Gettingtosleepafull eight hours was a magical experience I’d try to never take for granted. I was practically skipping my way into the dining room the following morning. Daddy was there reading the paper and sipping on his coffee like we were out of some old-fashioned mob movie.
“Good morning, Daddy,” I greeted and took my seat.
“Good morning, Astin. Finally get some sleep?” he asked, looking me over. “I heard from the staff that you kept the boys behind locked doors for almost the whole day.”
“There’s far more going on than any of us realize, but that’s all I’ll say for now. If you’d like me to catch you up to speed, I’ll do so in your office,” I said, giving him a side glance, telling him we couldn’t talk here.
“Good, it so happens I need you in a meeting right after breakfast,” Daddy commented, going back to his paper. “Oh, and I got a call from one of my people who wanted to let me know my daughter was seen having drinks with Harvey’s nephew.”
I gasped, clutching a hand to my chest dramatically. “Good heavens, what’s the world coming to? How dare she even think about breathing the same air as a man like that.”
“Hmm… it seems she caused a scene outside a club as well,” he added from behind his paper. “One would think she’s the new underboss and making sure people know their place in the world around her.”
“Good for her, she needs to stand her ground. The moment you let one cockroach get past you, then suddenly there’s an infestation,” I agreed. “Besides, this happened like a whole day ago. Your people need to get on it if they want to get the drop on me.”
Daddy folded his paper back to look at me. “I’m guessing you had no idea who he was but that you’re now going to keep your distance?”
“Yes, Daddy, the boys made sure to corner him, steal his lunch money, and send him on his way, I imagine,” I said, smiling at the woman who was pouring coffee for me. “Thank you.”
“Of course, Lady Astin, is there anything I can get for you?” she asked.
“No, I’m fine to wait for the others to get here to start eating,” I answered. She bobbed a curtsy and went back into the kitchen. “Am I allowed to ask what the meeting is for?”
“Mayor Wilson has requested a meeting with us,” he answered. “We’ll be meeting him at the Caprioni offices at ten.”
“Interesting, and did the mayor request this meeting himself?” I questioned.
Father folded the paper and handed it to me so I could read the front page.Mayor Wilson is making moves to be harder on crime. The police budget is increasing for the first time in ten years.
“Now, how do you suppose he’s doing that?” I asked to no one in particular. “Did you have something to do with this?”
Daddy just cocked a brow at me. “Why in the world would you think that?”
“This was the major thing he used in his campaign but hasn’t been able to make good on it in the first year. He’s now halfway through the second, and I assume trying to build up for re-election,” I said, relaxing into my seat as I crossed one leg over the other. “If you wanted to keep a young and moldable mayor in your pocket, helping him achieve his dreams would certainly do the trick.”
“Dearest daughter, I am just a man who wants what’s best for his city,” he countered with a grin, telling me I was right. “My assumption is he wants to go over the rules before he takes the money. It’s too bad that someone already let the cat out of the bag, making it incredibly challenging for him to back out of the deal.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Whoever’s been spreading lies that you’ve lost your touch is an idiot. They just don’t know how to play with the big boys.”
“Who’s playing with the big boys?” Braxton asked as he plopped into the seat next to me.
Glancing over at him, I batted my lashes. “Wouldn’t you just love to know, but maybe I want to keep them for myself.”
“Sharing is caring, Astin,” Braxton said, then pushed out his bottom lip in a pout. “I promise I’m awfully good at taking orders. I wouldn’t get in your way at all.”
Father cleared his throat, drawing our attention. “While I have no say in what you do in your private life, I’d prefer not to have to listen to it before I’ve had breakfast. Some things are best left for private conversations.”
I flashed Daddy a bright smile. “So what you’re saying is wait for lunch to have awkward conversations with other men about my sex life at the table?”
He gave me a withering look and set his coffee cup down harder than necessary. “Astin, enough.”
Knowing I’d pushed the line as far as I could, I shrugged and watched as the others joined us. Some looked more rested than others, making me curious about what they got up to.
“You’re in my seat,” Atticus said to Braxton.
“It’s breakfast,” Braxton countered.
“Yes, I’m aware of what meal I’m trying to sit down to eat. You are preventing me from doing that because you’re sitting where Astin instructed me to be,” Atticus responded.