Page 36 of Power
“The fuck it won’t be the last. You’re to stop. Right now.”
“Yeah? And how do you propose I feed my daughter?” she counters.
“Get a different job. You’re smart and talented, and easy to get on with.”
“What job do you know that can pay me thousands of dollars each week for only a few hours work?”
Her stubborn resistance is beginning to irritate me. My jaw tenses as my hands grip onto my knees. “Enough.” I point to her. “This stops now.”
“Yeah? Are you going to provide for me?” Reece lifts a brow as she rolls her eyes. “Thought so.” She mistakes my silence for hesitation.
“Yes,” I say as she huffs.
“What? Yes, what?”
“I’ll provide for you and Emily.”
Reece’s eyes widen as she slowly turns to look at me. “Who the...”
“Mr. President.” Mark walks in and leans down to whisper, “Her friend Tash is here.”
I look up at him and give him a nod. “Let her in.”
“Let who in?” Reece asks. “You better not be getting me another Secret Service agent.”
“What the fuck, Reece?” I hear a woman’s high-pitched voice screeching as she walks in with thunderous steps. “Why are all these people in your house?”
I stand and straighten. “Tash, what are you doing here?” Reece asks.
“Holy shit, what happened to your face? Did the...” She looks at me, returns her attention to Reece. then back to me. “Are you the president?”
“Yes, ma’am. Hello, Tash.” I hold my hand out to her.
Tash’s mouth opens as her brows furrow while she continues to look to me, then Reece. “Yeah, right. You look like him, but whatever.” She walks over to Reece and tears the blanket off her, wrapping her arms around her. “What the hell happened?”
“He is the president, Tash,” Reece whispers.
Tash sits back and runs her hand through her hair. “Did you do this to her?” She stands to approach me, and Mark intervenes, standing between us.
“Mark.” I lift my hand slightly telling him to back off.
“Can someone please explain to me what is going on?” Tash steps backward until her knees find the sofa where she plonks down.
“Okay, listen,” Reece starts. I sit beside her and place my hand on Reece’s thigh.
Tash’s eyes go directly to where I’m touching Reece. “Wait. What?”
“Bennett didn’t do this.” Reece points to her face. “My client did. He was high, and drinking, and it all went to shit pretty quickly.”
“Okay, I’m keeping up with that.” Tash looks to me. “But why is he here?” She lifts her hand and points to me.
“Because, um...” Reece grumbles, not sure what to say.
“Because we’ve been seeing each other,” I say.
“You are?” Tash asks. “What? Huh?” She opens her mouth several times to say something, but closes it. She runs her hand through her shoulder-length bob several times. “I’m so confused.” She lowers her chin and stares at the floor. “So all of those people out there are Secret Service?” She indicates to the front of the house.
“Yeah,” Reece says.
