Page 56 of Power Play

Well, fuck me.

Wet streaks glisten along her full cheeks in the overhead streetlight. Unease at her red-rimmed eyes steals the air from my lungs.

Large tears roll down from the inside corner of both eyes. “That was the nicest… the nicest thing anyone has ev-ever said to me. About me. Thank you.”

Talk about a knife to the heart. I ball my hands into tight fists as anger and resentment build, rolling together and growing larger and volatile. If that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to her…. I shake my head. Nope, can't go there or I'll go on a killing streak, murdering everyone who's ever said an ill word toward her.

“You're breaking my heart here, Mess.” I tug slightly on her hand until her chest is pressed against mine. Eyes to the sky, I mentally list the Redskins’ roster, hoping to distract me from her squished tits rubbing against me.

I’m going through the 2018 lineup when she finally pulls back, wiping her nose with the sleeve of the sweatshirt.

“I'm okay, just didn't expect that, and after tonight with… you know. I'm just on edge. Then you go and say something nice, and here I am losing my shit on the streets of New York City.” She takes another step back, fully pulling out of my embrace, and starts toward the park once again.

“Different circumstances, but I do know what it’s like to not have support, or hell, even a positive word come out of your parent’s mouth. How do you do it?” Hands in my pockets, I slow my steps to keep pace with hers. “Everything you've lived through, pushed through, yet you're still pushing forward, striving for more.”

The tips of her fingers slide inside the sleeves of her sweatshirt before she tucks her arms around her chest. “Speaking of parents, thanks for the rehab referral. It’s working out great so far. Costing me a kidney, but hopefully it makes a lasting impact this time.”

“You’re welcome. Glad I could help take some stress off.”

“And to answer your question, I guess you can say me growing up the way I did made me positive instead of desolate. Everywhere around me I saw where giving up would get you, and I didn't want that. Not for me or for Taeler. So I stayed positive, kept that hope of a better life alive day after day, even when things were tight and I didn't want to stay strong. That's the thing about being a parent, you can't give up. You have someone looking up to you, counting on you to give them their best life. I couldn't give up because I couldn't give up on Taeler.”

“You were fifteen when you felt that?”

She shrugs, dismissing the awe in my voice.

“Randi, most people don't realize that even when they become parents later in life. Our world is a selfish black hole that sucks your will to live—”

“You're kind of dramatic for a guy, you know that?”

A sense of relief floods through me at the smile in her voice. “All I'm saying is you're special. Don't ever forget that. Whether you win or lose in November, always remember there is no one like you out there in this world, and anyone who takes the time to get to know you, the real you, is lucky as hell.”

Chapter Seventeen

Randi

The night air turns crisp, any warmth from the day gone as we walk and talk through the nearly deserted park. Trey turned off our cell phones and the listening device before leaving the hotel to prevent T from tracking us, and the freedom from the stupid electric device is amazing. You don't realize the disservice the constant connection to the outside world is until its leash is severed and you're freed.

“I hope I get to meet her,” Trey says. He hasn't wandered but a few inches from my side since we left the hotel. He stays close to keep me safe, but I can't help the building hope that it's more than protection keeping him there.

The desperate need to touch him, to feel his body against mine was merciless when we first met, but that was simple attraction. Now? Oh boy. Totally different ball game.

Not only is he attractive with his roguish good looks, but he's tough as nails when he needs to be, then comforting and sweet when he doesn't. And what he said earlier about me being bright and shit left my face and panties damp. I almost pulled the oversized sweatpants down right there on the sidewalk and bent over. I chose not to since, you know, I don't want to come off as desperate or anything.

Which I totally am.

“Not tonight. I didn't shave.”

“Huh?” He stumbles midstep and turns with a confused look. “Mess, I don't even want to know what line of thinking made you respond with that.”

I cringe. “Sorry, wrong conversation again.”

“I was referring to Taeler.”

Oh, right. “You might, I guess. Depending if we win or not. I'm trying to keep her as far away from all this as possible. The DC crowd as a whole, but mostly Kyle and Shawn. I wouldn't put it past them to leverage her in some way to use me.”

“Smart. You should consider sending her to Oxford. It's farther, and not in America.”

“Not a bad plan, Trouble, but so far UT is working out great.” With a content sigh, I try to commit this moment to memory. “The fall is so beautiful here. At home, the leaves don't change to these bright colors, or if they do, it only lasts a week before the wind strips them bare.” Bending forward, I swipe a wet yellow leaf from the walkway. Thank goodness the rain stopped sometime during the blackmail mission, leaving behind only crisp, damp air and sporadic puddles to avoid. “You've asked a lot of questions about my life but haven't really given me much about yours.”

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