The ballroom was decorated in various hues of silver and blue; from what I'd heard the colors of the senator's alma mater. I couldn't care less, but the swanky party was perfect for exacting my revenge.
"Champagne, sir?" the girl asked, batting her eyelashes as she gave me a seductive smile. In her hand was a tray full of crystal flutes.
Preparing for the upcoming celebration.
"Absolutely. I'm in a fantastic mood." I grabbed a glass, allowing my gaze to linger on her voluptuous bre@sts. I was hungry as hell tonight. The taste of the bubbly was spectacular. The senator had spared no expense in touting his brand of bullshit. "Tell me, do you have any idea where the senator is?"
"I think he's in the next room," she purred.
I lifted my glass in appreciation before glancing toward the main opening. If the accounts were correct, Senator Hargrove would announce his candidacy at precisely nine p. m. He was a man of many things, including a static regimen. I could appreciate that, even though he was a true lowlife. I'd been given the opportunity to see pictures of his extracurricular and very kinky activities. The asshole was a true pig.
I enjoyed the scenery, walking through the crowd of celebrities, influencers, and low-level politicians hanging on the senator's coattails. This would prove to be a fascinating evening. When I saw her, I stopped short, gazing from afar. I was a man who usually took what he wanted without care of recourse, but the game was far too important to risk giving Drummand any concept of an upper hand.
But I could enjoy the view.
Caroline Hargrove was magnificent, her copper-colored hair flowing all the way down to the small of her waist. With her standing under a burst of shimmering light near the bar, surrounded by a group of admirers, I was able to enjoy every aspect of her beauty. She was fortunate to have her mother's looks, beautiful in a voluptuous manner. Her hourglass figure and long legs had always created a twitch in my heart. She was Drummand's only child, at least that had been acknowledged in the press. Very protected, her life had been more of a fairytale.
She'd attended the finest schools, graduating college a little over a year ago with a degree in business. However, her true love was painting, and I'd already found out that she had a gallery showing tomorrow night. I would be there. She was witty and charming, even more so when surrounded by her friends. In public, she attempted to toe the line, but was extremely opinionated and desperately in need of discipline. I couldn't wait to peel away the layers, exposing the glorious and very submissive side that I knew dwelled within her.
Tonight, she held court, four female friends gushing over every aspect of the evening.
I'd learned as much about her as possible, finding out aspects about her likes and dislikes, from clothing to wine. I knew exactly how to entice her darkest fantasies, spark the woman who was living in a glass cage. I would ply her with gifts, pervert her with my depraved desires, and undo her with my touch. I'd give her the kind of unbridled pleasure she never knew existed and all for a single price.
Obedience.
I polished off the champagne and checked my watch. Perfect. I didn't care what table I set the glass down on as I left the room, finding the senator all alone in a suite meant for a king. I stood in the doorway, studying him. He seemed edgy, his lips moving in silence as he read words from a piece of paper. No doubt his fabulous speech for the American people.
I didn't bother knocking, taking long strides inside.
He finally sensed a presence, jerking his head from his steadfast focus. "Dominick. What... What are you doing here?" The fear in his voice was palpable.
"Why, celebrating your upcoming announcement, Senator. You should be very proud of your accomplishments." I patted my chest as I looked around the room. They'd furnished the space with food and drink, plush seating, and not one but three oversized televisions, all to glorify his bullshit. I walked toward the bar, making myself a drink then stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, peering out at the gorgeous city. My city. And all the while, he didn't utter a single word.
I was able to see his reflection in the crystal-clear glass, even the nervous tic that had appeared in the corner of his mouth. I was certain the man was sweating in his very expensive Armani tuxedo.
"What do you want, Dominick? I will be on camera in five minutes. I don't have time for this." The flutter in his voice was telling. He was terrified.
"What do I want?" I issued the words slowly. "I'm curious, Drummand. Are you planning on confiding all your sins to your constituents?"
"What sins?" The anger had increased in his tone.
Excellent. I took two sips of my drink, not bothering to answer until he took a step in my direction. "Why don't you pick one? Gambling? Whoring? Would you like to inform the crowd and the American people that you owe almost two hundred thousand dollars to my family?"
"What? You bastard. I'm in the process of paying that back!" he insisted. "Besides, I spent the majority of that money at one of your casinos, a carbon copy of the one you're trying to get approved with the board of supervisors."
"Are you threatening me, Drummand? As you can imagine, that would not be in your best interest."
He recoiled, his face and neck turning a ghastly shade of green. "I'm not threatening anyone, Dominick. As I said, I'm in the process of paying you back every dime."
"Mmm... Yes, well, the interest is killing you. Besides, that's not the point."
"And what the fuck is the point?"
I turned sharply, closing the distance. "The point is that I own you, Mr. Hargrove. Nothing you do can occur without my approval." I adjusted his bowtie, giving him an evil grin. "I certainly don't have any intention of preventing you from running, if you obey my rules."
"Rules? Christ, that's ridiculous. People don't give a shit about gambling. Hell, half the people in this town wager on something," Drummand hissed. "I can explain that away in a heartbeat." He dared laugh.
"Well, maybe you're right. Then how are you going to explain this?" I pulled out a single photograph, one of the most damning that Kelan had sent. "What you do to young women is disgusting, Drummand. This girl in particular appears underage. Did you know that?"
I wasn't entirely certain whether the man was going to have a heart attack. His face turned a bright crimson, his eyes bulging. Coughing, he moved toward the drink on the coffee table, gulping the entire contents. After the liquor had been consumed, he pointed his shaking index finger, the threat almost charming.
"How. Dare. You," he managed.
I laughed, pulling yet another photograph out of my pocket. "I know all your dirty little secrets, Senator Hargrove. There isn't anything you can hide and no matter what you do or if you try and run, I will find you."
"You are a bastard."
The second picture was much more devastating, exposing a secret no one knew. He'd failed miserably. His desire for young women would be his undoing.
His mouth twisted, his body swaying.
"Yes, that may be true. Here's the thing, Drummand. I don't give a shit what you think. I don't give a shit about you at all, but I do believe you care about your reputation, the various businesses you've turned into an empire. And I am certain that you don't want to go to prison."
"Damn you," he struggled, wheezing. "What do you want from me. What?"
I slipped the photographs back into my pocket. "Simple and in agreeing to my demands, the gambling debt will be wiped off, the pictures secured in a vault meant for my eyes only. Just in case you try and betray me."