Page 19 of Junior Has a Secret

“Can we finish this with food on a table somewhere?”

“Considering how hangry you get, let’s go.I can’t take you any more bitchy than normal.”

“Ah.I love you, too, Andrew.”I push to my feet and he follows me to his own.

Jay arrives at that moment, and I accept my coat, and slip it into place, when a thought hits me, and I eye Andrew.“I don’t remember meeting the lieutenant governor.”

“Because he held his own event at a separate building.”

“Who is he?”

“Nicolas Wellman.He’s one of Pocher’s dweebs, a wealthy dude with a string of divorces.He’d have never been elected on his own.”

“So Pocher picked him, not Dad?”

“Right.Dad can’t stand him, but I get the feeling he was a condition of all the money Pocher threw at Dad’s campaign.”

“In other words, Nicolas was Pocher’s first choice, and Pocher used Dad to get him into office.”It’s not a question.This is all coming together for me now.

“Dad’s the one in control.”

“Until he’s not.”I start walking.

Andrew double steps to catch up.“I know you, Lilah.You don’t say things without purpose.What does that mean?Until he’s not?”

I don’t have it in me to get into the Pocher dynamic before I eat.“Food, Andrew,” I say, giving him side eye.“I choose Sarabeth’s.It’s close and expensive, and you can pay.”

“As if you need me to pay.You know I hate that place.That’s why you want to go.”

“No one hates that place, Andrew.It’s delicious.Youdon’t hate that place.You’re just saying you don’t like it because you’re my brother.”

It’s in that moment that Kane enters the lobby, still in his tux from the night before, exhaustion radiating off of him.Kit enters after him, and is immediately by his side, and he looks about as crappy as Kane.Oh, mortal men, you need sleep.

“Wait here,” I order my brother pulling ahead of him, while Kit just knows to stay back.

Kane and I come together in a corner of the sitting area.“Is he alive?”I ask.

His hands come down on my shoulders, warm despite the cold outside, while his posture is pure exhaustion.“Unfortunately, yes, and we’re going to talk about how to ensure I don’t regret that after I get some sleep.Where are you going and can younotgo?”

“I need to get Andrew’s head on straight,” I say, “and from there, I need to deal with Adams and my job.I’ll be back by the time you wake up, but there’s good news to take up with you.”

He arches a brow.“What twisted version of good news do you have for me this time?”

“I don’t believe Ghost randomly came for me or my father last night.The lieutenant governor is Pocher’s pet who couldn’t get elected on his own merit.I think Pocher sent Ghost to check my father and he just wanted to fuck with me in the process.”

“Ghost is an assassin.He doesn’t take bully jobs.”

“While I get that, he’s highly motivated by keeping his number one rank.If he was promised the kill later, he might agree to play a game in advance.”

“You do know you’re saying he’s planning to kill your father, right?”

“Or Pocher.”

“Pocher didn’t hire him to kill himself.”

“No, but Pocher might not know what’s really going on.Maybe your father hired Ghost.Either way, Ghost was not there for me.That should make you happy.”

He stares at me for several beats.“The only thing that will make me happy is you coming upstairs to be with me.”