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Neil snorted out his laughter. "I like this guy."
The senator shook his head at his son's antics. "By
the way, thanks for sending your brother money. He didn't
want to hit me up for cash again."
"No problem. Hey, do you need me to donate some
money?"
"A few million wouldn't go amiss."
"You are shitting him." Cash couldn't keep the fury
out of his voice.
"What's wrong?" Will asked.
"You're lying in a hospital bed and your father is
hitting you up for campaign contributions. That's fucked
up!"
"Cash, my father is a politician. They always need
money. Besides it looks better if all the money doesn't
come out of his personal funds."
Will looked at Cash like he was the one with the
problem.
"Yeah, but& " Cash's voice died out as he looked at
the three of them. "You don't ask someone for money when
they're all banged up."
"Sure you do," Will argued. "How else are you
going to make sure you get it? Besides Father and I have an
agreement. Any money I contribute gets to be listed under
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whatever name I decide."
At Neil's snort of amusement, Cash couldn't resist
asking. "What did he use last time?"
Neil's face split into a wide smile. "I believe last
time the organization was the AGBTS or Association of
Gay Boys in Tight Shorts. He established a non-profit
charity just to use the name."
Will's amused expression confirmed his brother's
statement.
"What does this non-profit company do?"
"It's a general fundraiser for programs supporting
gay rights."
The senator cleared his throat. "Last year they
raised twenty-five million dollars."
Will looked at his father in surprise. "I didn't think
you followed it."
"I wondered how they were doing." He gave Will a
proud smile. "I hear they've done a lot of good work
towards lobbying for marriage equality." His eyes shifted
between the pair of them.
"Real subtle, dad."
Senator Stamson pinned Cash with his sternest look.
"Gays can get married in Canada and a few of the states. I'll
send you a list."
"We've been dating for about twenty-four hours. I
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think we can hold off on the big wedding," Will insisted.
Cash felt a warm spot in his chest. The image of
Will wearing his ring flashed in his mind. He looked at his
nails intently, avoiding Will's gaze as he said, "That was in
my three month plan." He was still wrapping his head
around having a male mate. However, he wasn't going to
let the beautiful man run free for much longer. There were
too many people willing to snatch him up.
"See? Not for a few more months." Will's breath
came in quick gasps, and the machine hooked up to track
his heart rate increased rapidly.
Cash took the chair Neil quickly vacated.
"Deep breaths, honey," Cash said, rubbing a
soothing path across Will's chest.
Neil laughed. "You might've broken the news to
him more gently."
"I expect a big wedding with full media coverage,"
the senator said. "It will look good for me to have a close
connection to the gay community. I can announce your
engagement discreetly through the media when the time is
right."
Cash let out a low growl. "Is there anything you
don't make about you?"
Stamson bristled. "Listen, kid, you don't know what
we Stamsons are all about. We help out family. Don't we,
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Will?"
Will laid his hand on Cash's arm. "Cash, let it go.
My dad and I understand each other well."
Cash hoped Will came up with a good name for this
year's donations. The senator gave him a smug smile Cash
yearned to remove. Punching the man would be a career-
ending move, but still tempting.
"Since I see you're in good hands, I'm going to
catch a flight back to DC. Cash, good to meet you. Expect
to hear about a security detail coming soon."
"Yes, sir," Cash said. His words were polite, but his
tone said "fuck you." The senator's expression said he
understood the message. It was nice to have open
communication with his future in-laws.
Neil walked around the other side of the bed and
gave Will a quick, gentle hug. "You take care of my
brother," he told Cash.
"Don't be a stranger," Will told him.
Neil nodded and turned to follow his father out.
He stopped by the door. "Father left you a present,
but Cash will have to drive it for a while."
He tossed a set of keys in Cash's direction and
hurried out the door.
Cash looked at the Mercedes logo on the key ring.
"I thought you had a car."
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"He gives me a new one every year."
"Your family is really weird."
Will nodded, carefully. "Yes they are."
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Chapter Six
They were in the kitchen eating cereal when a
knock came at the door.
"Stay here," Cash ordered, like Will was a
disobedient puppy he could bring to heel.
The guy at the door was big, buff, and obviously of
the bodyguard persuasion.
"I'm here for Mr Stamson," the mini mountain said.
Cash puffed up like he was willing to fight the
stranger.
He put a hand on Cash's arm. "He's probably the
guy father hired."
The man gave Will an assessing gaze, almost as
thorough as the one Cash gave him so often. "Are you
William Stamson?"
"Yes." Will scooted around Cash before he could
grab him. "Nice to meet you." He held out his hand to
shake.
"I'm Guy Franks." His shake was gentle, but his
brown eyes shot a challenging look at Cash.
"Listen, Franks, I don't know what my father told
you, but it's not an emergency situation. Cash here will be
with me during the day. I think this entire thing is being
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blown out of proportion."
Guy's eyes shifted to him. Will saw them flash with
surprise. "You don't want a bodyguard?"
Cash laughed behind him. "We told his father he
could have a security detail if they stayed at a distance, but
the only one guarding this body is me."
His lover wrapped an arm around him to make sure
the other man got the idea. Will wasn't sure how he felt
about that. He was still on the fence about dealing with
Cash, but looking up at his lover, a portion of his heart
melted.
Cash was a Neanderthal, but he was his
Neanderthal.
Guy frowned. "Your father is paying my company a
lot of money to keep you safe, Mr Stamson. I can't just
walk away from this contract."
"He didn't tell you to walk away. He just doesn't
need to see you," Cash said. "Now go hide behind a fire
hydrant or something." He made a shooing gesture at the
buff guard.
Will decided to intervene before Guy gave into the
impulse clearly in his eyes and shot his lover. Their
relationship might be built on lies, but he didn't want his
man injured.
Guy looked between them and shook his head. "All
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right, we'll be around. If you leave the house, don't be
alarmed if you see a car following you."
"How is he going to know it's one of your people
and not a psycho stalking him?"
"I'll make sure they flash their lights." Still shaking
his head, Guy left.
"He seemed nice," Will offered, leaning against his
lover.
"He's an idiot, but he probably knows his stuff if
your father hired him."
"Probably."
He wasn't going to get into the same argument
again. He wasn't. "Maybe you could convince father I don't
need anyone to guard me but you." Okay, maybe he
couldn't resist.
Cash glared at him. "Someone tried to kill you."
"It's only a theory. It could've been a freak
accident."
"Then why didn't they stop?"
"Maybe the driver panicked. Some people don't do
well under pressure."
"And some people try to kill others for all their
money. Who gets your fortune when you die?"
Will rolled his eyes. "Everyone in my family gets a
million, but most of the money goes to charity."
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"The guys in shorts?"
Will shrugged. "Among others."
"Some people will do a lot for a million dollars."
"Not anyone I know."
He wasn't going to defend his family or his will.
* * * *
For the first time Cash realized he had no coping
mechanism for dealing with his lover. Will wasn't magical
so he wasn't under Cash's control and didn't have to do a
damn thing he said. He also wasn't financially relying on
him so he couldn't withhold money as an incentive. All he
had was& "No sex."
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