Nadia gasped in a little more air. Tears of pain blurred her vision, but not enough to hide Mosely’s smile.
“Maybe I should have your sister Geraldine’s home searched for contraband,” he mused. “We both know there will be plenty to find. I can arrest her and her husband for dealing with the black market.”
Nadia shook her head. “Can’t!” she gasped. If Paxco prosecuted every Executive who dabbled in the black market, the state would go bankrupt from the enormous expense of it—and there wouldn’t be a single Executive left to run the government.
“Of course I can, Miss Lake. Why do you think Paxco turns such a blind eye toward the black market in the first place? True, enforcing the law in its entirety might be impractical, but there’s also considerable leverage to be gained by making sure all of Paxco’s most powerful Executives engage in activities for which we may someday choose to prosecute them.”
Nadia could breathe now, mostly, but she couldn’t form any words, could only stare at Mosely in horror.
“Your niece and nephew will be in the custody of child protective services while your sister and brother-in- law stand trial. Once their mommy and daddy are hauled off to prison, I’m sure the little darlings will be put in their grandparents’ care, but who knows what would happen to them while they’re in state custody? And who knows how long bureaucratic mix-ups and red tape can keep them there?”
Nadia shook her head again, thinking she had to be suffering from some kind of waking nightmare. The manic gleam faded from Mosely’s eyes, and his expression gentled. It was an expression unlike any other she’d seen on his face—and she didn’t believe it for a second.
“You must think I’m a terribly cruel, heartless person,” he said, and he sounded mild and regretful. “I assure you, I’m not. I don’t go out of my way to hurt innocents, and I certainly don’t enjoy making such ugly threats against small children. But I have a job to do. I have to secure the welfare of my state, and the needs of my state will always come first. Someday, when you’re the Chairman Spouse, you’ll understand, and you’ll come to appreciate the work I do.”
“If I ever become Chairman Spouse,” she said in a voice that sounded ravaged by tears, though her eyes were dry, “I’ll see you in prison for the rest of your life.”
Mosely blinked. That was twice in one day she’d managed to surprise both of them.
“Perhaps not the wisest thing to say under the circumstances,” Mosely said, but he sounded more amused than angry. “You don’t want me for an enemy.”
Nadia snorted and snatched up the tracker from where it had fallen on the floor. Mosely had been her enemy from the moment he’d stepped into that interview room, and they both knew it. “You need me, remember? You wouldn’t be bothering with me if you didn’t.”
Mosely conceded the point with a shrug. “So you’ll plant the tracker as I requested?”
She shoved the little disc into her pocket, hating Mosely more than she’d ever thought it was possible to hate another human being.
“I’ll do it,” she said bitterly, sparing a little hatred for herself. “As you’ve made abundantly clear, I have no choice.”
After Mosely left, Nadia sat alone in the schoolroom, trying to pull the pieces of herself back together. Her stomach was still throbbing where he had hit her, and his threat to Corinne and Rory was still ringing in her ears. She had no doubt that he was willing to hurt small children if he thought that’s what he had to do to get his way. She’d been hoping to complete her assignment for him in the most half-assed way possible, allowing herself to believe that somehow he wouldn’t see through her. What a fool she’d been.
She rubbed her fingers over her pocket, feeling the contours of the little device she’d been ordered to plant on Nate, wishing she could think of a way out. But any attempt she made at escaping her “duties” would risk Corinne and Rory, and she just couldn’t do that. She didn’t think that Mosely was bluffing, nor did she think he was above acting out of spiteful retaliation if she went to Nate and told all. Nate wouldn’t be able to control his temper, wouldn’t be able to keep her confession a secret, too secure in his own power as the Chairman Heir to see the danger. He would confront Mosely, and Mosely would make Nadia pay.
Nadia tried to persuade herself to get to her feet and leave the schoolroom, but the silent, empty room was a balm she wasn’t willing to give up. If she left the room, she’d have to face other people, have to put on her public face and pretend nothing was wrong. Here, she could let down her guard and allow herself to wallow in her misery, at least until Dante came back to clear the tea service. She wasn’t usually one to wallow, but this afternoon seemed like a fine time to make an exception. So, of course, Dante returned no more than a minute or two after Mosely left.
A hint of anger fired her blood, giving her strength. Had Mosely sent his pet spy back to the schoolroom to report on how Nadia was faring in the aftermath of his threats? If so, she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her upset.
Dante’s footsteps slowed when he caught sight of her, and he came to a stop a respectful distance away. He tried to stuff his hands in his pants pockets, then looked awkward and embarrassed when he remembered his livery pants didn’t
“I do not wish to be disturbed,” she told him. She sounded almost as haughty and superior as Jewel, but she couldn’t summon the energy to care. She was more than prepared to be a complete and utter bitch, if that was what it took to get her solitude back.
But Dante wasn’t really a servant, and he wasn’t terribly good at acting like one, either. He walked over to the refreshments table and, without a word, filled a cup with hot water and dumped in a tea bag, turning his back to her as he dunked it up and down. Nadia supposed if she really wanted to be alone, she would be forced to leave the room, but though she urged herself to get up, she found herself still sitting there, watching Dante’s back as he fussed with the tea.
Nadia forced herself to look away as he turned to face her again. Still without speaking, he brought her the cup of tea, setting it on the table beside her.
“I have to clear the tea service,” he said softly, “but I thought you might like a cup before I did.”
Steam wafted in her direction, bringing with it the enticing scent of tea. Something hot, sweet, and soothing would hit the spot, she realized, but she was still reluctant to reach for it.
“Did you ever consider
He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I crossed paths with Mr. Mosely on my way here. I figured a visit with him warranted a cup of tea. Unless you want something stronger?”
Nadia glanced up sharply at the tone in Dante’s voice, but he’d turned his back to her again and headed to the refreshments table to start gathering the dirty dishes and trash. Maybe she was reading too much into what she’d just heard, but it sounded as if Dante didn’t much like his boss. Maybe there was dissension in the ranks. Or maybe Dante was trying to lull her into speaking too freely with him.
Of course, he had his back to her now and was clearing the tea service, not trying to talk to her. Maybe she should give her paranoia a rest for a while.
Another wisp of steam wafted her way. She’d wanted that cup of tea before Mosely’s visit, and she wanted it even more now. She reached for the cup and took a grateful sip, savoring the warmth as it slid down her throat. Dante had put just the right amount of honey and lemon in it. Obviously, he’d paid attention to how she fixed her tea when she made it herself.
“Thank you,” she said, almost reluctantly. It seemed wrong to thank the enemy, but she had to admit he was being rather nice to her.
He looked over his shoulder at her and quirked a smile, making Nadia wonder if he’d heard the reluctance in her voice. “I live to serve, you know,” he said.
Nadia surprised herself by returning his smile. He might have denied being here under false pretenses when she’d commented on it yesterday, but he obviously wasn’t making much effort to fool her.
“Yes,” she agreed drily, “I can see that you’re naturally subservient.”
He laughed briefly, then carried the dishes to a cleverly concealed dumbwaiter at the far end of the room. What had led someone like him to work for someone like Dirk Mosely? Unlike Executives, Employees could choose their own career paths, at least to the extent their talents allowed, and she’d never before met anyone associated
