Page 38 of Darling Nikki

“Don’t worry about it,” I say, preparing to move on to the next constituent.

“How can you say that, Mathias? She’s making a spectacle of herself. She is hurting the campaign. Everything we’ve worked for is at risk because of her antics.” Nat waves her phone, showing yet another blog disparaging Nikki: THE SOON-TO-BE SENATOR’S DARLING IS A DISGRACE.

“Don’t let her see that,” I warn, turning to a county commissioner who’s been a vocal supporter from the beginning of my run for senate.

“It’s not like she’ll care. It seems like she’s doing everything in her power to make you lose,” Nat murmurs.

“Well, she is failing miserably if that’s the case,” I tell her. “I’m up twenty points in the polls thanks to that little leak about Fitch having several secret affairs with male and female escorts.” I smirk to her. We know it’s a done deal; we’re just keeping the obligations we already committed to.

“No more stops for the next day or two. Nikki’s exhausted.” I make a mental note to inform LL myself. Since our wedding three weeks ago, we’ve been going nonstop. Not that I mind, but Nikki’s not used to this life. She hasn’t complained, why her comfort matters so much to me, I don’t know. She’s not the woman I thought she was. I still want to kick my own ass for the way she played me. My jaw clenches as I think of her deceit and how blindsided I was. I’ve never been one to think too much about our families’ feud. Let Natalie tell it, her parents have a whole theory behind Nikki’s presence in my life—revenge of the Loves.

“It’s almost like you don’t want this anymore, Thi.”

My head snaps around at the nickname Nat uses. “Mathias,” I correct her, spearing her with a hard look. She can’t know Nikki only ever called me that. Where did that even come from? Nikki stopped after the first couple of days. She doesn’t even have to correct herself anymore.

“You know I want this. We have been in this together for over a decade. The question is are you still on board? I understand if you’re not,” I tell her sincerely. “I know what it must cost you to be here every day.” I don’t have any illusions that Nat ever loved me. No. There was no love between us, and the mild attraction we had faded when I graduated from law school and traded the long hours of study for the grueling schedule of my practice. Natalie’s business degree led her into the corporate offices of Spencer Paper, which she claims to hate but still somehow manages to excel at, climbing over veteran executives with her innovative ideas and savvy strategies.

“I’m fine,” she cuts in smoothly, looking more like the posh executive and excellent campaign operative she’s become in the year since we launched the campaign. I see the touch of brittleness melt away as she shoves away the nervous ninny wit and become once again the confident woman I know.

“Oh my goodness.” We both turn at the strangled exclamation from somewhere in the crowd.

My heart thuds as my first thought is something happened to Nikki. It slowly calms to its regular beat for almost a second before it ratchets up again when I see people pointing and gesticulating in the direction of the Ferris wheel ride brought here by the carnival.

Slow horror descends upon me as I walk in what seems like a morass of fear as a break in the crowd shows Nikki in deep conversation with the Ferris wheel’s operator, who is manually letting people off the ride. People pour off in waves.

I watch the nightmare unfold as she points to a pair of kicking feet high above the crowd. Just as she becomes more animated, the safety door swings open.

She snatches one of his pin locks and a harness off his smock, then ties the five-thousand-dollar one-of-a-kind sundress Summer made between her legs and starts climbing the ride.

The crowd surges forward, but it still seems to part for me as I watch her ascend with the agility and grace of a gymnast. Using her upper body, she pulls herself through the rungs, and her bare feet find purchase on the equipment. As I get closer, my worry rises. The Ferris wheel is ancient, obviously in its hundredth paint job to cover the years of patina and wear and tear. It’s rusty in places and greasy in others.

By the time I’m just beneath her, I can see she’s made it to the seat the child is on.

“Did you know she could do that?” Looking over, I see LL has made his way over to me.

“No,” I say, just as much in awe of her as he seems to be.

“The people love a hero.”

Tilting our heads up, we watch as she tells a girl of about eight or nine to get on her back. Once the child does as she instructs, Nikki straps them together.

That’s when I realize this kid is as long as Nikki is. My stomach twists in knots. Perspiration beads my forehead and my upper lip.Reckless little idiot.

“Dammit.” I bite back another curse, watching her painstakingly make her way down rung by rusty, greasy rung. There are huge swaths of rust and grease stains ruining the beautiful lavender and platinum creation.

“I’ve already got a press release ready to send out to the local pastors.There is no greater love than for a young woman to risk her life for a little friend.The press is going to eat that shit up.” He’s beside himself with the endless possibilities like my wife might not still end up broken on the ground with one wrong move. “This is gonna hit the national news and probably go viral. You know people are showing it live right now on social media. Keep looking concerned, though,” he coaches.

“Have a care for your damned cousin, man.” I’m unable to take my eyes off Nikki as she makes her way back to earth, her progress slowed by her burden.

Minutes tick by as a hush falls over the crowd. A slight disturbance greets us as the Birmingham Fire and Rescue comes in. They move close to the Ferris wheel, creating a protective barrier with emergency equipment.

“We need you to move back, sir,” one of the fresh-faced firemen tells me.

“That’s my wife—” I start.

“This is Mathias Shelby,” LL says, once again earning the enormous salary I pay him as my campaign manager.

The fireman, to his credit, shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. We have to create a safe zone in case anything happens to Mrs. Shelby.”

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