“You’re lying.” Byron didn’t hesitate to call his dad out. He loved and respected his dad more than any other man in the world, but he also knew when Grant tried to keep something from him. “What happened?”
Grant shrugged. “Nothing big. India and Travis ducked out right before your acceptance speech, and she’s worried they’ve run off and done something stupid.”
Byron relaxed. “They’re probably just getting out of here to spend a few minutes alone together. I don’t blame them after we spent the last few weeks pretending as if they weren’t together. You tell Elaina to do exactly what you told me. Enjoy the win and strategize tomorrow.”
Byron wasn’t concerned about his younger sister and best friend leaving his party early. They were crazy about each other—God help them—and they wanted to spend time together. Elaina being upset, well, that made more sense. Even though she’d given her blessing to India and Travis after discovering they were together, the situation was still awkward as hell.
“Why do I have to tell her?” Grant asked, sounding genuinely put out.
Byron lightly hit his father’s shoulder. “Because it’s my party and I don’t want to.” He wrapped his arm around Yolanda’s shoulders and maneuvered her away from his dad in the opposite direction of Elaina.
“You know you were wrong for doing that,” Yolonda said, chuckling.
“He’s the one who told me to relax. Dealing with whatever is bothering Elaina is not my idea of relaxing.”
Yolanda sighed and leaned farther into him. “I still can’t believe you’re okay with India and Travis. God knows how we’re going to smooth over this situation with them in the media. We don’t need anything smearing your campaign.”
“Don’t worry. This won’t smear my campaign. If anything, it’ll show how well our family works together.” Or reveal just how cracked we are beneath the polished exterior.
Byron caught the eye of one of his larger donors. He smiled and waved and moved in that direction. He added worrying about his family’s image to the long list of items he’d have to overcome if he hoped to win in November.
Yolanda dug her feet in and stopped him. Her eyes were serious as they met his. “I’m not playing about this. We have to be delicate moving forward. I’m with you to win. Not to let the soft spot you have for your baby sister and best friend derail this train.”
Yolanda’s words were pragmatic as always. Her practicality and ability to strategize was why he’d agreed to this engagement, but that didn’t stop irritation from crawling up his spine. Happiness was hard to obtain. So why get in the way when two people he cared about actually found it? He may not be a proponent of true love, but he also wouldn’t begrudge those who were.
“I know why you’re here,” he said. She reminded him at least once a week. “We need each other, and it’ll take both of us to win. Don’t worry about India and Travis. That won’t be the thing that kills my campaign.”
“Byron! Congratulations!” The happy voice of the donor whose eye he’d caught a second ago.
“Hello, Mr. Sparrow. Mrs. Sparrow, so good to see you again.” Byron grinned and shook hands.
Yolanda’s face became a mask of blissful happiness as they talked and schmoozed their way through the party. This was their future. He’d known what he was getting into when his campaign manager mentioned that proposing and marrying would make him a more viable candidate.
So why was it bothering him tonight?
Things were going the way he wanted them to. Yolanda’s business ties, along with her family’s history in politics, combined with his family’s wealth and influence was political gold. On top of that, he liked her. She was driven, attractive, passionate and had let him know from their very first date she wanted to help him on his rise to the top. Yolanda was a woman who knew her own mind and didn’t apologize for going after what she wanted. He’d never have to guess where he stood with her.
Movement in his periphery caught his eye. He turned and his entire body went rigid. Guess everything wasn’t going as planned tonight. Dominic, the consultant he’d hired to help with his campaign, made his way toward Byron, his expression grim and his dark eyes blank.
Nothing good could come of Dominic showing up tonight. He’d hired the guy months ago to handle a situation from his past, one that Byron had paid a lot of money to hopefully fix. Dominic kept in touch to let him know if anything popped up. Mostly via email and the occasional phone call. Never in person.
Byron excused himself from the group. Ignoring Yolanda’s concerned gaze, he walked up to Dominic. “What’s wrong?”
“Someone is here to see you.” Dominic’s calm expression didn’t waver. Dominic was always calm. An observer who could charm as easily as he could intimidate. Despite his calm, the sharpness of his gaze put Byron on edge.
Byron’s heart jumped in his chest. “Zoe?” He’d thought he’d protected her. Had something gone wrong?
Dominic shook his head. “No. She’s still back home living her life with no signs of any problems. But I don’t know if I can guarantee that much longer.”
Byron shifted closer to Dominic. He rubbed his beard, a new habit now that he had one, and tried not to let the fear seeping into him show. “What?”
Dominic nodded his head back toward the door. “Come with me. You don’t want him to create a scene.”
Him? “Let’s go.” Byron followed Dominic out of the party, through the kitchen in the back and into an empty office. Once inside, a man he didn’t recognize turned and faced him. Slim, with beady black eyes and a shifting stance. Byron immediately didn’t like the guy.
“Byron Robidoux, this is Carlton Powell,” Dominic said through clenched teeth.
Byron’s hands tightened into fists. “Carlton Powell? What the hell do you want with me?” Byron had paid Dominic a lot of
