★
V A U G H N
Glasses clink, a champagne fountain fills them, and people dance in their expensive dresses under the roof of the exquisite ballroom of the manor. We meet the guests who approach us and some we approach ourselves with glasses of red wine in our hands which neither of us cares to drink. Music plays loud yet the song is soft music. We admire the elegant decorations until our sights fall on the host of the party.
Senator Julius Campbell
"You're so dead, Jackson," Claire mutters under her breath as she watches Senator Campbell approaching us with a grin on his face.
"I'm sorry, love, but I need you to be here," I whisper in her ear, my hand on her waist squeezing tight as we both force a smile at the Senator.
It is his sixth engagement party. After Claire and I got married, he secured the warmth of a rich heiress who was more than excited to jump into his arms at the consideration of his background which would make her an important public figure. He sent me the invitation two weeks ago, just to show off that Claire wasn't his only option.
I beg to differ — Claire wasn't an option in the first place. If she hadn't convinced me herself, I would have kidnapped her on the day of her wedding with him.
"Jackson, it's been a long time," Campbell chirps, unable to hide the hint of annoyance in his voice as he comes near us and extends a hand.
I take a look at his appearance as I take his extended hand and give him a firm shake. Even at forty years, he has managed to redeem some of his youth-like features in his round face and greying hair. The Senator is dressed in a black suit, the material glittering like a princess's dress. He has styled his hair with gel, combing it backward. His fiancée struts after him, eyeing me slyly and licking her lips when I look at her. She is a young girl of about twenty, with brunette hair and a square-shaped face covered with heavy makeup.
Both of them do deserve each other.
"My pleasure, Mr. Campbell. The party's wonderful," I say to the senator and his eyes quickly fall on Claire who is pressed to my side completely, already uncomfortable by the Senator's gaze.
"Mrs. Jackson, you look absolutely wonderful tonight!" he exclaims, ignoring that his fiancée is standing right behind him as he takes Claire's hand and presses a sloppy kiss on her knuckles. "Your father was disappointed to see that you've chosen a husband already. Quite unfortunate for me if you may ask."
Claire yanks her hand away, faking a smile. "Thank you, Mr. Campbell."
The Senator straightens up, finally noticing his little own lady and copies my action by putting an arm around her waist, shoving his glass of half-drunk wine in her hand. She takes it from him and bats her eyes at me as she takes a sip.
"This is my fiancée, Miss Desiree Bain. I'm pretty sure you knew her name already. My darling's quite famous these days. Known for her stunning beauty across the country." Campbell places a kiss on Desiree's cheek and she laughs unnecessarily, slapping his chest playfully.
"Stop it, Campbell. Mrs. Jackson here is much prettier than me," she says to Claire, looking straight at the injured side of her face which Claire has managed to lighten with a lot of foundation.
I see a sneer close to climbing up her expression and quickly lean down to press a kiss on my wife's injured cheek.
"Yes, you're right, Miss Bain," I say. "My wife's stunning. In fact, all the ladies here look fantastic tonight."
"You always have kind words up your sleeve, Jackson," the Senator laughs and then faces Desiree. "Darling, Mr. Jackson here runs one of the greatest builders companies in the city. He has great skills in design. Even this mansion..." He gestures towards the ceiling of the grand manor I remember designing two years ago. "It's all his work. One of our best architects!"
"That's wonderful, Mr. Jackson. You have a keen eye for stuff." Desiree compliments me.
"Thanks, Miss Bain. If you don't mind my request, would you like to take Claire on a tour of this place? I have something urgent to talk about with the Senator."
Campbell's eyes snap at me in bewilderment and Claire widens hers, giving me an incredulous look.
"I would love to." Desiree smiles. "Come with me, Claire. Let's let the men talk business while we gossip about them."
She extends her elbow towards Claire and Claire looks between her extended arm and me with a horrified look on her face.
"Go on, love. Remember how you told me you wanted to see this place?"
"I...I don't know if I should really," Claire coughs suddenly, faking a sick look in her eyes. "I'm a little cold."
Just go with her, Claire.
"Here have my suit then." I take off my suit and put it over her shoulders as my wife throws me a murderous glare.
I'm so sorry, darling, but I really need to do this.
Claire pulls the suit around her body and smiles at me. "Sure then." She turns to Desiree and takes the arm offered to her.
They walk away, arm-in-arm but not before Claire turns and throws me one last glance as if she is the one about to walk into Lion's den and not me.
***
"You won't do such a thing!" Campbell bursts, his nostrils flaring as he slaps his palms hard on the huge wooden table in his private conference room.
We are surrounded by bodyguards for the senator outside the room who are guarding the door to allow us privacy. Meanwhile, the Senator in front of me is helpless, tapping his nails on the table as he hears me out.
I smirk, clasping my hands under my chin as I lean back on the reclining chair, observing the old man. "I can do it, Mr. Campbell. I assure you. After the little stunt you've pulled with our company, we've secured every record properly...including the receipt of payments."
"Your father signed a non-disclosure contract. It's against the rules." The senator falls back on his seat, panting hard as sweat beads trickle down his forehead.
"My father has been dead for four years now, in case you forgot," I say. "The deals are under my radar now."
"HOW DARE YOU BLACKMAIL ME?!" Campbell booms, his face turning red with every word. "I can put a bullet through your head right fucking now, boy."
"I know you can," I drawl lazily. "But doing that will only lead to the documents becoming public. You won't like your secrets to be revealed to the media now, right?"
The Senator's face turns white, his eyes close to bulging out of their sockets. "You've no such documents. Everything lies with me."
"I don't need your documents, Campbell." I pull myself forward, getting up from the seat and putting my hands into my pockets. "This manor is proof enough for them."
"I don't know what you're saying." The Senator loosens his tie, still panting hard.
"You paid us with government funds, Campbell." My voice turns serious, the playfulness in it vanishing quickly. "That might not go well with the media if it's revealed."
"Your company took the money, knowing well where it was coming from. I won't be the only one suffering the consequences if it gets out."
"You think I care about consequences?" I snicker. "I'm a businessman, Mr. Campbell. Corruption is expected of me. As for the authorities, we both know they are easy to buy. They aren't my concern at all...but you..." I start to stride around the round table and his eyes follow me. "You have a reputation to maintain. The elections are nearing soon and you want to compete, don't you? A taint on the name won't help much, I believe."
I stop near him, placing a hand on the table and the other at the back of his chair, staring him down.
"What do you want, Jackson?" Campbell seethes, his hands clenching and jaw ticking.
"Access," I reply. "There's a killer after my wife and the cops won't give us any updates...for fear that if the media gets their hands on the case, it'll cause a public nuisance. I want access to their progress. I want to know what they have found out so far, other than what they are telling us. You'll grant me that."
"You have the money, Jackson. You can take care of your shit yourself."
"I wouldn't have come to you Senator, if I could. My family has been surrounded by scandals and I can't afford another one. The media has their eyes on me twenty-four seven. I'm not risking my family's reputation again."
"I can't help with that—"
"Yes, you can." I give a firm shake to his chair and the Senator trembles. "They can't deny you. I want you to give me every detail about the case. Every single one from your mouth without involving the authorities."
Campbell stares at me for some time, unblinking, and then breaks into a laugh. I pull away from him, watching him as he chuckles hard at his personal joke.
"You're a funny guy, Jackson," he mutters. "You want me to use my powers to track a fucking stupid killer who's after your wife? For all I know, it could be someone after your wife's pants. Can't blame him. Claire's fucking hot, even with those disgusting wounds on her face—"
I grab his collar before he can proceed and he lets out a wince as I press his face sideways, his cheek hard over the desk.
"Don't you dare laugh at my wife, Campbell. I'll give people something to laugh about you."
"Threatening me is a crime, Jackson." The Senator pushes me off and gets up, straightening his suit. "Might not end very well for you. One flick of my fingers and you'll be stuffed in a prison cell for life."
"And threatening me will lead to consequences far worse than prison, Senator," I retort, his smirk falling at the grave tone of my voice.
"Fine, I'll help you," he sighs, leaning against the table with hands on his hips. "But just so you know, I'm doing it for Michael Hill's daughter and not your wife."
"Believe me, Senator," I say, correcting the cuff links of my shirt as I dust invisible dust off it. "If Michael Hill had the slightest clue that you could help him, he would have been the one threatening you now." The Senator lifts an eyebrow, watching me smirk. "Thank you for your time, Senator."
The doors to the room are thrown open suddenly and Desiree walks in.
"Sorry to bother you men but Claire wants to go home, Mr. Jackson," she tells me, giving an apologetic look to her fiancé. "She says she's not feeling well."
I look behind her and find Claire standing there with her eyes on my phone which I left in my suit pocket.
"Thank you, Miss Bain." I smile at Desiree as I walk towards Claire. "And thank you for your time, Mr. Campbell. It was a lovely party. We'll take our leave now."
Campbell replicates a forced grin at me, his eyes giving me a dirty look while his fiancée walks towards him, grabbing hold of his arm when she reaches him.
"See you again, Mr. Jackson." Desiree waves at us.
"C'mon, love," I whisper in Claire's ear before guiding us out of the door and into the chaos of the raving party.
Claire remains unpleasantly silent as we climb down the stairs and the crestfallen look on her face makes me fear that something might have happened while she was with Desiree.
"Claire?" I call her when we are out of the party and walking towards the car. "Is everything okay?"
"It's fine." Her curt answer halts me and she shoves my phone back to me as she strides to the car without looking back.
I watch her with my lips parted as she takes my suit off her shoulders and throws it on the backseat of the car before getting in herself. Puzzled by her actions, I am about to follow her when my eyes fall on my phone screen and I see two missed calls from the woman Claire has no clue about still being in my life. My blood runs cold as I stare at the name, Claire's actions coming into justification.
Thea Willows couldn't have found a more wrong time to call me.