Read Against the Wind, Season 2, Episode 1 (Rising Storm) for Free Online Page B

“I’m already in town for that price for Senator Rush. How about you pay half that and then owe me a favor sometime in the future?”
    Tate snorted. “The Godfather is dead, buddy.” He made to move from the booth.
    “So is your political career.” Stayton took a healthy drink.
    Tate paused. “Excuse me?”
    “I’m a crisis manager, as you know. And I’m telling you that you’re in more trouble than the senator is right now.”
    Tate lifted his chin. “Are you kidding me? The senator has been accused of sleeping with young women and impregnating an orphan.”
    “Exactly.” Stayton nodded, his eyes gleaming in the dim lights of the pub. “He made a mistake, and he was seduced. So sad. You, on the other hand, were made a fool of by your own brother. You look like an idiot who can’t even command loyalty from a guy who shares your DNA.”
    Irritation clawed up Tate’s throat. “That’s not how voters see it.”
    Stayton smiled, and the sight was almost chilling. “That’s exactly how the voters see it, especially if an opponent spins it so you’re not very bright. Add in the fact that you have strong enough anger issues to brawl with your own brother in the center of town?”
    Tate settled back down, his mind spinning. “Wouldn’t it be a conflict of interest for you to work for both the senator and for me?”
    “No, since you’re not running for the same position. Yet, anyway.” Stayton tipped back the rest of his drink. “If you hire me, I can help you get over this little setback. If you don’t, you’ll never be the mayor of this town.”
    Tate breathed out, analyzing the situation in clear lines, like he’d been taught in law school. First he needed more facts. “Let’s say I’m considering it. What exactly would your first move be?”
    “Is there any chance your brother will denounce Hannah Grossman as a whore and apologize publicly to you?” Stayton kept his voice low enough that nobody could overhear, even as he motioned for another drink.
    Tate snorted. “No. No chance in hell.”
    Logan shot him a look, both eyebrows raised. Then he glanced pointedly at Stayton.
    Tate gave a slight roll of his eyes. The last thing he needed was his cousin barreling in to protect him from Stayton.
    Amusement lit Stayton’s gaze as he looked from Logan and back to Tate. “Will Hannah turn on your brother? Say he seduced her?”
    Tate took a deep drink of his beer. “Nope.” She’d all but said she loved Tucker, now hadn’t she? Anger took hold again inside his chest.
    “Well, then. We highlight your differences. Tucker and Hannah are small town folk, kind of simple, and not honest. You, on the other hand, are highly educated, and you’ve spent much of your time fighting for the rights of others in the courtroom. You have big dreams, and we won’t say it, but we’ll show that you’re bigger than this place.”
    “Bigger?” Tate sat back as Logan slid another martini in front of Stayton. What the hell did that mean?
    Stayton waited until Logan had passed out of earshot. “Voters love to put the guy in office who’s meant for so much more than that office.” He stirred his drink with the olive sword. “There are several of your cases we need to highlight, and I’ll have contacts at the local newspapers reach out to feature you.”
    Tate rubbed his aching jaw. Did he really want to get into bed with this guy? “You should know I hired Joanne Alvarez earlier today, right after Marylee Rush fired her. The Rushes are going to be displeased.”
    Stayton’s eyebrows rose. “Interesting. I read a background file on Joanne before heading to town. She’s a domestic violence victim and now is a single mom. I can work with that.”
    Tate shook his head. “Her daughter is one of the senator’s accusers.”
    Stayton shrugged. “That doesn’t affect you, the nice guy who reached out to help the poor woman. It isn’t her fault her husband abandoned her and her daughter went off the rails. Good