Sin & Suffer (Pure Corruption MC #2)(97)

My thoughts turned to all the other senators and men in power who’d agreed to work with us. Some had taken a lot of persuading with facts and figures. They didn’t believe the blatant lies and forged documents from their departments were true. Others had been waiting for an upheaval like we offered and were only too happy to help. The biggest surprise had come from the local and worldwide MCs. Most of them had been only too happy to band together. For the first time in history, we weren’t fighting against one another but working as one.

It was a f*cking miracle.

Hopefully, Cleo would see now why I could never leave. When she’d died, I’d tried to replace her with this—given myself over to making other people’s lives so much better than mine could ever be. Giving everything. Giving more.

And until it was done, I couldn’t abandon it. No matter how much I might want to live a simple life. To have no worries or intricate plans. To have contentedness rather than obsession. What I wouldn’t give to wake up in the morning and only have to care about what position I would take my woman in and for how long.

But this was global. This was infinite. This was my duty.

“Yes, but surely this isn’t your fight? It’s the responsibility of—”

“If we don’t fight, who will?” I asked.

I’d started this journey with vengeance on my mind for both my father and the system that allowed him to destroy my life. But as time passed, my goals evolved. I became less selfish.

I wanted others to have the freedom and truth. And I had the means with which to make it happen. The global system was so fragile, so easily tainted by those who were out for themselves. And that was why I was an expert at foreign currency trading. All it took was one piece of misleading news, or mention of war, or market uncertainty by a politician in the pockets of some mega conglomeration, and the dollars fluctuated like crazy, allowing people in the know to swoop in, scoop up untold millions in the trade, and then get out. Insider trading was rife—and not just on the FX market but on everything known to f*cking man.

Stocks. Fuel. Climate change. Property. Medical.

All of it was guided and directed by puppeteers who had no moral compass.

Corrupt.

The world was f*cking corrupt.

Cleo never answered my question, so I did it for her. “If no one fights, it will only get worse. It’s our duty to stand up now … before it’s too late. People are desperate—just like I was before Wallstreet helped me. But I’ll change that. If I can.”

Cleo glanced between me and Samson. “And you want to be in the limelight? You want to be … what? A politician?”

My headache pressed harder. “No, I don’t want that. The thought of being open to ridicule and scandal is the last thing I want.”

“Then … why?” Her forehead furrowed. “Why put yourself forward? Why do something you don’t want when you’ve been through so much?”

I smiled softly. “I started this when I had nothing to lose. I pledged my life to helping others, hoping to find value for mine since I no longer had you.”

She gasped.

“I’ve been planning this for years, Buttercup. Regardless that I now have everything I ever wanted, I can’t turn my back on something that got me through those darkest days. I can’t give up on helping others find happiness and equality.” Lowering my voice, I asked, “Do you understand?”

Her green eyes shimmered. The love shining there was infinite, decimating my heart all over again. “I … I understand.” Her shoulders squared. “I’m with you every step. What can I do to help?”

My soul lifted with thanks. I wanted to kiss her so f*cking bad. “Nothing yet. I just wanted you to know what the future holds. Wallstreet will be out soon. And then it will be all over the news.”

Samson cleared his throat, dispelling brutal honesty and changing the subject to less heavier subjects. “You’re okay if I let Duncan and Spears know to begin?”

I nodded. “Go ahead.”

Smoothing his trousers, Samson stood. He winced as his legs creaked. “Well, in that case, I’m heading back to my party. Don’t think we need to confirm anything else, but if so, I’ll send you an encrypted email.”

I stood and shook hands with the senator who Wallstreet had told me to contact. My lessons hadn’t ended when I’d been released from jail—they’d only just begun. I came out of Florida State despising the judicial system and everything to do with bureaucrats, but through Samson and Wallstreet, I’d immersed myself in men and women who wanted change, too—they just didn’t know how to do it.

“Stay and mingle. Get a few more of these leeches onto your side.” Samson laughed and bent over to kiss Cleo on her cheek. “Lovely to meet you, Ms. Price.”

Cleo stood, looking as graceful as a f*cking ballerina in her heels. “Thank you, Senator. I can’t tell you what a relief it is to finally have some answers.”

Samson’s eyes softened. “No problem at all. And please, call me Joe. I think we’re all on a first-name basis.”

Moving to stand beside her, I asked Samson, “You’ll talk to the other cabinet members? Tell them about Wallstreet?”

“First thing Monday, I’ll go through what we’ve discussed and get the campaign started. The first advertisement will go live at prime-time viewing and then we’ll be in for the long haul.” Unlocking the door, he looked back again. “Once I have the extra funds, it’s all systems full steam.”