I had no business doing this.
But I’d already voiced enough of my misgivings. Hillbilly didn’t need me doubting myself right now.
I needed to tread lightly, and not just with Lila. If I waltzed out of here and announced that I was acting President while Hillbilly was recuperating after his heart attack, it might look like I was poaching his position in the hour of the old man’s illness.
I could tell by the way that Hillbilly was looking at me, I had to figure it out on my own.
“You’re really putting me through trial by fire here, boss.”
Hillbilly chuckled.
“That’s the only way I’ve ever managed to get a damn thing through that thick skull of yours.”
When I left Hillbilly to rest and returned to the waiting room, I spotted Lila, talking with Shea. Her arms were folded as she shifted in place, and she looked practically dead on her feet. This health scare with her dad really wiped her out.
Then her gaze flicked to me and I caught a glimpse of that familiar fire in her eyes again. She wasn’t too tired to hate my guts at least. That was a good sign.
“All right, folks,” I said. “Hillbilly needs his beauty sleep, so it’s time to pack up and go home.”
Ironside spoke up, standing near the door, watching over everyone.
“Did Prez name anyone to be head honcho in his place until he gets back on his feet?”
I stifled a sigh, searching the expectant faces awaiting my answer. I always thought it would be one hell of an adrenaline rush to become President one day, to be the leader that everyone admired and respected. At thirty-two years old, I thought I hadplenty of time to prepare myself for wearing the President's patch when I was closer to Ironside or Hillbilly's age.
But now that I was standing in Hillbilly’s shoes, I just found it hard to breathe with the weight of so much responsibility. I couldn’t be carefree Pretty Boy anymore. I needed to have my shit together.
Instead, I felt like I was flying by the seat of my pants, and doing a piss-poor job of it, too.
“Yeah. He chose me.”
A beat of silence lingered in the air. Lila’s nostrils flared and she turned her head away.
Hades huffed with dry amusement. His ex-wife, Jenny, was seated next to him, with her arm looped through his elbow, and their little boy curled up in her lap. Their daughter dozed against Hades’s shoulder.
“That completely fucks up the chain of command,” he said. “Ironside is next in line, not you, kid.”
“I know,” I replied. “I said the same thing, but the boss insisted this is the way he wanted to play it.”
“Look,” Bruiser said. “Everyone knows you’re Prez’s favorite and he’s been grooming you for this moment for years but—”
“Hillbilly’s word is final,” Ironside cut in. “He has his reasons. And he doesn’t need us bitching and squabbling at each other about it.”
Bruiser clamped his mouth shut. I lifted my chin in Ironside’s direction, acknowledging his support.
Lila was steaming though. She poked her tongue in her cheek, and it looked like she was fighting the urge to tell me exactly what she thought of this development.
While everyone filed out of the waiting room, I remained on standby, making sure they made it to their cars or bikes. Ironside rolled up next to me on his bike and gestured to Lila as she climbed into her BMW.
“Something is off with Lila,” he said, shouting to be heard over the engine of his motorcycle.
“Her father just had a heart attack that put him in the ER. She has every right to be a little off at the moment.”
Ironside shook his head.
“Not like that. She got a phone call, then ran outside like her tail was on fire. I didn’t hear much, but it was enough to tell she’s probably in some kind of trouble.”
I frowned with a knot of concern twisting in my stomach. Ironside had this uncanny ability to read people. It was damn near impossible to bullshit him or pull the wool over his eyes, because he saw right through it in a heartbeat. If he thought Lila was in trouble, he wouldn't be stirring up drama or crying wolf. He wouldn’t raise the alarm until he was sure that something was amiss.