Page 10 of Bastian

“Always a pleasure, Sebastian.” Sandoval puts his hand out for me to shake, and I do.

The fucking irony.

The president of the United States is playing in an underground casino with one of the most ruthless crime lords in the country, who happens to be one of my closest friends.

“See you around, Sandoval.” I button my suit, nod once, and head out the door, ready to go back home and leave a city that haunts me behind. The same city where my once-dead heart broke and hasn’t recovered since.

“Sundance is on the move. Heading out now. Get the cars ready.” My third in command, Nix, appointed by Banning, talks into his wrist to the rest of the team. My secret service team was trained and chosen carefully by my most trusted man, Benjamin Banning.

Therefore, they’re all assholes with a shitty sense of humor.

Sundance.

The motherfucker chose Sundance as my security code name the moment I was appointed the chief of command. No amount of threatening did anything to stop him from using the godawful nickname, so now it’s stuck.

Nix and the rest of my men form a circle around with their hands tucked inside their vests, ready for any threat that might come my way as they lead me out of the Sandoval mansion’s back exit. When we do get there and have almost reached the van, a crowd of paparazzi ambushes us taking photos and asking idiotic questions. “President Kenton here. Look here!” One shouts, trying to get past my wall of security. Sighing, I think to myself that some people should pray for brains at night.

“President Kenton! What business do you have with an alleged criminal?” A woman shouts over the noise. I know Thiago Sandoval is a criminal, but there certainly is nothing common about him. Besides, the man might do questionable shit, but he gets shit done for his city more than the elected officials and the department of justice.

How the fuck did they find out I would be meeting with Sandoval? I wonder.

The shouts get louder and the questions more desperate while the flashes of cameras are causing a headache. My team gets me outside, and in a minute, we’re all climbing inside the cars and speeding the hell out of there. Resting my head back on the leather headrest, I take a long breath.

I try my best to keep my meetings with the bosses of each city secret, but tonight someone leaked my whereabouts. It has been happening a lot lately.

The paparazzi and media are being tipped, and they show up everywhere. Every time I go somewhere alone, somewhere something like this happens. I’m only grateful that it never happens when I’m with my girl. She’s always safe and away from the media if I can help it, so whoever the fucker is that’s been messing with me, at least has the decency to keep my child out of it.

Nix looks over at me from the rearview mirror, “747-200B is ready, sir.”

Nodding once, I turn away and look out the car’s window as we leave the press behind.

Front-page news again… shit.

BASTIAN

TWO BROKEN HEARTS

“She woke up today and chose violence.” — B

“Good evening, Mr. President.” The twenty-something tank of a man guarding my daughter’s door greets me as I approach. “Shaw.” I greet back. “Did anything happen while I was away?” I stop in front of my daughter’s bedroom door, that’s just a few feet away from my own. The White House is a residence with 132 rooms and six levels, which can be overwhelming for a six-year-old child and scary at times, too. This is a fact my daughter has been very loud about, and of course, I always listen. I will always consider her feelings.

Every time. No matter what.

Shaw, the head of her security team, gave me the specifics of her daily activities while I was away. All this while he has a pearl necklace on and one pearl earring. Shaking my head, I point at his neck. “I see she has you playing dress up now.”

He smiles sheepishly. “Moonshine can be very persuasive, Sir.”

Moonshine.

Ellaiza’s security code was given to her by Shaw himself.

Sundance and Moonshine.

Terribly corny.

My men are nuisances, and I still wonder why I haven’t ridden myself of them. Then I look at Shaw and remind myself that they love my girl.

And she needs all the love she can get.

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