20. True Power #2
"How dare you insult me! You arrogant, disrespectful cretin!
" Her shrill voice shattered the calm sound of the evening around them.
"I wish you had never come into our lives.
We were so much better off before you came in and started making demands.
" Something snapped inside of him. He took a step closer to her.
Augusta's eyes flashed with a flicker of fear, but it lasted a mere second.
Next thing he knew, the vase was sailing directly for his head. She hurled it at him with a deranged snarl. One smooth swipe of his arm and the priceless vase shattered on the drive next to him. He watched as her fury climbed, and couldn't resist throwing a self-satisfied smirk her way.
"You missed me." His dark satisfaction didn't last long, because a second later, she opened her mouth once more.
"I prayed every night that you'd grow tired of Iris and we could have renegotiated with James.
" Her lip turned up in a sneer when she saw her words struck a nerve.
"He's the husband my daughter deserved." That was it.
Nash stormed up the steps, his arms reaching out to lock around both of her small, fragile arms. He pushed her roughly up against the pillar to her left.
His eyes gleamed with a maniacal intensity as he forcefully pressed her back against the cold, unyielding stone.
"If you had whored out your daughter to that degenerate, then you and your family would have all fallen right along with them.
" He snarled, his eyes piercing hers. "When the police arrested the Ackery's for money laundering and aiding and abetting some of the worst criminals this city has ever seen, they left no family member scot free. Is that the future you are missing?"
Her eyes rolled as she scoffed at his words. "James was the best of them all. He had friends in all the right places. How else did you think he managed to get off so lightly?"
Nash froze, and he shook her so hard that he heard her teeth clatter together. "Explain, now." Her eyes shone with glee, a deranged cackle escaping her lips. Nash pulled her back and then threw her painfully into the stone pillar.
"Don't think that I'll hold back just because you're an old woman.
" His eyes darted to the side, where Aster's form darkened the doorway.
He ignored him, turning his attention to the hateful woman in his arms who was finally seeming to understand who exactly she was dealing with.
"While I normally would never harm a woman, I'd make an exception for a foul witch like you.
" Fear shone in her eyes, as if for the first time she realized she was not the one with the power in their relationship anymore.
Before, he was the one who wanted something from them.
He wanted their daughter. But now there was nothing that Augusta had that he wanted. She had no leverage.
And she finally knew that. Nash gave her a dark, sinister smile. She gulped, her breaths coming in heavy pants.
"I'm waiting," he growled.
"Nash, let me explain—" Aster started, but Nash cut him off with a harsh glare.
"No. I want to hear it from your wife." Augusta glared at him but began speaking, anyway.
"James got put on house arrest while the rest of his family went to prison.
" Shock crashed through him. How did he not know that?
Originally, James' sentence was prison time, just like the rest of his low-brow family.
When did that get changed? And how did he not know?
Augusta smirked at the shock on his face.
"And there are rumors he can leave whenever he wants.
Those same friends of his have worked around a loop hole just for him.
" She said with a smile. "That's what I call true power. " She bit out with a vicious smile.
Nash was livid, and he leaned down to whisper into her ear.
"That's what you think true power is? Blackmailing a judge to turn a blind eye and lowering his sentence from prison to house arrest?
" He laughed coldly at the sheer stupidity.
"Just wait." He leaned back and let her go.
She stood still, the look in his eyes warning enough to stop her from moving.
He pulled out his phone, all without breaking his gaze from her white face.
"Hello Janice, is your husband available?" He asked, knowing that she would know exactly who he was speaking to. Janice Jenkins, the mayor's wife.
"For you Mr. Nash? Always. Let me just go grab him."
"Oh perfect, thank you." Augusta's face drained of what little color she had.
He did nothing but grin back at her. A voice on the other end of the phone calling his name diverted his attention for a moment.
"Yes, Joe, how are you?" He clicked the phone onto speaker so that his in-laws could both hear everything.
"Oh, I'm doing great, Nash. It is always an honor to hear from you.
I hope you're calling me to let me convince you to bring that beautiful wife of yours to dinner with me and Janice.
" Nash's eyes narrowed on the phone. Hearing another man calling his wife beautiful sparked something possessive and fierce deep inside.
But he pushed it down. Later. There would be time for that later.
"While that sounds great, Mayor Jenkins, I'm afraid I'm calling for less pleasant reasons." He said with false sadness rife in his tone. Joe's voice immediately shifted from friendly into something more serious.
"Oh, is that so? You know if there is anything that I can do, you only need to ask.
Anything, and it's yours." Augusta blinked, her wide eyes shocked.
Aster lifted his full whiskey to his lips once more, throwing a large mouthful back.
Apparently, he couldn't part from the glass even to come outside.
"You're a good man. In fact, there is something you could do for me. It's my mother-in-law, you see. Poor Augusta. She is having a hard time at the moment, I'm afraid."
"Oh no, that's terrible. May I ask what is wrong, or is that too private?" The mayor inquired with a polite voice.
"Of course you can ask. You are a friend, after all.
I am sure I can trust you and your wife with such delicate matters.
" Nash said with a smirk. Everyone knew Janice was a huge gossip.
Whatever he was about to say would be common knowledge to every member of New York's high society by tomorrow.
"Poor Augusta, she had a bit of a mental break.
The stress of her past mistakes coming to light was just too much, I'm afraid.
" Augusta's eyes flashed, but that was her only reaction.
It appeared like she finally understood her role.
"Poor woman, it is hard to face our misdeeds head on.
" Joe said with false sincerity. The mayor knew plenty about past misdeeds.
More likely, he was disgusted that she allowed her past to come to light at all.
He preferred to silence his loose ends permanently.
Such sloppy behavior from the Blackworths was a disgrace to someone like Joe Jenkins.
"Yes, it is. I'm afraid that the weight of her role is just too great a strain for her in her delicate state.
I know she has enjoyed being the premier hostess for the annual city gala, but I don't think she can handle such an undertaking right now.
" He smirked at her wickedly as Augusta closed her eyes, devastation clear on her face.
"Of course it would be too much for her. Think nothing of it. I can replace her easily." The mayor's voice was everything it should be, kind and compassionate. But underneath it was something else. Something vicious and cruel.
Like everyone in high society, he was excited to have a front-row seat to the fall of a rival. And the Blackworths had contributed funds to the man who ran against the mayor two elections ago.
Politicians had long memories and even longer grudges.
"Thank you. I knew you would understand." Nash said smoothly. "You won't have trouble finding a replacement hostess?"
"I was wondering, what about your darling wife?" The mayor said with false innocence. "I know you are both newlyweds but I have no doubt that she could host a brilliant affair."
"I agree, of course. My wife would be the perfect person to replace Augusta.
She is superior in everyway, but then I am biased.
" He said with a dark chuckle, one that Joe was all too happy to join in on.
Silent tears tracked down Augusta's cheeks.
"But, unfortunately, my Iris is much too busy with her own charity she just started.
She simply doesn't have the time." The mayor laughed good-naturedly.
"Of course she is. Such an impressive woman. No worries, Nash. There is a long list of people who would jump at the chance to host the gala."
"Happy to hear it," the conversation wrapped up there quickly after, and they said their goodbyes.
Nash could have left it there. The damage he had just dealt her was significant. But that would have been merciful. This woman did not deserve his mercy.
He dialed the next number impatiently. The mayor was showy, flaunting his superior connections to her. This would just be for fun.
"Mr. Nash, what can I do for you?" The polite tone of the owner of the premier country club in the area came over the line.
Aster and Augusta had been members for decades.
Aster stepped forward, his hand outstretched as if he wanted to stop what he knew was coming.
But he dropped it after a moment. He knew it was pointless.
Smart man. They were not the ones with power at this time. They never were.
"I want my in-laws membership revoked from your club immediately." He said with no emotion. He didn't need to play a polite game like he did with the mayor. "Both of them are to be blocked from every notable club in the state. No one is to let them join."
"Right away, sir. Consider it done."