Page 163 of Sins of the Father

Steven holds the cuff links in his palm and studies them. “What if—”

“What the hell,” Jamison says.

All our cells buzz.

They alert us again.

When I pick mine up, alerts from every major news outlet pop up faster than I can open them.

“Turn on the TV,” Quinn cries out.

Jamison pushes the remote, and the news anchor has the governor’s YouTube channel up. Both Maximillion and Beth are on it.

“You know I’ll always take care of you,” Maximillion tells Beth, standing behind her, and holding her chin.

Her eyes close, and the pain is all over her face.

Steven stands and steps toward the TV. “What the hell?”

“Move, Steven,” Quinn demands.

He steps aside, and I move near him and hold his arm with one hand and put my other around his waist.

“You set me up. I... I’ve given you my life, and you had me thrown in jail,” Beth accuses, and a tear falls down her cheek.

“Listen to me. It was a means to an end. Everything I’m doing is for us. You know I would never let you go to prison.”

She spins. “They arrested me in front of my children. I was handcuffed and spent two nights in a cell.”

He holds her head. “And now you’re here.”

“No thanks to you,” she cries out.

“Who do you think made sure the judge cleared the courtroom? Hmm? I did that. As soon as your bail was paid, you were released. I did that, too. You should never have worried. I control everyone in this state. You should know me better by now, Beth.”

“Know you better? You had me arrested,” she yells.

“It was necessary.”

“Why? Tell me.”

“He’s coming to work for me. I told you to get him to agree.”

“I asked you to stay away from him.”

“And I told you his skills are required.”

“Steven has nothing to do with you. Find someone else to run your financial campaign.”

“You know I can’t.”

“Why?”

Maximillion snorts. He walks over to the minibar, picks up a glass, pours three fingers of brown liquid in it, then drinks.

“Tell me why you felt my son was so important for your campaign, you had me thrown in jail,” Beth cries out, her eyes full of anger.

“Don’t you meanourson?”

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