Relentless

  “Ms. Haws, someone did try to kill you but got your assistant instead. I’m not letting you get harmed. Not on my watch. No way. It offends me.”

  She couldn’t help but snort a laugh, making him smile.

  “You’ll address the Council from here.” He indicated a podium. “A speech broadcaster is built in right here. Just use your normal voice. If you want to move a bit, it has a good range. You’re going to be great. I’ve read your proposal and I think you make sense. Just speak from your heart and be aware that not all of them will want to hear it.”

  “Thank you. I do appreciate that.”

  He inclined his head and took a seat next to her.

  That morning, Roman had awakened with a sense of calm. He wouldn’t send Alexander in his stead. What would that say to Abbie? No, he would be there and watch her, send her some sort of moral support as she made a very difficult proposal.

  He would see her, eat her up with his gaze. His beautiful, intelligent Abbie.

  He arrived at the Council building to see a crush had already developed. He worried for Abbie, worried for her safety. He’d nearly had a heart attack when he’d been given the news about the poison delivered to her office. Thank the gods she’d been out of town and surrounded by guards.

  His own guards materialized and led him into a side entrance. The noise from the Hall of Heroes was nearly deafening. Roman wondered how this day would end. Nothing of this sort had ever happened, and he had to lead it, lead through it and guide a solution. He hoped he made the right choice.

  When the time came, all fifteen Family leaders filed out onto their seats. This was a special meeting of the Council, and each leader was there in person rather than by vid conference. They’d all attend the final day of Perry Walker’s trial the following day. The ritual was in high form. Each man wore his Council robes, all lined with their House color.

  Row by row, bottom to top. He sat in the middle on the very top tier and saw her right away. Wilhelm was with her and Roman relaxed a bit. If anyone could protect her in a crisis, Ellis could.

  He used the amplifier on his seat as he stood. “Order in the chamber. I would like to admonish the crowd to hold down the noise. Any party making an outburst will be escorted from the chamber immediately. We rarely have such large gatherings here, so please be patient as we work through the process. We’ve dealt with routine business issues in a special private session and now will move on to our guest, Abigail Haws, of the Movement for Representative Democracy, as she makes her proposal to this body.”

  He turned from the crowd to face Abbie. She sat, looking perfectly calm, but he knew her, knew she had to be nervous because this meant so much to her. But for both their sakes, he had to remain as neutral as possible.

  “Ms. Haws, please take the podium. Your time will be displayed on the clock to your left. At the conclusion of your remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session with the assembled Council.”

  Roman sat and Abbie stood and walked slowly to the podium. She had no notes. No paper. Just herself. And that’s all she needed because her speech was written into her very bones.

  She waited a moment and then thanked Roman and the assembled Council. And then she thanked the crowd.

  “I was born here in Ravena. In the outback. My father was a teacher. My mother took in mending and also cooked and baked for other families for extra money.”

  Abbie fell into the story, her story, the story of the unranked, and didn’t bother to look at the clock. She knew just how long it would take.

  She spun through her life briefly before launching into her proposal.

  “We do not want to steal your power. We want to share it. We are all citizens of the Federation. We all work hard and build lives here. We raise families and watch the fireworks on Varhana Day. We do not dispute the fact that the Families only wish the best for all their citizens, nor do we dispute that for the most part, especially here in Ravena, we lead good lives. But we have no say in the direction our governance goes in. We do not vote; we are not asked. We simply let governance happen to us. And it has created a sickness that resulted in the worst sort of betrayal.”

  Gasps sounded but Abbie did not flinch from the truth. The Families had brought this crisis on themselves and now they had to face it.

  “We have been voiceless for generation after generation. And yet we have done service in the military corps, we have built ’Verse after ’Verse from the sewers to the portals. We seek an advisory committee with an unranked, elected member from each ’Verse, to serve as an adjunct to this body.”

  Abbie went through the details of how that would happen and ended with, “The time for a greater democracy, the time to give voice to the voiceless, is now. Thank you.”

  Thundering applause sounded from the chamber below, drowning out the boos of some of the assembled people. She caught sight of her mother’s face, the pride there, and then her father’s and it touched her to see his smile, his approval.

  Roman let it go on for several moments and then admonished them to be silent, which, thankfully, they did.

  “I’ll take questions from this body,” Roman said.

  Deimos, sitting with the rest of the AC to the right of the Council, stood and raised a hand, Roman recognized him.

  “The Auxiliary Council, by majority vote, endorses the plan as proposed by the speaker.”

  Abbie watched the Council and knew her little bask in adoration was coming to an end.

  “House Licht has the floor,” Roman said.

  “My family has led for millennia. I was trained to do this. What makes this woman think she’s capable of such a thing as leadership? I do not dispute the beauty of our sewers and portals, but one can hardly compare such things to running a government.”

  It went on and on that way with Licht, Stander, and Gayle lobbing hostile questions at her.

  Roman watched as she handled each one with such unflappable calm he wanted to laugh out loud even as he wanted to smack those who questioned her ability.

  Still, his ire was raised at how little respect his fellows paid her. It was fairly clear to him they indeed believed the unranked were incapable of intelligent leadership.

  His mind began to spin.

  Vicktor Pela stood. “House Pela stands in support of the proposal.”

  “Your daughter-in-law is unranked, of course you would!” Monitan Licht shot back.

  “But she is Ranked, Monitan. In fact, her Rank is higher than yours. She’s also a capable and strong leader who saved all of us from the plot that killed so many of our citizens.” Vicktor smirked and Roman liked the man even more.

  House Walker stood next. “I was admittedly not in support of this plan until I listened to my son and then heard Ms. Haws speak. House Walker supports the proposal.”

  House Khym also stood in support but House Holmes wavered. Roman knew it was about Hannah and their apprehensions about Abbie.

  Each House spoke and it appeared he would have to speak to provide the extra weight she’d need.

  Someone in the gallery screamed out, “This whore should be banned from this body! She fucked her way here. She isn’t worthy of this honor. Even Lyons thinks so. Who’s he marrying?”

  Abbie met his gaze and he saw her breath hitch but she stood tall. White noise sounded in his head and he realized what a fool he’d been all along. She struggled and he put her into a warm apartment. One she’d turned down because she didn’t want to jump the line ahead of people who’d waited longer than she had. He’d not given her what she really needed, what he wanted to provide from the first, but had been so blinded by tradition he’d never imagined a different future for either one of them.

  He’d hedged around the one thing he knew he could do to be with her. The marital rule existed for very good reasons, even if over time they’d become less and less relevant. Making a change, especially right then, with so much upheaval, seemed foolhardy. He did not want to destabilize things any further, and while it was o
ften thought of as fun to have so much power, to hold that much power came with deep responsibility. Roman was in charge. That meant he had to do the right thing.

  This woman stood before them making an intelligent and rational argument as to why she should have a voice in her own future, while they all decided on whether they should share as if they were more special by nature of birth.

  Which they were, in a sense. But it was Abbie Haws who deserved leadership and a voice. More than anyone he’d ever met. And he’d given people the idea that she was a whore because he’d fucked her and discarded her, even though he loved her.

  He was ten kinds of fool and totally unworthy, and he’d missed just exactly what the right thing would be all this time.

  He stood. But he’d spend every moment of his life trying to make it up to her.

  “House Lyons supports this proposal. The proposal passes by a majority.”

  Chaos reigned and he looked down toward where she stood. She wrestled with her emotions but kept it together like the professional she was.

  “Order in this chamber or you shall all go to lockup, House members included!”

  Stunned, the audience quieted.

  “After today, Deimos Lyons will lead House Lyons.”

  Deimos looked up at him, surprised for a moment, but he hid it quickly.

  “Because I will be marrying. Ah, I shouldn’t make that assumption. She may not have me.” He looked up at Abbie, who held her hand to her throat. “Abbie, I’ve been a fool. My last official act as leader of House Lyons will be to eradicate the marital rule. Will you take me back? Will you marry me? I have a feeling your life will be very busy after this; you might need a consultant. I know a bit about governance, so you’d be getting a good package deal. A man who loves you more than anything in the Known Universes and an expert consultant. What do you say? We can live in a house on the vent so you’re never cold in the winter.”

  Abbie looked up at him, totally stunned but filled with the kind of joy she’d never imagined. She fought her tears. No way was she going to cry at the happiest time of her life.

  She stepped to the amplifier. “House Lyons, speak you true?”

  “As true as my love for you. Be my wife, Abbie. Make brothers and sisters for Deimos and Corrin. I hear you might have a connection for good cakes for the wedding.”

  She laughed and looked to her mother, whose shoulders shook with happy tears.

  “Deimos Lyons, what say you?” She wanted to be sure his children were all right with this.

  Deimos stood. “I say welcome to House Lyons and that I hope you can talk sense into my father and urge him not to step down.”

  Abbie smiled. She might be principled and she might have turned down that apartment, but no way would she walk away from this man who held her heart in his hands. “Yes, Roman.”

  All seven hells broke loose as Roman strode from the tiers and into the crowd. Guards shoved people back as the assembled Council alternately clapped and frowned.

  Within moments Roman was at her side, pulling her to him and the noise died away. It was just the two of them.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve been a coward. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  His lips met hers and a sense of homecoming stole through her. Her mouth opened on a sigh and his tongue slid in. She met it with her own as she held on to him tight, not wanting to let him go ever again.

  His hands unerringly went to her hair and she wanted to laugh out loud when it began to fall from the knot.

  His taste found its way home again within her and the pain of his absence began to lessen just a bit. He was hers and that would not change.

  She sucked his tongue slightly and he arched a bit, letting her feel just what that had done to him. Abbie wanted to climb up his body and fuck herself onto him right then and there. She probably would have, had Ellis not cleared his throat loudly, reminding them he was there.

  Chuckling, Roman pulled back from the kiss, licking his lips and still gazing at her. “Sorry, got a little carried away.”

  “I’m amazed, Roman, that it took you so damned long to come to your senses,” Ellis commented. “But if I may interject, you should get back to work. It’s sort of chaotic down there.”

  Abbie looked down and nodded. “Go and calm them down. I’ll be here. And Roman? Listen to Deimos. Don’t step aside.”

  “Protect her with your life, Ellis,” Roman said before kissing her hard and fast.

  “Do I tell you how to do your job? Maybe I should. I would have told you to eradicate that stupid marital rule long ago.” Ellis glowered quite well, and Roman squeezed her hand before dashing away.

  “Is he going to be all right?” Abbie turned to Ellis as she asked.

  “It’ll be rough but he has support, enough to survive. He is House Lyons, after all. And he just did something none of them have ever had the courage to do. Some will admire that. Roman is tough. He was born tough. None of them can stand against him for long.”

  She smiled at him. “I find myself quite happy you seem to admire him so.”

  Ellis laughed. “He’s an admirable man who has been instrumental in making me what I am today. There are many highly placed people who can say the same. None would want him to step aside. Deimos can do the job and do it well, but it’s Roman’s place. I hope he sees that.”

  Abbie agreed.

  “Comandante Ellis, Mr. Lyons requests you move Ms. Haws to the rear antechamber until he’s finished with their private session. Ms. Haws, he requests that you wait for him if possible.” Marcus grinned at her from the top of the steps.

  “All right. Will you inform my family, please? I don’t want them worrying about where I am.”

  “Of course. I’ve had some food and drinks put in for you to snack on. Private sessions like this one can take a while. And congratulations. I’m, well, I’m thrilled for you and Roman.” Marcus winked and disappeared down the steps again.

  “I don’t want to try and get you through that gallery below. Come through the side with me.”

  He pressed a panel to his left and a pocket door popped open.

  “Nifty.”

  “It does come in handy to know the back way sometimes.”

  She followed him through the door and down a hallway. Exterior light came through the top of the passage and she realized they were on a modified sort of catwalk over the chamber below. Now she’d have to get back in the gallery to see how noticeable it was.

  He punched a code into the wall panel and it took a retinal scan and the door slid open to a set of stairs that they took downward and into the antechamber. True to Marcus’s word, food and drink was laid out on a sideboard and a comm station had been unlocked for her to work on.

  She sat and it all hit her so hard she had to put her head down on the table. Everything was right there. Everything she’d ever wanted and by the gods she wasn’t going to let anyone take it from her.

  Chapter 35

  “You’re out of your mind. That’s all there is to it, Roman. You cannot mean to do this.” Gabriel Holmes had barely waited for the door to close before he spoke.

  “This is the sanest thing I’ve done in my entire life. I’ve been in love with Abigail since about five minutes after we first met. I’m too old to throw love away like a fool.”

  “You cannot mean to step aside.”

  “You’re talking about me naming a successor?” Roman was confused.

  “Roman, I would have welcomed a marriage between our Families and I ask you to remember you have two unmarried sons and an unmarried brother, but I can’t stand in the way of your love for this woman. She’s clearly intelligent and well-spoken. I do not agree that any of us should be in each others’ pockets on this sort of personal issue,” Gabriel said.

  Well, that was unexpected. “Oh. How say the rest of the Five?”

  “House Walker supports you continuing in place, although we will not be revoking the marital rule ourselves.” Angelo Walker spo
ke.

  The others stood behind Roman. He hadn’t felt bad about naming a successor. He’d trade this job for Abbie in a heartbeat. But Deimos had urged him not to and now that he’d had time to think on it, if he didn’t have to step aside, why should he?

  If a majority of them, a healthy majority of the Families felt he should stay, he would.

  “We should take this up tomorrow. House Licht needs time to formulate a response.” Monitan Licht’s lips were pursed.

  “A quick show of votes before we adjourn, then,” Vicktor Pela said. “House Pela supports Roman Lyons continuing as leader of House Lyons. Not that this is any of our business. This is up to House Lyons.”

  “This affects us all! He shoves through this Advisory Council and then he asks the woman to marry him and repudiates millennia of Family tradition,” Monitan Licht said angrily.

  Roman sighed.

  “The vote for the Advisory Council was eight to six with House Lyons making the ninth vote. That’s not shoving anything through. That’s a solid majority and it’s no longer up for discussion.”

  Roman loved when Angelo Walker got snotty.

  “Just take a damned vote as to where everyone stands on Roman holding his position as leader of House Lyons and then we can all go. If it’s an overwhelming show either way, we can go from there,” Leong Khym said.

  A quick show of hands had nine in favor and four against, the four Roman had figured would vote that way anyway.

  “I don’t see why we need until tomorrow then.” Vicktor Pela stood up. “I’ll see you all at next week’s meeting. Congratulations, Roman. I hope to meet this Abbie in person very soon. I imagine after all this time apart you’re rather anxious to get to her.” He smiled and Roman stood, too. Hells yes, he was anxious.

  “Council is adjourned until next week’s meeting. Thank you, gentlemen. I’ll be off now.”

  Roman nearly ran from the room into the antechamber where she sat, laughing with Wilhelm. By the gods, she’d charmed his usually dour comandante. He grinned at her, leaning to hear what she said.

  “My goodness, I can’t leave you alone for a moment or you’re making more men fall in love with you.”