knowing smile.
On the front porch, I tried to find the words to say what I had always failed to express to her. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you back then.”
She shook her head. “I would have brought you down, too.”
I would always cherish our friendship and I would always admire the sacrifice she’d made. She’d put herself last and protected everyone around her.
“Galante’s unstoppable,” she said.
“Maybe he’ll drop dead from a heart attack. Everyone’s wishing it.”
“Thoughts and prayers.” She lowered her sunglasses and winked.
I watched her head up the driveway toward her car and then I turned and went back inside.
Pandora wasn’t in the kitchen.
In the hallway, I noticed that the red door was open…she’d gone down to the dungeon. Following her, I braced myself for a possible argument about my ex being here. Maybe I should have texted her to let her know.
When I found Pandora, she was sitting in the dark on the edge of the bed, seemingly lost in thought.
She looked up. “What can be done?”
“In what respect?”
“How are we to stop him from releasing the story?”
I loomed over her. “If you ever decide to go rogue again, I will lock you in here and never let you out.”
She started to stand up but I nudged her back down. “Are you listening?”
“You told me I can’t talk about it in this room.”
“Then why are we in here?”
“I needed somewhere quiet to think.”
“I get that.”
She nibbled on her lip. “Where do we keep the sex tape?”
“In a safe place.” I threw her a reassuring smile.
“If he runs that story, you and I will be like you and Madeline. We won’t be able to be seen together in public. Ever again.”
She was right. We’d be torn apart. Her father’s scandal could cause my father’s people to panic. What would follow would be them asking the impossible of us.
A ripple of dread caused me to freeze—I’d known it could happen, but I’d been in denial. I’d fought hard to do the right thing for everyone.
Pandora fell back onto the bed. “I’ve only just moved in.”
I lay down beside her, staring up at the ceiling, futility finding me in the darkness. Part of me felt like I’d already lost her.
Being given permission to walk into a room to speak with my dad wasn’t a new experience. Though now, with the security cranked to the max and the hustle and bustle of staffers and the campaign crew filling the hallways of my family home, it felt like pandemonium had been unleashed.
I finally entered Dad’s office, gladly closing the door behind me to cut out the noise.
“You wanted to see me?” I threw a contemptuous glance at my brother as I walked across the room.
Carter stood beside Dad. He’d been leaning over his shoulder and pointing at something on his desk, a smarmy expression on his face.
My father sat behind his desk with a dangerous glint in his eyes. Paperwork was stacked so high on his desk it would be a miracle if he ever got to all of it.
“I’ll see you later, son,” said Dad.
My brother shoved past me, his shoulder deliberately pushing mine. His shot of aggression didn’t go unnoticed.
“What’s that all about?” Dad pointed to the chair opposite his desk.
“A misunderstanding.” I left it at that.
I took a seat, casually crossing my legs.
Telling him how badly behaved Carter was around Pandora wasn’t what he needed to hear. Dad had international issues to worry about and this was the way it had always been—us protecting the head of the family from trivial matters.
“How are you?” He leaned over the desk and weaved his fingers together.
“Fine. More importantly, how are you?”
“I’m proud of the man you’ve become, Damien.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I hid my surprise.
“I want to bring you in.”
“Are you offering me a position in your Cabinet?”
“Nepotism is just working with the people you trust most.”
“I’ll always be here for you, you know that.”
“Then your answer is yes?”
It was a no, but he didn’t need to hear that right now.
When I hesitated, he shook his head at my reticence and slid a file across the desk towards me. “Take a look.”
Okay then, business as usual.
Lifting the file and skimming through it, I was surprised to see a collection of photographs, all of beautiful women. “Do these come with resumes?” I looked up at him, confused.
“We’ll get more info on them.”
“What am I looking at? Your top picks for a press secretary?”
“Keep the file. Let me know your choice.”
“Well, it would be helpful to