Don't Touch

-21-

"How long do we have to be here again?" Syd asked her mother who was sitting next to her in the car on the way to the venue. Sean, Jeff, Ramon, and Selena were paired off in two more cars.

"You and Sean will need to stay the whole time, but your father and I are going to leave after your official induction and before dinner. We can't let the Council see his... condition." Tina looked down and swallowed before looking up to speak again. "So we'll be missing all the ass kissing and dick measuring that usually happens, but it's all good," she chuckled, trying to cover up the emotions coming over her.

"Ma..." Syd put her hand on her mother's shoulder.

"It's alright, babygirl," she shook her head trying to hold back tears.

"You know, ma... I hate the circumstances... But I hope that you can have this time to finally rest. You've been fighting since you were born, you built this empire with pa and I know you're tired. Even though you try to hide it... And I want you to know that you don't have to carry the weight alone, ma. I'm-"

"Hush," Tina raised her hand to silence Syd. "Don't have my ass crying before this... We gotta face the Council as the Davidson women - bold as hell and unshaken... I know where you were going with it, and... Thank you, babygirl." She gave Syd a warm smile.

"Right," Syd returned Tina's gesture as they pulled up to the venue and their driver - one of Ramon's most trusted - opened the door.

Tina stepped out first, followed by Syd.

"Let's go, Ms. Davidson," Tina said to her daughter with a toothy smile. "You've got a seat to claim..."

***

Syd wore a simple black dress that had an asymmetrical neckline and fell just below her knees. The ankle strap stilettos she wore were uncomfortable and she hoped that they'd be sitting most of the time. Sean stood next to her, wearing a black-on-black layered suit with cufflinks baring his initials.

I am Simone Davidson. I am Simone Davidson. I am Simone Davidson. I am Simone Davidson... Syd repeated in her head, trying to shake off her nerves and get into character.

"Hey..." Sean took her hand in a comforting grip before hooking her arm with his. "You and I are about to officially be recognized as one of the most powerful sibling pairs in the world. We deserve that shit and don't let nobody make you think anything different, sis."

Syd gave Sean an affirmative nod and relaxed her shoulders.

They walked through the double doors in front of them that led into a large room that looked almost like an auditorium with a round table at the center. The audience was small, as the Davidsons were the only ones allowed to invite guests who weren't security since it was their induction, and they chose only to invite Ramon and Selena. At the table, Tina and Jeff sat in their seats with empty chairs on each side of them along with 13 other members of the Council. They all turned their attention to Syd and Sean when they walked through the doors, Tina and Jeff smiling at them proudly.

"And there are our heirs!" Tina said waving them over.

The siblings joined their parents at the table. Syd sat beside Tina while Sean sat beside Jeff.

Syd looked around the table and felt more at ease when she recognized some of the people that she had worked with in recent months. She knew João and Paola Teixeira, the Brazilians who ran most of the South America operations with their reach stopping at the Andes because she and Sean had worked with their daughter, Mara, on a few deals. And then there were Eric Stevens and Justin Nakamura who ran the rest of the operations in the U.S. Syd also noticed Cameron Gauthier, who was sole person in charge of Canada. She had read up on the other Council members, but tonight was her first time meeting them.