Page 64 of Burn It Down

“Nice to meet you, sir.”

“Likewise, Dylan.” Martin eyes the white bag with a logo of a “P” made out of pastries in Dylan’s hand. I hadn’t noticed it until just now. “Any chance those are churros from Panaderia?

“You know Panaderia?” Dylan asks, unable to hide his shock.

“I don’t just know it; I love that place.”

Dylan holds out the bag. “Help yourself. My father and I’s autobody shop is two doors down. I think they’re the only place left on the block that hasn’t had their windows broken or graffiti painted across the front.”

I watch as the governor takes a churro from the bag before waving it at me, indicating he’d like for me to have one.How nice of him since I’m assuming Dylan brought them for me in the first place. “I’ve heard reports of growing crime in that area,” Martin says.

“There was a shooting down the street from us a few days ago,” Dylan says.

Martin’s head snaps up from the churro bag to look at Dylan. “A shooting?” he asks alarmed. “My God, I hadn’t realized it had gotten so bad. Have they caught the person responsible?”

“No, sir. Not yet at least.”

“Well, I certainly hope they come through. Was it fatal?” Martin may be a politician, but his concern is sincere.

“No, thankfully she’s still alive.” Dylan keeps his answers short.

Another knock on my office door draws all of our attention.

“Come in,” Martin calls at the door.

“Have you forgotten whose office we’re in Governor?” I ask, chuckling to mask my annoyance at both his forwardness in my space as well the additional visitor. Like usual, now that Dylan is here, I want everyone else to go away.

“Of course not, but I think your visitor’s actually here to see me, considering I called her.”

On cue, Cora walks through the door. She looks beautiful in three-inch heels, a red pencil skirt, and a white blouse. Around her neck is the gold pendent her father bought her for her eighteenth birthday. It’s a star with diamonds at the points. Ribbons of gold intertwine to make up the middle and an onyx square sits at the center. It’s always looked slightly demonic to me, but of course, I’ve kept that opinion to myself, seeing as it’s something Cora treasures and never takes off.

Interestingly, my girlfriend surveys the three of us and chooses to greet Dylan first.

“Dylan! I didn’t expect to see you here!” She walks right to him, places a kiss on his cheek and wraps him in a hug.

“You two know each other?” her father asks as Dylan’s arms slide around Cora’s back in a warm embrace.

“Of course. We had dinner together last week at Jacob’s. They’re good friends,” she explains as she dutifully places a peck on her father’s cheek. When she gets to me, she offers me her cheek instead of kissing mine like she did the others.

Perhaps it’s a sign of possession. She’s allowing me to claim her in front of them. I’ve never really thought about it before. The gesture makes me wildly uncomfortable since Dylan’s eyes watch the action without blinking.

She turns to look at him while leaning into my side. “Whitney said she hopes you’ll save her a dance at the gala.”

“Thecharitygala? At the club?” Martin stammers, looking at Dylan’s current ensemble and five o’clock shadow.

“Yes, Daddy,” Cora giggles. “The charity gala at our club. It’s going to be fantastic. Wait until you taste the menu.” Cora claps her hands before holding them out to her dad. “I’m assuming the gala is why you told me to meet you here? Do you have the item you’re placing in the silent auction?”

We all watch as Martin plucks a ring box from his pocket and pulls it open, revealing a four-carat amethyst in a sparkling gold band of diamond accents.

Dylan’s eyes grow wide. Hell, if I hadn’t already seen it, my eyes would be huge too.

More knuckles rap on my door and I fight the urge to throw something.Who can it be now?

To my absolute dismay, my father strolls in looking as annoyed at the conglomeration of people in my office as I feel…until his eyes land on Cora and they soften immediately. My father adores her.

Well, he adores the connections she provides.

“Cora, sweetheart, you look as radiant as ever,” he says, wrapping her in a hug and kissing her cheek. “Come to take Jacob to lunch?”

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