Page 77 of Power Twist

I lift the blanket to cover my open mouth. “But you hate it. You’ve said many times how glad you are that you didn’t take that track for your life. Why would you do that?”

He nods. “It was all I had for a bargaining chip. My parents are desperate to get me back in that scene, so I used it against them. They were for the bill, Randi, I didn't have any other choice.”

“Okay, well, we can figure it out. That’s not so bad. I mean—”

“There’s more.”

I snap my lips shut and press the blanket against them to keep from interrupting again.

“I had to bring Jessica into this mess. I knew they would want me to ease back into the scene, so I asked her to help. She was more than willing, considering she knew how much stopping the bill meant to you and she sees you as a friend.”

Jealousy heats my core. I fist the blanket tighter, my nails digging into the flannel cloth.

“I told them it would be a fake couple-type thing, just her on my arm at charity functions and galas and shit like that. My parents have wanted us to join our two families, the Bensons and Hawthornes, and this was a way for me to make sure they couldn't say no. My plan was after the four years—”

“Four years!” I exclaim, nearly jumping out of my seat.

He shoots me an incredulous look. “I wanted to wait until you were done with your term before backing out on my end of the bargain so the backlash wouldn't affect you. My parents are vindictive assholes. If I showed even a hint of not following through, they would've turned every last person in DC against you.”

I let out an annoyed huff and situate the blanket back around my shoulders. “Everyone is already against me. Not sure how anyone could make it worse.”

“If anyone could, it's my parents.”

With a heavy sigh I press the blanket against my closed eyelids. “What do you have to do at the end of the four years?”

“I was to truly enter the political scene, run for office, whatever my parents deemed me fit for. Wouldn't surprise me if they had hopes of me running for president or vice.” He rolls his shoulders and stretches out his neck.

“What's with the snitch you mentioned?” T interjects.

“It's why I can't back out like I planned. This was all for show, even with their promises of cutting off my inheritance and trust if I backed out. I never intended for it to go further than Jessica and me attending a few parties. And why—” I watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows hard. Shit, this is bad. “Why I couldn't say no when they altered my original plan in their favor. Instead of using Jessica asmypawn, I'm now theirs. After we win the Senate, after the bill fails, my mother will host a party where she will announce my engagement to Jessica.”

“Engaged. Like an arranged marriage type of thing,” I deadpan. “You’re joking. Did I time warp into eighteenth-century England where parents can do that legally? What the hell, Trey?”

He shakes his head, those shiny dark locks glinting in the rising sun. “I suspect Jessica told them of my plans to give everything up, to not follow through once I got what I wanted, which is why they changed the plan. There was still a loophole, one I saw immediately. I could still walk away, maybe losing a little face with the media, but I could still do it. That’s when my mother dropped the fucking bomb on me, saying if I didn't follow through, she'd make sure I was charged for assault with a deadly weapon.”

The two men share a hard look. T curses and storms to Trey's side, shoving his shoulder hard. “Why in the hell didn't you tell me sooner?” he roars right in Trey's face.

“I didn't know if it was one of our guys or that fucker in Boone. I still don't know.”

“Jimmy,” I whisper to myself. “That's what she's holding over your head?”

Trey glances over T's shoulder and nods, his eyes dark with guilt and sorrow.

“So all this is because of me. All of it.” Emptiness swallows up my earlier surging emotions, leaving me cold from the inside out. “Why? Why did you do it, any of it?” Nothing makes sense. Why would someone like him put so much effort, so much care into me, us? He had the perfect life before I walked into it, and now it's fucked because of my sheer presence.

A shadow drapes over me, forcing my eyes up. Trey's honey brown eyes search mine, the laugh lines I love so much now creased with visible concern.

“You know why,” he whispers. Bracing one hand on the back of the rocker and one on the armrest, he leans forward, brushing his nose against my own. I inhale deeply, soaking in his scent and the warmth radiating off him.

“I feel… I feel guilty,” I admit. I search his eyes, looking for any signs that he also blames me. “None of this would've happened without me here.”

“I also wouldn't have had a reason to fight, to want to give my all for someone. I love you, Randi Sawyer, and there isn't anything I wouldn’t do for you.” Inching closer, he closes the distance between our lips, brushing his softly over mine. “Don't feel guilty, please. I did this, and I'll get out of it. Somehow.”

“Damn,” Tank grunts, breaking our tender moment. Trey shoots him a glare, his eyes softening when they meet mine again. The wicker groans as Trey pushes off to stand straight. “That mother of yours is one cruel piece.”

A grunt of agreement from Trey has a small smile pulling at my lips.

“That she is. Threatening to send your son to federal prison isn't really something that’s listed on the top ten things a decent mother does.”

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