Does that mean that I think Cannon’s reasons for staying close are personal? Nah, that’s absurd. His job is to help me stay in one piece so that I can win the election and keep the Savage Kings from going under. Nothing more.
Cannon
Bailey’s driveway isn’t big enough to accommodate ten vehicles, so some of us are forced to pull up along the sidewalk, which is where I park my SUV and climb out. The asshole in question is already coming out of the house with his gun in his hand before Roman even rings the doorbell. Several brothers hurry in front of him, making sure he doesn’t take any stray bullets. None of us are jumpy, but Bailey would only get off one good shot before we all would cut him down. He must know that too.
“What the hell do you all want?” Bailey yells from the porch. “Get off my property, or I’ll have you arrested for trespassing!”
His comment makes me glad that I insisted that Conrad stay behind. No reason to poke the bear unnecessarily. In fact, as the fat bastard’s eyes search the faces that are closing in around him, it looks like he’s searching for someone in particular. My guess is proved right when his gaze lands on me and his eyes narrow.
“That’s Cannon, not Conrad,” Roman tells him from behind a wall of men. “And we’ll leave just as soon as we pass along a message.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?” Bailey asks. “You think you can sweet talk me into convincing the city to give you back your permits?” His posture relaxes a little, like he’s certain we’re there to grovel at his feet. I can’t wait until he realizes how wrong he is.
“Stay the fuck away from Madison Monroe,” Roman warns him about the time I make it to the front of the group.
Bailey’s eyes blink in surprise, and then his mouth is moving but nothing is coming out. Finally, he blubbers, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The two men you sent after her? Have you heard from them yet? Your plan failed. My men were one step ahead of you,” Roman says. “Cannon?”
I pull up one of the local news station’s apps on my phone and click to go live. It’s a few minutes past noon, which means the station has had time to go on air for the noon broadcast before turning it over to Madison’s press conference. God, she looks just as beautiful on camera as in person. Not only that, she looks commanding, like an actual queen who was made to lead. Overcoming my momentary distraction, I press the buttons on the side of my phone to increase the volume as loud as it will go and then take a few steps closer to Bailey, holding it up to him so he can hear her and see her on the screen.
“What happened last night was not only a failure to intimidate me into dropping out of the special election for mayor, but it was also a failure of the public system, which is paid to protect the people of this city, the women of this city, from harm. The scare tactic didn’t work. Instead, it’s given me the courage to stand up and call out the man responsible and to tell former Chief Bailey, that I’m not scared of him. His influence on the police department could have cost me my life. But instead, I was protected by a group of men who may have a reputation for being vigilantes when, in fact, they’re the only ones who have the courage to stand up to fight the bad guys, even when the bad guys are masquerading as civil servants, pretending to be one of the good guys. The Savage Kings MC heard my screams. They came to my rescue when the police wouldn’t. My attackers ran from these men, just as my opponent wanted me to run from him and this race. With my new allies by my side, I’m no longer scared of the threats made against my life while a knife was held to my throat by a man, allowing another to rip my clothing apart and assault me.”
Roman looks at me wide-eyed at that since I apparently hadn’t told him all of those details before. Or maybe he’s surprised that Madison is actually calling the Kings heroes. Either way, it’s highly unusual to shock our president. What can I say, she’s a force of nature, and I can’t help but feel proud of her.
I turn my attention from Roman to Bailey, who looks speechless. His lip is still a little swollen from my brother’s fist, and his eyes are darkly ringed, making him look like a giant, floundering raccoon.
“We won’t warn you again,” Roman says, his voice almost a growl. “Madison Monroe isn’t backing down, so you better put all of your energy into beating her fairly and legitimately. Because after what I just heard, along with everyone else in this city, you’ve just earned yourself an actual fight.”
Chapter Seventeen
Madison
Not only did the press actually show up to hear my story this time, but most of the journalists stayed around to ask me questions once the press conference was over. I took time to answer each and every one. And while, at first, the questions were all about the night before, eventually they got them all out of their systems and finally started to
