Page 71 of Cruel Dominion

My focus narrowed to those two words. No choice. Sounded like Hobbes’ “old friend” gave him more than advice. I had a suspicion I knew who he was.

It was only a matter of time until he found out where his precious daughter was spending her time. Just like he’d figured it out last time.

“That’s a shame. Does this ‘friend’ have a name?”

Hobbes was silent for a long beat. “I just can’t do it, Carter,” he said finally. “Please understand. If it were up to me, I’d sell it to you. All I want is to retire.”

My teeth ground together. This had Hudson Vaugn’s fingerprints all over it. Of course, a little coward like Hobbes would bow to the governor. Normally, I’d lean on Hobbes until he collapsed. I didn’t let anybody run my business for me, much less Hudson fucking Vaughn. But now, there were more important pieces in play.

Like Anna.

If Hudson Vaughn was declaring war, I wouldn’t waste energy on Hobbes.

“That’s unfortunate. Call me when you find your balls, Hobbes. I’ll be waiting.”

Then I hung up on him, ending the conversation there.

I sighed, gazing up at Anna’s photograph on my office wall. I closed my eyes and pictured a full moon, searching for some meager sense of serenity. Hudson had already ruined my life once, and apparently he wasn’t finished meddling in it.

There were few fucks to give about the failing construction company, but if he intended to brake check every one of my campaigns, I’d be too busy putting out fires to spend all my time between his daughter’s thighs.

Except, I learned early on that everything I had could be taken away at a moment’s notice. I invested early and I invested young. I could live off those investment portfolios and offshore accounts comfortably for the rest of my life. There were billions there, tucked safely away from any legal bullshit Hudson Vaughn could sling my way.

Any, save for one vital piece of evidence he could use against me. But would it even hold up after all this time? And did he even have the balls to use it?

He had to know I’d retaliate. I wouldn’t go down unless I took him with me.

I wouldn’t leave Anna in his hands.

I was interrupted when my phone rang again.

The number wasn’t saved. I frowned, my thumb hovering over the red decline icon. I had more than one phone number, obviously, and this one only went out to my close associates and home staff.

Curiosity nagged at me.

Could it be…

I hit the button and brought the phone to my ear, saying nothing, waiting.

“Stay away from her,” said a deep, gruff voice.

No preamble, no greeting, nothing.

A man with a plan.

Focused.

If it were anyone else, I could respect it. I didn’t though. I didn’t respect anything about Hudson Vaughn.

“Who gave you this number, old man?”

His steely baritone used to scare me half to death when I was still nothing more than a kid, barely twenty.

We didn’t speak more than a handful of times, but the short conversations we had were immortalized in my memory. Seared into my mind so well, he might as well have used a hot fireplace poker like my old man used to.

The message was the same, just with a different purpose.

Worthless.

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