Page 89 of Chief

It’ll never be enough, but it has to do, because it’s all Icando.

I kiss the top of his head and whisper to him in German the old words, what a good boy he is, and how much I love and miss him, and how sorry I am that I left him.

And I tell him one last thing. “I took care of her for you. I told her for you. I told her about us, and that you are mine.”

I rub the top of his head as his ragged, hitching breath warms my shoulder, the side of my neck, and I pretend I don’t hear him sniffle.

“Thank you, sir,” he whispers. “Love you, too.” I feel his lips press against the side of my throat, and then he’s gone, into the cab, leaving.

I stand there with my hands in my pockets and watch his cab take him back to his life.

I blink and focus on Owen’s green gaze watching me from my phone.

I sigh. “I hope so. He was better when I left.”

“Is he one of the three, Sir?”

I know what he means, but I realize now it has more than one meaning. “Yeah,” I say. “He’s one of the three.”

After I end the call with him, I pull up Skype on my laptop and talk with Susa and the boys. Dray and Gregory are over, too, playing with them while trying to work on re-election stuff with Susa.

“I’ll be home tomorrow,” I promise, knowing I made the right choice after all, even though it still hurts with that wound now raw and exposed.

Susa’s beautiful smile helps. “Love you, Sir.”

I smile. “Love you, too, pet.”

* * * *

It’s just after midnight when I park at the mansion and security lets me in. This is not uncommon. They know I was away on business, we have a state to run, and I’m the governor’s fucking chief of staff.

They don’t question why I arrive at noon or midnight.

They don’tfuckingquestionme, period.

Susa and I have standing unlimited access to the governor.

Owen startles a little when I slide into bed with him after stripping, then he quickly snuggles against me.

“Mmm. Is it morning already?”

I kiss him, inhale, breathe in my boy’s scent, and my aching soul settles a little. “No, middle of the night. Go back to sleep.”

He rolls over to face me and presses his face against the base of my throat. “Missed you, Sir.”

I hold him tightly and swear to myself I will never let him go. “Missed you, too, boy. Love you.”

“Love you, too, Sir.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

We make it through the primary. Now it’s four weeks before the general election. I’m in Owen’s office, going over details with him about the last few campaign appearances he’ll make on Susa’s behalf, when Julia’s voice comes over the intercom.

“Governor Taylor, Senator Samuels is here and wants to know if she can have a few minutes of your time.”

Our gazes meet and I know the confused frown he wears matches mine. “SenatorShaeLynnSamuels?” he asks.

“Yes, sir.”