Page 125 of Lush

“I don’t remember you being into art. You liked to steal cars.”

He smirked like he was enjoying the memory. No one could forget the wild, reckless boy who once ran these streets like they owed him something. Before he “reformed” into the mayor.

Not that I bought the reformation.

His aunt, Isabel Castillo, was the town’s and all of California’s most influential theater director. Her productions were legendary. All anyone really knew was that one day Dante showed up on her doorstep in town. Whether he was related to her by blood or something else, no one was sure.

“I’ve broadened my horizons since those days. I appreciate the finer things in life now.”

I studied him for a moment, my gaze steady. “What do you want, Dante?”

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a picture. He stared at the photo, his lips pursed, then he shoved it across the desk to me.

I sat up and flipped the photo over.

Conrad was lying unconscious, his face pale, eyes closed. There—shit—there we were. Reese and me. Standing beside Conrad’s hospital bed. His hands were on my face, cupping my cheeks, and mine on his chest. We were kissing…over Conrad.

A cold, hard lump formed in my throat as I turned my gaze back to Dante.

“This?” he said, lightly tapping the photo. “This will never see the light of day.”

A jolt of pure terror shot through me, freezing me in place.

“What do you want for it, Dante?” I repeated, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Nothing.” Dante shrugged. “Not yet, at least. Just a small favor.” His voice was smooth, almost indulgent, but there was an edge beneath it. “But I’m curious,” he went on, watching me too closely. “What little mess has Laurene King gotten herself into that I managed to get my hands on a blackmail note about her? How lucky for you that it ended up with me—and that I’m willing to protect you and your family.”

I wanted to lash out, a surge of anger coursing through me, but a strange calmness settled over me.Be cool. You know about him, and he knows about you.

“I don’t do favors, you should know my family by now,” I said.

Dante chuckled. “Believe me, I know your family probably better than you.”

His eyes locked on mine, and I could see the satisfaction in them. He was enjoying this.

“You really expect me to buy this whole ‘protection’ spiel?” I raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t come here to start a war. I meant what I said at your engagement party. I want to be allies. I’m sorry I’ve been busy and we haven’t been able to speak till now.”

“You seem a little too desperate to be friends with me.”

“It’s not desperation, Laurene. There is no one like you.” His voice softened, like he was trying to make me believe him. “You’re unique. I’m not interested in what’s happening behind closed doors in your marriage. Iaminterested in what you can offer this town. You could be a key piece in my plans.”

I smirked, tilting my head.

“That’s funny because my mother asked me to spy on you. Get close. Become your friend.” I let the words hang there, watching for his reaction. “What went wrong between you two?”

“Your mother and the rest of them want to keep this town locked in the past. That’s not how the real world works.” He frowned. “I wanted to modernize things, bring in outside investors, shift the balance. Make Lush more than just old money and backroom deals. Your mother saw that as a betrayal.”

“Erik told me she helped you get elected,” I reminded him. “You benefited off those backroom deals.”

“And she expected me to be her puppet,” Dante shot back. “I’m not dumb, I know her support was conditional. I just thought she could be reasonable. Your mother asked me to do something…I couldn’t. So, she turned on me.”

I searched his face, trying to find the lie in his words. Because there had to be one.

“You become mayor of a town like Lush and then complain about how we do things is like going to a burger joint and complaining there’s no pizza,” I said. “So why run? What’s your real angle?”

Dante’s smirk flickered, just for a second, before he smoothed it over. “You think I hate old money? No, Laurene. I just hatesomeof the people who decide who gets to sit at the table. I envy you, Reese, the rest of this town—you survive off your namealone. You could burn everything down and they’d still hand you the keys to the city. People like me? We have to fight for every inch.”

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