DEVIL'S GOT MY NUMBER

Connor Winters US Senator "Politics is the art of controlling your environment."

[rhiannoncross-deactivated201601]

“Oh, it’s really not a problem; don’t worry about it,” Rhiannon said, sticking her free hand out to shake his. “Rhiannon Cross.”

Suddenly aware of how little make up she was wearing and how unimpressive she looked in her black puffer jacket and jeans, the brunette flushed. Remus used to tell her she had a knack for timing, but she knew he never meant it in a positive way. Unzipping her coat, she decided she’d stay awhile.

When his drink arrived on the counter, she nodded toward it. “And look at that, like clockwork. You may not have to buy me a pastry, but I insist you have your coffee with me.”

[senatorwinters-blog]

Connor smiled at Rhiannon and took her head, shaking it pleasantly. He had once read that a good handshake dictated almost half of a first impression, a fact always stored in the back of his head. “Charming to meet you,” he said, “despite the circumstances.” He withdrew his hand to turn once his name was called. He straightened out the sleeves of his suit, the grabbed the cup, this time making sure that the order on the side was truly his, then nodded towards the seats to the side. “I’ve got half an hour I can spare before I have to be somewhere, so I can grant you at least that.” He led the way, assuming Rhiannon would follow him, like so many others in New York were already doing, and took a seat at one of the cleaner tables. He took a sip of his coffee, looking up at Rhiannon awaiting for her to begin asking him the kind of mandatory questions that always accompanied meeting him: Do you enjoy your work? What’s next for New York? Any bills passed recently? What’s DC like this time of year?

[harlowrenier]

“That’s a first.” Harlow noted. “Refreshing to know your good taste extends past the fabrics and into other aspects of life, though.” Waving off his apology, she returned his smile. “Honestly, don’t worry about it. You drank what? 15¢ worth of my $6 coffee? It’s not a big deal. Now, if it had been 35¢ then we would’ve had a problem.” Having not been paying much attention herself, she empathized with the action of mindlessness. After all, she hadn’t even noticed Connor until he took her drink. At his question, she reflected on her past week. “They’re all right. A little mundane but I can’t really complain.” She answered with a shrug. “What about you? Any bills passed or suit mishaps I should know about?”

[senatorwinters-blog]

“You flatter me far too much,” he replied brightly, followed by an accompanying chuckle. “If only the rest of the country could think the same. Apparently my good taste is beginning to get mistaken for something a little too posh.” He rolled his eyes at that, brushing off the thought. His opponents would always come up with some excuse to make him out to be lesser, but that hardly meant he was going to start wearing sweatpants and confining himself to a small shoebox downtown. “No news means good news, right? A little peace is good for the chis.” he said. “I’ve got nothing too special occurring in Congress right now. We’ve been voting over the same bill for the past two weeks, as if they expect results to actually change. My new assistant spilled coffee all over one of my suits, making her my ex-assistant, but I managed to survive.”

[livia-lawson]

“Maybe not heroic by classical standards, there were no dragons after all but you’re still a modern day knight in shining armour saving the damsel in distress.” Her response to him was firmly tongue in cheek but she did recognise that fewer and fewer people spoke up when they saw something was wrong these days and at times the more cynical part of her doubted that the majority of the population even had a moral compass any more. Livia hummed slightly in agreement to his next words but an amused look played across her face at his readiness to quote statistics an perhaps gain votes. “Something I guess you intend to change then, Senator?” Arching a brow slightly along with her dry words, she was actually interested in his response though actions always spoke volumes over words. After a brief hesitation she gave her name before her answer to his question. “Lawson but Livia is fine. As for the drink, I’m afraid I’m not drinking anything particularly long-standing at the minute so just a shot of something.” At the minute was a lie, she hadn’t drank anything longer than a shot in nearly five years but people’s responses to her slightly odd habit always intrigued her.

[senatorwinters-blog]

He could easily spot the amusement playing across Livia’s features, but that hardly deterred him. Before he became power-hungry, there was a period once when Connor was passionate, a fact that showed every-so often as he presented various facts and opinions. “You’d be guessing correctly. Our prosecution system needs serious repair when it comes to deciphering guilty from innocent in sexual assault cases,” he replied. “Then again, you bring up any problem in our country and I can name something I could change about it. I’ll hardly bore you with any more of the specifics, considering I’ve got a table full of guys waiting to hear about it back there anyway.” On cue, he looked over to where he had been sitting to make sure no hell had broken loose in his absence. As expected, the lot of politicians were still sitting chatting where he left them, no signs of great change in topic. He directed his gaze back to her with a grin and nodded to the bar, a signal for her to accompany him to get the drinks. “Nothing long-standing it is, Livia Lawson,” he remarked, then turned to the bartender. “Two shots of tequila, thank you.” He flashed the man a smile as he darted off to get the drinks, then turned to face Livia once more. “I’m afraid, Miss Lawson, that we’ve come across each other before and I just can’t remember. You wouldn’t happen to recall what I’m talking about?”

[senatorwinters-blog]

txt msg | wintergrave

Dale: Just tell me when to start.

Connor: Now. I'll keep you on-call.

[deafxdefying-blog]

It’s Dior. The last two words were the only part of the Senator’s speech the former soldier caught. He was in his own crisp uniform, having attended a follow up upon his honorable discharge and medical standing. Cadence sat on obedient hind haunches, the white shepherd’s ears pricked toward the voice that had alerted Carter of the man’s approach. It’s Dior– that’s what his lips had read. The closest the former soldier got to Dior was bloodstained fatigues or his dress uniform. He was unsure of how to respond to the statement; of course he’d missed the previous sentence which no doubt aided in detail. And since his service dog failed to speak any multilingual dialect that Carter knew– not that he could hear it if she could– the Senator was shit out of luck. If he was lucky, Cadence’s military-issued camouflage vest would deter him from further communication. Then again, the soldier was never lucky.

[senatorwinters-blog]

It instantly stood out to him when his request wasn’t catered to. Call him spoiled, but with so many people working for him, he had grown accustomed to being attended to and serviced. Posing a single question at headquarters typically had five different interns jumping to answer, each of them excited to contribute. The man in front of him, however, had barely even given a reaction. The least he could have done was acknowledged Connor with a dismissal or a simple ‘no’. “I’m sorry, sir, but did you hear me?” he asked. “I asked if you had an extra umbrella that you could lend me. I was really hoping not to stay as dry as possible.” With that, he offered a smile in an attempt to come off with as little hostility as possible. While he would have easily dropped the topic and forgot about trying to find an umbrella on most occasions, the suit he had on now was new, and the rain showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In such desperate times, his pride would just have to hold out in favor of saving his clothes.

[kandinskys]

Visit Original Link

[senatorwinters-blog]

txt msg | wintergrave

Dale: Don't you have hopeful twenty-something political majors to do that for you? I'm not exactly the guy you want sorting your mail.

Connor: Interns don't exactly have the same skill set as you do when it comes to a computer. I just need a person who can fix things when I tell them to, and not question the way in which it happens. I can phrase it as 'working with me' if that bruises your ego less.

[harlowrenier]

In no rush to get to work, Harlow had decided to swing by Carnegie Cafe for a quick drink. Stepping off to the side as she waited for her latte, she failed to notice Connor as she observed the rest of the room. Noting that her drink was finished, she made the movement to grab it only to have her arm left hanging midair as another hand swiftly took it. Confused, Harlow turned towards the other person at the same moment they took a drink. Amused, she watched his reaction before raising her eyebrows as he finally turned towards her— evidently realizing his mistake. “I thought so. Most men I know don’t order praline lattes.” She replied, taking the drink from him. “Listening skills go a long way, Connor.”

[senatorwinters-blog]

“Hey,” he argued, “not true at all. Praline lattes are delicious in a way that even men can’t resist.” He fixed Harlow with a purposeful look before his eyes brightened and his lips spread into a warmer smile. “Sorry about that, though,” he continued, nodding at the cup in her hand. “My mind wasn’t totally focused there for a moment.” A confession that would rarely leave his lips, in fear of revealing weakness for even a moment, but Harlow was one that he doubted would use it against him. “While I’ve got you, how are things?” he asked. Despite having talked to her last week, he was more than aware of what could change in the matter of days.

[rhiannoncross-deactivated201601]

Rhiannon had been going from meeting to meeting today, unfortunately dragging her personal assistant along for each tedious task. From fittings for her TED Talk to another lecture from her publicist about how it’s rude to roll her eyes when interviewers ask about the nixing of the movie, she was exhausted. It was the middle of the day, but the brunette was ready for a nap. She’d been up since six. 

Ordering a hot chocolate and stepping aside for the next few customers, Rhiannon was prepared to nap. Half asleep and definitely not paying attention to the names being called, when the familiar face in front of her handed her a cup she perked up. “Oh- oh it’s alright, Senator,” she said, taken aback by how handsome he was in real life. She diverted her eyes from his face, shyly grabbing the drink in his hand.

[senatorwinters-blog]

The reaction he got was nothing uncommon for Connor. It was a natural reaction for others to become suddenly hesitant when faced with the presence of a person in power. Combine it with his young age and general appearance, and you were left with the typical head-duck, eye-bat response. Connor was easily the first senator whose picture could be found in the lockers of smitten teenagers, which served as an advantage in more ways than one. “The people who work for me call me ‘Senator’. The people whose drinks I take are welcome to stick to ‘Connor’,” he said with a smile. “Can I buy you a pastry to make up for that, by the way? I've got some time before I have to be anywhere, and I do feel pretty bad for not noticing.”

[gabrixlkennedy-blog]

Once again Gabriel found himself searching for ways to keep himself awake for another night. Those all nighters were starting to become more stressful each night. Luckily, that was his last year and soon all the work regarding college would finally be over. Of course, as someone who expected to start a career in politics once he was finished with his studies, Gabriel did not fool himself into thinking he would have much rest in the near future. Though, at the time being, anything seemed better than school-related paperwork. After ordering an iced coffee, he took his phone from his pocket and started typing the intro to his essay, he wasn’t paying much attention to the baristas calling out names, hence when he looked up he didn’t find his order waiting for him. However, there was a man holding out the cup with his name. “Yes–” He took the cup from his hands. “Thank you, senator Winters.” He nodded, a hint of a smile came across his face. Gabriel wasn’t the type of person who could tell the name of famous people just by looking at them, but that was a politician and Gabe always knew all of their names by heart.

[senatorwinters-blog]

As the cup was grabbed back, he couldn’t help but study the guy whose beverage he had stolen. It took him a few moments of raking his mind through names and faces before he picked up on the fact that he was talking with a Kennedy. He had seen Gabriel around at a number of events, as well as spoken with his father plenty of times. Years ago, when he was young and starting out in the political game, meeting a member of the legendary family would have left him starstruck. Now on his way to becoming a legend himself, Connor could do nothing but meet his grin. “I wouldn’t be so quick to thank the guy who just snatched your drink,” he said. “But you’re welcome, nevertheless.” He paused to check his watch, making sure he still had enough to make his meeting, before continuing. “How has your family been? I haven’t talked to any of the Kennedy clan in quite some time.” Mostly, of course, because he hadn’t necessary made any attempts to seek out the family, but he left that much out of the conversation.

[senatorwinters-blog]

After a night of nonstop paperwork and typing, he could barely keep his eyes open. He had read somewhere that most powerful people were able to sleep only four hours, half as much normal human, and still be able to function normally. Though that was his eventual goal, as things stood now, running on even five and a half managed to leave him with a pounding headache and drooping eyelids. With a meeting in forty minutes, a nap was nowhere near possible, leaving him to resort to coffee. He ended up ordering a simple cup of black, more focused on the caffeine content than flavor. However, when he picked up the first prepared drink on the counter and took a sip, Connor was quick to realize he had grabbed the wrong drink. Sheepishly, he turned slightly to face the individual standing beside him and outstretched the beverage. “Sorry, I believe this might yours be yours,” he offered.

[livia-lawson]

“I think he’s so beyond help even that won’t make a difference. After all, why else would a man have to resort to grabbing a woman?” Her eyes were still on the man who’d had his grubby hands on her (not even a shower would make her feel clean) but a small smirk on her face showed her amusement at the other man’s words. Apparently the creep seemed to have taken his words to heart and shuffled off into the crowd and as she turned to face him to give him her thanks she saw why. No one wanted to argue with a senator. “Fine, thank you.” Waving her hand in the air in dismissal of his concern, Livia smirked slightly. “So do you often take time out of your busy schedule to play the hero, senator, or am I just lucky?” His face was one that she never failed to remember and not just because of her interest in local politics but for briefly brushing shoulder with him at various events in the past. Even now corporate work required her attendance at the odd gala to show that even the power hungry business men had it in their shallow hearts to take time out their day to be charitable. Still, she doubted that he had any reason to remember her. They hadn’t spoken as far as she remembered and while she was a talented linguist she didn’t particularly show up on the radar of someone like him.

[senatorwinters-blog]

“I wouldn’t consider what I did to be anywhere near heroic,” he corrected, and adjusted a more determined tone of voice. “It’s despicable, what men will do nowadays to a woman. Rape statistics are at an all-time high, but somehow, only about two percent of rapists actually find their way to prison. It’s something I really wish politics would stop brushing to the side.” He met her eyes with a calculated gaze, then looked her up and down to make sure she truly was okay after the assault. As he did so, certain features of hers stood out to him, holding a familiar edge to them. As senator of one of the most popular states in the country, he came across crowds of all sorts, which is why it was no surprise when a face seemed to jog his memory. However, contrary to most recognized individuals, Connor could easily recall that the woman had acted as a translator in a previous event, mostly due to the fact that she had done an excellent job. After all, superiority was a rare quality in the political world. “I was just on my way to get myself a drink, actually,” he said. “Could I get you something, Miss...?” He paused intentionally, hoping to learn her name in the process.

[senatorwinters-blog]

txt msg | wintergrave

Dale: You still haven't managed to ask for something.

Connor: I want you working for me.

[celestexpresley-blog]

She recognized the features which were now followed by a familiar voice. One she had only head a pleasure of hearing on TV. Although she has been on a several important parties where she could’ve easily introduced herself to the senator, she often chose not to. Celeste had very little interest in politics, she was there to sing, not pretend to enjoy it. “I suppose that’s a mistake on both our ends. What a good way to start.” she smiled, turning back towards the edge. “I don’t bother with technicalities anymore. Unless they benefit me. – Now I’ll hardly get a senator to leave, unless you’re here to jump; then I could give you five minutes but nothing more. If that’s not the case however, I do believe you’re familiar with the term of sharing?”

[senatorwinters-blog]

“I’m an only child,” he said, “so sharing has never been my strongest suit.” The statement was easily applied to most things Connor was involved in - he never liked sharing thoughts, sharing ownership, sharing power. “Still, I suppose I can make an exception, since you seem lenient enough.” That being said, he took a place standing on the side of the roof, just far enough from the edge to avoid danger. Sitting would have easily chaffed his suit, and the mere thought of that made him cringe. As he remained beside her, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the woman’s features were familiar in more ways than one. Still, no name came to mind. “I’m sorry, but you seem awfully familiar. Not surprising, since I meet a lot of people, but are you popular around here by any chance?”

[senatorwinters-blog]

txt msg | wintergrave

Dale: What makes you think that?

Connor: Truthfully, I find you fascinating. In you, I see a storm coming, a new world. I'm impatient to see it happen.

[senatorwinters-blog]

txt msg | wintergrave

Dale: Who the hell do you think you are? [erased]

Dale: Who are you tell me what is and isn't fair? [erased]

Dale: Fuck fuck fuck fuck [erased]

Dale: How may I help you, Senator?

Connor: That's more like it.

Connor: I believe you can help me in more ways than one.

[senatorwinters-blog]

txt msg | wintergrave

Dale: Here is how this works - if you get a bright idea and leak my actions to the media, I have just as much, if not more, dirt on you. We would both be sent to jail, and believe me when I say I'd make you my bitch within the first 24 hours.

Dale: So I'd suggest you tread lightly, because I destroy men like you in my free time, Senator.

Connor: Correction - here is how this works. I currently hold in my possession enough information to put more than half of the government under criminal investigation. If you try and defy me, not only will I take you down, but I'll drag all of those people with you. The country will be in a state of chaos, and internationally, our politicians would be viewed as the joke they are for years to come after that mess.

Connor: Considering I merely have a request for you, that doesn't seem very fair, does it?