Not exactly romance novel material, but we’ll make do.
I don’t even really know what to think about Angel Alvarez. It’s like everything I thought would happen if and when I eventually saw him again has been blown to smithereens by what’s actually happening. But in a good way. He’s just blowing my mind, and my body…
Lots of blowing going on.
Keeping him in the mansion right now isn’t the best of ideas, I get that. What with everything that’s happening here—my former employees staging a coup, hijacking my prison and threatening to murder us all unless we surrender to their demands. But truth be told, having Angelito here is making all of that much easier to deal with.
I don’t feel anywherenearas entombed in wrath as I might if I didn’t have my little bird here to flutter those long lashes at me; blink those wide, emerald eyes at me. Squirm and pout, give me orgasms and tell me he’s going to kill me.
He’s just socute, no puedo.
But more importantly, he’s making it all so much moretolerable. Dare I say, I’m actually…happy.
Well, happier than usual. Certainly happier than I would be if I were dealing with this warwithouthim locked away in the garden.
Maybe that’s what I should have told him… when he asked mewhy.
What I want from you isyou, pajarito. Because you make everything better.
Yea, right. I can’t say that. Who am I, Oscar Wilde?
Keeping my head on straight right now is a must, because things are thoroughly fucked, and there’s no shying from it. The storm really gave Jonathan the perfect opportunity to strike. And because I wasdistractedby the girl I’d forgotten about in the East Wing—otherwise known asArianna, my little bird’s sexy and salacious alter ego—and dealing with Warren and Lexington and their codependent nonsense, my plan to round up Jonathan and his team in the prison and lock them all up was too little too late.
The storm was already raging, and they were already using it to their full advantage.
Ugh.
I hate to say it, but Jonathan really impressed me. I always knew he had it in him to be this kind of leader. I just wish it didn’t take him wanting me dead to figure it out.
And now, things aretensewith a capital fuckingT. We’ve been shooting at each other for a week, my team mowing down prisoners who attempt to escape.
Quite frankly, they deserve it. I mean, really… where do they think they’re going to go??
They’re better off staying and fighting with Jonathan. But you can’t fix stupid, so… Here we are.
I’ve been bringing men from all over to help me shut this shit down. Ferries arriving daily, stocked to the brim with able-bodied soldiers, heavy artillery and provisions. Because if it’s awarOfficer Chevelle wants, then that’s what he’ll get.
He needs to know that while this stand he’s taking is sweet, and Daddy’s proud, ultimately, he’ll be getting a good spank on the bottom, and will be sent to bed without his dinner.All metaphorical, of course.
I’m afraid it’s the only way he’ll learn.
The most irritating part of all this is that Jonathan’sseizing of the southis only the tip of the iceberg. Since the grid went down, I’ve had Governor Russo flying around my face like a goddamn gnat that just won’t die.
Apparently, he’sconcernedabout what’s going on over here.Worriedabout thecondition of the island, and where thefunding is going,andblah blah blah.
He’s being a nosy prick, involving himself in my business in an attempt to feel like he’s in control, when the rest of his world is on the verge of eroding.
Russo Jr. is up for reelection this year. He was all set to be running unopposed until out of nowhere, this talk, dark, and tasty Middle Eastern morsel named Zayn Mansur showed up and announced that he was running for the Democrats.
It was amazing, honestly. When I heard, I think I laughed myself out of my chair. I could just picture Russo’s face… Being shown up by a Gen X Palestinian immigrant former small business owner turned Congressman from the 11thDistrict, withbarely a decadeof political experience, and virtually no funding.
I’m sure he thought the dude would be laughed out of the running.
But so far…not quite.
Mansur hasn’t even been elected yet, and they’re already calling him “the people’s governor”. He has the youngvoters, with his TikTok going viral on damn near every post. Marginalized communities love him—of course they do. Everyone is sick of the same old political bullshit, being bought out by the wealthy and the mafia connected to keep corruption alive and well.
New York has long since been itching for a change, and Zayn Mansur came in at precisely the right moment.
