and stepping back. Something he doesn’t usually do. He’s all about keeping up appearances. Even if those appearances are poisonous.
She pouts. Literally. Sticking out her bottom lip with watery eyes.
“I came by to say hi,” she sniffles, swiping at a rogue tear. “Can’t I do that?”
“Well, you said hi.” Hux makes a shooing motion with his hands, sending her a scathing look. “You can leave.”
JJ snorts, covering his expression. We’ve always been so careful around her.
Trying hard not to show too much disdain.
Her status is important. Like ours. Plus, she’s close to Franco, too.
Moving pieces that benefit her. Like Huxley.
He’s always been hers in her delusional eyes.
Now, she has him in her grasp, and it’ll be hard to tear away her claws.
Too bad, though.
“Bye, bye now!” I grin, waving at her.
“I’m not leaving,” she scoffs, crossing her arms. She wobbles and shifts her weight as her glossy eyes lock on us. “I came to hang out,” she slurs and giggles.
“You’re drunk.” Hux frowns, not bothering to hide his disgust.
“Yeah? So what!” she hisses, thumping him on the chest. “Daddy asked me to come over here and talk to you.” She tilts her head as a dreamy expression crosses her face. “To talk about our engagement party.”
“Engagement party?” I choke on my spit.
“What party?” Hux practically vibrates with rage, curling his fists and puffing out his chest.
Amanda is in the danger zone and doesn’t suspect a damn thing.
“Our party,” she says, wobbling her head. “Duh! We’re engaged now. Marriage soon, silly. We have to have a big party to celebrate. Everyone is invited!” She gives him a dreamy look, like he’s the damn sun in her orbit.
Gag me with a damn fork, then stab me in the eyes.
“Right. Our party,” Hux says with a straight expression, getting his emotions in check.
“We’ll have a chocolate fountain with strawberries and cheese!” She claps her hands together drunkenly, babbling about their engagement party menu more.
“Cheese?” I grumble. “With chocolate? That’s a crime all in itself.”
JJ snorts at my remark, but doesn’t respond.
“Thank you, Mr. President and Congressman Devalle, for your endorsement of my run for mayor of this amazing city! And thank you all for coming out to enjoy my fine establishment,” Franco’s booming voice overtakes our conversation, briefly silencing Amanda’s drunk ramblings. For at least a second or two.
I swear, if she continues talking about her impending marriage to Hux, steam might come out of his ears. On second thought, maybe watching him show any emotion would be interesting. The dude holds so much to his chest. Especially since Liv.
Franco makes a sweeping gesture with his arms toward the audience, pride emanating from his face. “You will all see a lot more of me these next few months, and don’t forget to vote for Franco.” He chuckles one last time before stepping back and waving to the crowd.
“Vote Franco,” I mock, twisting my face.
“Watch yourself,” JJ mutters, keeping his gaze on the stage.
Franco shakes more hands, quietly speaking with the fucking president of the nation and Preston.
“This doesn’t seem real,” I mumble. “Is this real life? A dream? Ouch!” I miss, slapping JJ’s hands away from pinching my arm.
“Obviously not a dream. This is a fucking nightmare,” Hux hisses, leaning closer to us than Amanda. “With him becoming mayor—”
“He’ll be in charge of this entire city!” Amanda says enthusiastically, beaming at Franco and her father, who wander off the stage and come toward us. “Isn’t that exciting? Once we’re married, we’ll be the ultimate power couple!”
Hux slowly blows out a breath, hiding the irritation simmering behind his eyes. He hides it well. Actually, he hides everything well. The ultimate secret keeper. I couldn’t keep a damn secret to save my life. I tell these idiots everything.
“I’m so fucking thrilled.” Sarcasm drips from every word, but it seems to travel right over Amanda’s head when she leans on him and wraps an arm around his with a squeal.
“It’ll be perfect! I can’t wait to start planning our venue and flowers, and oh! What we’ll serve our guests. I say we serve chicken and steak!”
“Steak sounds lovely, darling,” Preston says, gently kissing her temple with a chuckle. None the wiser to the tension rising in Huxley, who, to the untrained eye, looks serene, holding his fiancée. But to JJ and me, it’s clear the frustration is boiling inside him.
“Wedding talk?” Franco asks, grinning from ear to ear. I’ve never seen the man so damn happy in my life.
Except right now, when more power is at his fingertips and more potential is on the horizon. Fuck, what does he plan to do with this mayor role? Probably something dangerous.
“Oh! We were discussing our engagement party and wedding details,” Amanda practically coos as her words slur more, pulling away from Hux and leaning into her father, who stares down at her with hardened eyes.
“Dipping into the alcohol a little, Mandy?” he asks sternly, with flaring nostrils.
She stiffens in his hold, her eyes widening a little.
“Only a few glasses of champagne, Daddy. Nothing too much!” Her breath picks up slightly as he assesses her and then kisses her temple again with a heavy breath.
“I guess we do have quite a few events to celebrate, don’t we? A mayor in our midst. A wedding on the horizon. It’s all coming together, isn’t it?” A grin stretches his lips, and Amanda nods, clapping with excitement.
“It is quite a night to celebrate,” Franco agrees, straightening his tie.
“So, mayor?” Huxley asks, cocking a brow. “That’s a new development.”
Franco narrows his eyes. “As are your brash questions. If you must know, this has been in the works for many weeks. My bid has already been submitted and the fees paid.”
“He’s a shoo-in for mayor. The competition can’t touch his influence,” Preston boasts with a chuckle. “If he had any competition.”
Franco laughs. “Indeed.”
“No one is running against you?” JJ asks carefully. Way more carefully than Hux did.
“Well, not exactly.” A smirk pulls at Franco’s lips. “There are two people who have put their bids in. But there’s no competition for me. I know this city and its citizens like the back of my hand. I’m confident I’ll be the last man standing.”
Oh, great. This is going to end in a bloodbath of epic proportions. Two candidates? What candidates? Nothing will be left of them after Franco eliminates the competition. Not with the look in his eyes.
I side-eye Hux and JJ. They’re rigid with locked muscles. Just like me.
“But we won’t worry about them,” Preston says ominously.
“Indeed,” Franco waves over a waiter and passes out a few glasses of champagne to each of us. “Now, why don’t we toast to the future. Your future,” he says to Amanda and Huxley by tilting his glass to them.
“And to you and your political future. Who knows, one day you may be president,” Preston chuckles, clinking his glass on Franco’s.
And to me, for not jumping out the window and running from this hellscape. Is what I want to say, but I’m a gentleman and shit, so I bite my tongue and raise my glass like a good little soldier, reveling in the taste of the bubbles slipping down my throat and smacking my lips together.
“So Huxley, Amanda and I have had long discussions about your engagement gala.”