I Heard A Rumor by Cheris Hodges

keep his dick in his pants.”
    â€œLanguage!”
    â€œYou know what, why don’t you look at what I’ve done with my career. Show that to your friends who have daughters who are living off the taxpayers’ dime and three baby daddies. I’m not doing this with you, and if I wasn’t looking forward to having dinner with my father, I’d leave right now.” Chante stormed out of the kitchen and rejoined Zach, her father, and Mike. Just like Allison, she put on a fake smile and pretended that she wasn’t mad as hell.

Chapter 8
    Taiwon glared at Nic. “How dare you come into my office with this bullshit?”
    Nic smiled and smoothed his hand down his pant leg. “Listen, Mr. Myrick. You were one of our biggest supporters in the senate race.”
    â€œUntil your candidate was exposed as sleeping with a hooker. How does a law firm look supporting a criminal?”
    â€œAs opposed to having one as a partner?” Nic smiled and leaned back in the leather chair. “Your juvenile record may have been expunged, but you were charged with armed robbery.”
    â€œAnd they had the wrong person. It’s clearly written in the judge’s dismissal of the case. What do you want from me?”
    â€œChante Britt.”
    â€œWhat in the hell does she have to . . . ?”
    â€œI need her in Charlotte. I know her suspension hasn’t been lifted. Maybe if . . .”
    â€œShe is the reason our firm was associated with your client, a man who solicited sex while running for office, as if no one would find out. Do you know how much money we tied up in that loser? Chante is lucky she still has a job.” Taiwon snorted. “And she’s dumb and desperate enough to stay with him? I told them she wouldn’t be good candidate for partner.”
    â€œObviously, they aren’t together; otherwise I wouldn’t be here. You’d better do all you can to get her back in Charlotte and working here.”
    â€œWhy would I do that?” Taiwon asked as he leaned back in his chair. “She put us in the middle of Montgomery’s scandal. We lost several conservative clients because of our endorsement of that louse.”
    â€œAnd how many more clients do you want to lose? Make no mistake, I will destroy you if you don’t work with me in making sure Robert wins this mayoral race.”
    Taiwon shook his head. “And you think the people of this city will forgive him for sleeping with a hooker? Look at the last mayor. The voters want someone they can trust, and I don’t think Montgomery fits that role.”
    â€œAnd how do you think your partners will feel about a lying lawyer who wormed his way into the corner office? As a member of the bar, you were supposed to disclose your youthful transgressions. I know you didn’t.”
    â€œBlackmail is how you want to handle this?”
    â€œI haven’t blackmailed you. All I’ve done is make promises. Trust me, Mr. Myrick, you want me as an ally. Lift Chante’s suspension, and she’ll come back to Charlotte.”
    â€œI don’t take well to threats. Get the hell out of my office.”
    Nic rose to his feet and shot Taiwon an icy glare. “You don’t want me as your enemy. If you want to think about this for the next twenty-four hours, I’ll give you that. But you need to do everything in your power to get Chante Britt reinstated at this law firm.” Nic walked out, feeling comfortable that Taiwon would do everything he ordered.
    Once Chante and Robert were seen together, the voters would think she had forgiven him and would do the same. Nic wanted to show Teresa Flores, Jackson Franklin’s campaign manager and political advisor, that he was still a player, and getting Robert elected mayor would do just that. If he had to use every dirty trick he’d invented, he would.
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    Chante yawned as she listened to Zach tell stories about some of the deals