Page 136 of Fighting For Light
A second later, Emerson and Liam are standing in front of us. My dad stands next to me with his hand on my back. ThenEsmarie comes around them, and everyone goes silent. I grip the back of Kai’s jacket, and he stands firm.
“Congratulations, son. My invitation must have been lost in the mail. No matter, your mother did a wonderful spread in the newspaper. Now, you are the talk of the town.”
“Fred,” Esmarie says in a clipped tone.
“Esmarie,” he drawls.
“Last time I checked, you were not on the guest list because I didn’t put you on it,” she says with a defiant lift of her chin.
Fred looks like any other man. He’s not especially good-looking; he’s…typical. But the aggressive, menacing energy radiating from him makes me take a step back. His eyes are as dark as what I think hell might look like.
“Well, Esmarie, my son was getting married, and seeing as you didn’t invite me to the first one, I figured I would pop in. Family is important, darlingwife.”
I glance at Emerson, and I’m afraid he’s going to beat the congressman to a bloody pulp.
“It’s such a momentous occasion I thought we might celebrate more than our son’s nuptials.” Suddenly, I hear camera clicks and calls for Congressman Coldwell.
“What did you do?” Kai grits out.
Fred slides his lizard eyes over to my husband, and I tense. They dip down over Kai’s shoulder to me, and I lift my chin, meeting his gaze. This man will not scare me.
“Well, son, I thought I’d announce my run for governor with my whole family behind me. I mean, we grew by two. Isn’t that something to celebrate?” As if the boys are synced perfectly, they all take a step towards Fred Coldwell.
I look at Dad, and he looks at me. I hug Theo tightly and kiss his baby soft head.
“Dad, take Theo and leave now. If they are taking pictures, you shouldn’t be in them. The less publicity there is for all of us, the better,” I say with rocks gouging my throat.
“But Cordi—“ Dad says, reaching for Theo.
“No, take him,” I whisper, my voice breaking.
Dad nods and takes Theo out of my hands, slipping away from the rest of the crowd. Once they are out of sight, I step around Kai and grab his hand.
“What do you want?” Esmarie asks.
He leans forward and grips her elbow so hard his fingers dig into her skin. The boys move, and Esmarie looks over her shoulder at Emerson.
“I’m going to make my announcement, and you all are going to smile and wave. Because if you don’t, you know what the consequences will be. I’ve made sure to remind you, and that little gift you sent a while ago?” He glances at Kai and his brothers. “I didn’t know my boys had it in them. But that’s okay. You know what they say about best-laid plans. Good thing I’m excellent at pivoting.”
Emerson growls and Kai glances at me with worry in his eyes.
Esmarie moves to pull her arm out of his grip, but he squeezes harder. Her pristine, let-nothing-by face winces slightly, and anger roars through me.
“Do it, or we will be having a funeral tomorrow. You know how grief does wonders for polls. So do it, Esmarie,test me.”
Kai steps forward, bringing me with him, and puts his hand on Esmarie’s shoulder.
“It’s okay, Mom. It’s good PR to use his son’s wedding as a stunt for more support because he needs all thefavor he can con. Right, Dad? Those votes won’t look quite right if you hack all the vote counters? You’ll need some real,actualvotes, right?”
Fred’s eyes widen and his face gets red with anger. He takes a step towards Kai, then Emerson and Liam step in.
“Finish your shit and get out of here,” Emerson grits out.
The news and tabloids are still taking pictures of this whole interaction. I want to scream that the man is a fraud, but that would likely get me killed. Only he would probably succeed this time. There is no doubt in my mind this man has, and will continue, to kill for what he wants. There is corruption, and there is evil. I am convinced this man is the physical embodiment of both.
Fred straightens his posture and fixes his diamond cufflinks, then spins around to face the cameras and microphones with that classic plastic politician’s smile on his face.
Kai leans down and kisses my temple.
