“We’re all here to help you.”
Lindsay met her gaze soberly. “Thank you for everything, Novah. I truly mean that, but the Langley’s aren’t going to let any of this go.”
~~~~~
Thunder rolled outside and inside. “This is all your fault! Is it possible for you to keep your dick in your pants?” ShyAnne Langley gritted through her teeth.
Peter, who had been staring out the window watching the storm roll in, turned and looked at his seething wife. He wanted to hate her. Wished he could—wished he didn’t think she was still the most enticing woman he’d laid eyes upon. Her dark eyes were lit with anger and her lips quivered in disgust.
“ShyAnne, what have you done?”
She dropped her arms at her sides, the stacks of bracelets on both her wrists clanked and clattered. “What have I done?” she snorted. “Don’t you mean what in the hell have you done?” She’d aged ten years in that moment, reversing all the times she’d gone under the knife to appear younger. Although she’d perfected carrying herself as a lady in public, in private he was reminded of how he’d found her when she was waiting tables at a dingy diner on the wrong side of the tracks. Her class could be turned off and on with a flip of a switch.
“You don’t have a right to point fingers, my dear wife. You’ve spread your legs so much your hips are on hinges.”
One thin brow snapped up over her heated glare. “You bastard! You’re an old man who pops a pill to make his dick work.” Her laughter sounded more like a cackle. “I like a man who can get hard.”
He grinned. He wouldn’t allow her low blows to bother him. She was trying to ruffle his feathers and once upon a time she could. “Jealousy certainly does look good on you, sweetheart.”
“Jealous? Of a young, delusional twit who thought she could get knocked up to gain a free ride?” She smirked. “Poor, girl.”
“That’s the point, ShyAnne. She was young enough that I could have convinced her to see my way of things. She would have come around. Now a can of worms has been opened and we have trouble. Big trouble. This isn’t something we can sweep under the rug.”
“Oh, please. Anyone and everyone can be bought. You’ve paid your way out of worse problems.” She didn’t seem the least bit bothered over the shit she stirred up.
“You had my men kidnap her, drug her, and bring her here against her will. Those are felonies.”
ShyAnne sneered. “Someone had to do something, Peter. Were you hoping I’d just politely step out of the picture and let some pregnant hussy take my spot?”
“Are you this blind?” He shook his head in frustration. “Do you realize that more people than just Lindsay are involved now?”
Her lips puckered, making her resemble a fish. “How could you do this? Are you stupid? This is all your doing so don’t blame me!” She ate up the space between them, stopping inches from him and pointing her finger in the center of his chest. “You got her pregnant and you thought this would disappear quietly? That I would just ignore a bastard child? Bastards are like loose threads, Peter. Eventually they ruin the whole damn sweater. This would have affected future campaigns. The second you would have announced your intentions to run for president this information would have popped like a zit. We couldn’t take the risk. You’re not thinking clearly.” She dropped her gaze to his crotch, smirking, then brought her fiery eyes back up. “Someone had to do something to clean up your mess.”
“I would have taken care of it. In due time, in my own way.” He went back to the window and stared out.
“Oh. My. God! You have feelings for her, don’t you?” she practically squealed the words.
“No.” Yet, truthfully, he’d fallen for Lindsay—or rather fallen for the simplicity of it all. When he’d fucked other women, he’d been upfront and honest about his situation. Most already knew. Lindsay had been a breath of fresh air and he’d known if he’d told her the truth, told her who he was and that he was married, she wouldn’t have given him a chance. He wasn’t proud of himself, but in his defense, a man could get lonely in an empty marriage. He’d always been careful in his choices so that no greedy bitch could bribe him. He’d screwed up by allowing his emotions to get involved with Lindsay. No denying he had a thing for young, tight pussy, but with Lindsay he’d also liked her brain.
When she’d told him about the baby, he’d felt his chest crush. Wanted her to get rid of it and fast. Then for a minute he thought maybe there was a future for them. He’d lost touch with reality. “I asked her to get an abortion.”
ShyAnne’s gasp echoed off the white walls. “Great. Imagine the tabloids getting ahold of that juicy tidbit. Your stance against abortion and turning around and asking your lover to get rid of the baby. Why don’t you save us all some time and just hand the candidacy over to your opponent?”
He went to his desk and sat down in the chair, steepling his fingers and looking at her over the manicured tips. “She isn’t a slut or just a fuck. She’s smart, beautiful, and she understood me.” He knew his words would only add fuel to the fire, but he couldn’t help himself.
She looked like she’d been slapped. “And now you’re
