Page 158 of Poison Aches

“That’s because heisscary,” he says and earns a glare from Emmett.

“Gentlemen, why don’t we go to my office?” Governor Hughes says as he steps forward. “We can discuss our matter in depth.”

“You failed then,” Emmett says to the Italian guy, ignoring the governor.

“He wants more,” Italian dude answers in that same clipped tone.

“As you should’ve expected.”

“American politicians.”

They exchange a look which I’m sure is loaded with communication.

I chance a glance at Governor Hughes and the two ladies behind him on the stairs of the front door.

They are all watching, eyes wide and glued to the two men standing right outside the car in front of the open door.

For some reason, the presence of these two men dwarfs and makes the owners of this mansion seem insignificant.

It’s as if they own this mansion and won’t be rushed as they effectively ignore Governor Hughes.

“You know her?” Italian guy asks, but it’s more of a statement than a question, to which Emmett doesn’t bother answering.

“Why, this is a very fascinating gathering,” a new voice suddenly speaks.

Everyone turns around to look to the left, where shadows emerge from the dark like a scene out of a scary movie.

“It seems we don’t have to make the effort of disrupting as this works great,” the same older voice continues.

When the two shadows finally appear in the light, I feel Emmett tense, then his entire demeanor shifts completely.

There stands an older man with a cane and beside him, is another older man in a wheelchair.

“Grandfather!” Melissa gasps as she looks at the man with the cane.

“Father,” Governor Hughes says as he steps forward. “I… I wasn’t expecting you here.”

“Well, seeing as you can’t even handle simple business and need a push all the time, I had to come,” the older man who Governor Hughes just called father says sternly, his eyes glancing in our direction.

“So, it’s those two then,” Melissa’s grandfather says to the man in the wheelchair beside him.

“Gentlemen,” he starts, addressing Emmett and the Italian guy. “Your grandfather Armando and I, we’ve had a very productive talk and we’ve come up with a more pleasing agreement.”

The man in the wheelchair who I think is called Armando sits calmly, with a very potent aura of power that is almost overwhelming.

But most of all, he looks just like…

I whip my head up to look at Emmett.

He’s staring at the older man in the wheelchair. And the Italian dude is not just staring, he’s glaring.

“Emmett. Vaughn,” the older man says in a deep, rumbling voice.

Suddenly, both Emmett and the Italian guy who I now know is named Vaughn, bow their heads but with a bit of rebellion to the act.

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON NOW?

“Sir,” they both say at the same time.

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