Page 76 of Power Twist

“We thought it would be best to make sure you weren't armed before Benson here came clean on his… side agreements.”

All the fight leaves my body, my muscles turning useless. “Is it that bad?”

Trey shakes his head, his hair brushing onto his forehead. My fingers itch to reach up and push it out of his eyes. I love his hair, especially the way it feels sliding between my fingers. The stubble along his jaw twitches in time with the tight muscle beneath, signaling the tension below the forced humor.

“I don't know where to start,” he says, breathing out a slow, controlled breath. Pushing off the chair, he stands to pace along the length of the porch. T and I monitor each of his movements as he strides away and then back again.

Trey pauses at the farthest point away, keeping his back turned to us.

“It started that day in your office after Jessica left. She'd just told you that the vote would probably pass the House and you were close in the Senate.” Tipping his chin toward his shoulder, he keeps his back to us but says, “Do you remember that? When you were so upset about going home, about having to leave DC?”

I swallow hard, hoping it’ll help keep my voice from quivering. “I do.”

“After that, I looked at the numbers Jessica had pulled together and I saw it, I saw why you were so upset. Unless something big happened, the bill would pass the House and Senate with ease.” Turning on his heels, he faces our way but doesn't take a step closer. “I'll admit I thought I was doing this all for you, but tonight, Tank made me realize that I did it for me. I couldn't let you leave, not when….” Pausing, he runs a hand through his hair as he collects his thoughts. “Not when I wasn't ready to let you go. Seeing you so upset broke me, and I knew right then that I'd do anything, give up anything and everything, to make sure you got what you wanted. And me too.

“I know what people say about you in this town, knew you'd never get the votes even with Jessica's help. She whipped a lot of votes your way but not enough, and I knew someone who could get us the right people, enough people, to side with you.”

Staying on the other end of the porch, he leans against the railing, gripping it while he stares out at the rising dawn. Pinks and blue burst across the sky, signaling another beautiful spring day ahead. But I can't appreciate its beauty, can't look at anything other than the man in obvious inner turmoil, all because of me.

“I went to my parents.”

“You already said that in the SUV earlier. What’s so bad about that?” So he asked his parents for something, big deal. I'm a little jealous that he has someone he can go to and ask for help when it's always been the opposite relationship between me and mom.

It’s a great idea, one I….

Hold on.

“I suggested going to them at the beginning of all this shit, that day in the library. And you were all ‘no, they're sailing on the easy boat down the sea of tranquility’ or something stupid like that.”

“It wasn't an option then.”

“But it is now?”

“Well, yeah.”

I scoff. “Because now it's your decision and not mine? Now you get to play the brilliant save-the-day idea.”

“Seriously?” he bites out. “You know I wouldn't do that.”

“Then what?” I nearly shout. “What made the timing different?”

“Mess,” he says, his nervous tone and sad eyes smothering my rising frustration. “My parents aren't the best people. They're fucking awful human beings actually. Everything comes with a cost, even for me.”

The soft flannel fabric of the blanket slips between my fingers as I tighten my grip, waiting for the bomb to drop. “Oh, so what you mean by timing is really bargaining chips. What did you give them?”

Shoving off the banister, Trey picks up his pacing once again. I track each of his steps, anxiety and worry rising higher with each second he doesn’t respond.

“Trey, talk to me.”

“Me.”

I shake my head, not understanding. “I don't—”

“It was only going to be for show. I was going to walk away, despite the consequences, but now I'm fucked.” Turning his focus to T, he gives him a hard look. “I should’ve told you this before tonight, I get that, but… I think we have a rat on our team.”

An animal-type growl rumbles from T's chest. I shrink back at the look of pure vehemence on his normally emotionless face. “What the hell are you talking about, Trey?”

Trey holds up his index finger, putting a pause on that part of the conversation. “In exchange for the votes, I promised my mother I'd step back into the political scene—”

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