The governor lifted his arms. “Strength and power!”
Most of the congregants in the room responded back to him, “Strength and power!”
The governor lowered his arms. “Agree or leave, Madam President. There are more wives to be sworn in.”
Ramon’s focus whipped over to Maizie and the woman beside her. Both dressed in white.
The president gasped. “I’m not going to be one of many!”
Lief turned to her. “You’re going to be what I tell you to be, dear.”
She shoved him away and screamed, then went for the governor. She grabbed him with her hands around his neck and started to choke the life out of him. “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill all of you!”
Men rushed over to drag her off.
“Go!” Ramon shoved at Stairns.
Even if the guy didn’t run for Maizie, Ramon would. But Stairns caught on fast and raced down the aisle. Ramon followed, sprinting over to Maizie.
A man dived at him, but Ramon was ready.
Stairns reached her at the same moment Ramon twisted around to punch the guy away. Another man jumped on his back and then a swarm of them were there.
“You dare interrupt these proceedings!” the governor screamed.
Someone punched Ramon in the stomach, and a second later, he was on his face on the carpet again. This time, with a knee in his back.
Across from him, on the other side of Lief Holmberg, they’d done the same to the president.
“I’ll marry him!” The other bridesmaid hopped over Ramon and went to stand where the president had been a second ago.
Maizie hid behind Stairns, who had his hand close to the gun on his hip.
“It’s never going to stop.” It would never be over. Ramon knew that.
The governor hissed, “Shut your mouth.”
Ramon stared at the president, her tears leaking onto the carpet. These people would continue to do whatever they wanted, refusing to back down or bow to anyone. They would use others for their own gain, or pleasure, anytime they wanted. It wasn’t just about keeping Kenna safe or protecting Maizie. It wasn’t about Kenna and Jax’s baby growing up in a safe world. This was about everyone, everywhere.
It was about the world.
A messy, tragic, beautiful place where a lot of people tried to live good lives and enjoy peace while they could. Where there would always be a need for the brand of justice that saved innocents and didn’t leave people lost and forgotten but fought always for a better world.
The president shoved off one of the men holding her. “Let me up!”
Ramon couldn’t move with this knee painfully pressed into his back. He started to demand the same, but the president yelled over him.
“Let me up! I’ve changed my mind.” She straightened, brushing down her dress. “I’ll agree. I just want to be what I can be toDominatus,even if it’s not what I thought.”
One of the men by her, suited guys who had put their Secret Service badges out of sight for this.Dominatusoperatives whose job it was to protect their asset—the one they’d installed in the White House.
She smoothed down her hair. “Get out of my place.” She lifted a finger and flicked it to the side, indicating the other bridesmaid should move back to her spot. “I’m going first, and you can get used to it.”
“Very well.” The governor seemed less enthused than before but willing to continue.
If they tried to marry Maizie to this Lief Holmberg guy, Ramon was going to?—
The president moved fast, yanking a pistol from inside the agent’s jacket. She spun around and squeezed the trigger before she even aimed. The first shot went wide, while shots two and three landed squarely in the governor’s chest.
