it.”
Donna quelled the urge to curse. Or flip the table.
Pierce did the cursing for her. He pushed back from the table with such force that his chair fell over. “That’s enough. I’m not going to stand for this. It’s one thing to come after me for something I actually did, but to make up lies about you? No. He needs to be stopped.”
Donna felt the same, but those were easy words to speak. “I’m not arguing with that, but how exactly do you propose we do that? And honestly, my actions did set things in motion.”
Charlie sighed. “There will be a council hearing. There’s no way around it. And Pierce won’t be able to represent you, because he’s already involved in a dispute.”
“Fitzhugh is a no-account scrub with a big feeling about himself.” Neo was practically twitching with anger. “I’m done being one of his constituents. I’m moving to Jersey. And I’ll tell you what else I’m doing. I’ll hang with you for the movie, but I’m also going to work tonight on hacking into a different computer. His. I’m gonna get some dirt on him. He wants to fight dirty? Fine with me. I grew up on the street. No one knows how to play dirtier than me.”
“Neo, as much as I appreciate that, hacking into his system is illegal. Let’s table that for now. I don’t need another charge brought against me.”
“Okay.” Neo’s voice held some reluctance. “But if you change your mind…”
“I’ll give you the word.” Donna appreciated the enthusiasm, but Fitzhugh’s public accusation stung. She was furious and hurt and on the verge of snapping. Slowly, she got up from the table. “I need a minute.”
She walked out, leaving them stunned and silent, but they erupted in conversation before the door had closed.
She went straight to the balcony and stepped outside into the bitter night air. Her gaze fixed on the cityscape across the river. How could something so beautiful be under the care of a man as ugly as Fitzhugh?
Why did he hate her so much? Was this all because she refused to treat him like a god among men? Because she’d rejected his offers? What was his problem?
She didn’t know. But this continued animosity was going to make it impossible for her to go forward.
Something had to change. Fitzhugh had to change. But how? She ran both hands through her hair, stopping about halfway to massage her scalp. No answer came.
“You’ve dealt with men like him before.”
She glanced over her shoulder at her sister. She was standing by the open slider, looking chilly.
Cammie pulled her cardigan a little tighter. “Joe. Big Tony. Every lunk that ever traipsed through your house expecting you to make him a sandwich and bring him a beer. You handled all of them.” She smirked. “And once you did, they knew better than to try anything with you again.”
That wasn’t entirely true. They hadn’t really all expected her to make them a sandwich. But Donna understood what Cammie was saying. “This is a little different.”
“How? Because he’s a vampire? So are you. Because he’s a governor? So are you. On top of that, you’re a mother and a survivor. What’s he ever done besides boss people around?” She shook her head. “He’s playing head games with you, Donna. That’s Mafia 101 right there. You need to get in the action, or you’re going to lose.”
“You’re not wrong. But how do I do that?” Right now, the only idea she could come up with was putting a stake through his heart, and while effective, there would undoubtedly be repercussions. Killing your political rivals, even if they were jerks, wasn’t approved behavior. Which was probably to her benefit considering Fitzhugh’s attitude toward her. “Without involving the council any more than they already are?”
Cammie smiled like Donna hadn’t seen her smile since she’d arrived. “Well, you have a vampire hunter living with you…”
Donna came back inside so her sister wouldn’t freeze to death. She pulled the slider shut. “I’m listening. What are you proposing?”
Cammie’s eyes narrowed, gleaming with a curious light. “Let me pay him a visit.”
“To do what?”
She lifted one shoulder nonchalantly. “Have a little chat with him.”
“Yeah, I don’t think that’s a good idea. He’s a vampire, Cammie. You’re human. I know you have a sword and a crossbow and some great armor, but you’d need it. He’s not going to want to chat with you, and I don’t want to have to avenge your death. Plus, if anything happened to