A knock on the door kept Peter from responding. “Come in.”
Stark stepped in, closing the door behind him. He gave ShyAnne a sickening glare before he turned to Peter, shaking his head. “Sir, how would you like to proceed?”
ShyAnne crowed, “How would he like to proceed, darling? Can you manage?”
Stark looked from each of them. “We need to move quick.”
“This is just a bump in the road.” ShyAnne waved her hand. “We’ll send men to find that little bitch carrying your bastard and we’ll take care of her once and for all.” She swiped her hands as if she were wiping away dirt.
Peter laid his hands onto his desk, despising his wife’s lack of decorum. “It’s more difficult than that, ShyAnne. Have you spoken with Banner, Stark? He’s friends with Banks. Maybe he can sink some reasoning into this mess.”
“I did speak to him. It’s not good I’m afraid. Banner said Egan is an upstanding man and he wouldn’t take all the money in the word to stay quiet.” Stark looked like he’d developed more wrinkles while standing there. “If word got out about the events that transpired your chances of becoming governor, or holding any public office in the future, will be squashed. Not just that but charges could be, and more than likely would be, brought against you.” He gave ShyAnne a sideways glance of blame.
“Oh please! Every man could use a big payoff. And so can that twit of an assistant.” ShyAnne crossed her arms, bringing her large breasts almost out of the low-cut dress. “You know the one who you brought on board so you can watch her ass every time she walked by. Now look, your dick clouded your brain, again.”
Stark took a step as if to bring the problem back on track. “Banner is adamant that Banks can’t be paid off and I believe him.”
“Is Banner on our side?”
Stark shrugged. “They’re good friends. You know how the buddy system works for soldiers, Mr. Langley.”
“Then take care of the situation, but quietly. We don’t want any dead bodies.”
ShyAnne laid her palms on her ample hips. “Oh my God! That’s it?”
“Be quiet!” Peter reprimanded his wife. Although by her expression she didn’t like it much, she did remain quiet long enough for him to gather his thoughts.
“There’s more to the story, sir.” Redness crept up into Stark’s cheeks.
“Of course there would be!” Peter leaned back into the cushioned chair. He was tired. These days that was his usual feeling. “What more bright news do you have pray tell?”
“Ms. Coffman is Egan Banks’ ex-wife.”
The campaign manager’s words weren’t even completely out before ShyAnne’s sharp gasp echoed off the walls. “That assistant was married to Egan?”
Peter tried to wrap his head around the information. “How was this missed?”
“Inefficient vetting.”
“This only gets messier.” Peter focused on his wife, wanting to wring her neck and yet wanting to fuck her all at the same time. Once upon a time he’d found great pleasure in bending her over his desk when he was angry and taking that sweet pussy long and hard. Even giving her a spanking when she deserved it.
“Don’t look at me like that! It’s not my fault that you have incompetent staff.”
Peter snapped his fingers, gaining Stark’s attention. “Listen, we’re in deep shit here. I don’t understand why they haven’t gone to the police yet or leaked the information to the news.”
“Because the bitch wants something. She wants money. All women like her want money,” ShyAnne seethed. “We need to get to her. Convince her to disappear.”
Peter could only imagine what she meant by “convince”. “You’re off the mark here—”
“No, this is the first time I can agree with her,” Stark added. “I’ve looked into Lindsay’s past and I think there are some interesting things that we can possibly use to turn this situation around.”
With ShyAnne’s gaze drilling down upon him, he felt the pressure of the situation. “You take care of things, Stark. Keep it undercover. The last thing we need is one of them to feel some loyalty toward the wrong person.”
“I’ll set the ball rolling.” Stark seemed satisfied and left, but not before he snickered at ShyAnne.
“For the life of me I can’t understand why you keep that Anxiety Smurf around,” Shyanne groaned. “It’s a good thing I do plan ahead. I might have some leverage of my own.” She strolled over, pressed the intercom button on the phone and said, “Miss Gaines, please bring in the envelope now.”
“What’s going on?” Peter asked.
“Don’t be impatient.”
The door swept in and ShyAnne’s assistant handed over a manila envelope. “Thank you, Priscilla. You can go.”
Once ShyAnne and Peter were alone again, she dropped the envelope onto the desk.
“What is this?”
“Call it an insurance policy.”
He opened the flap and took out the stack of pictures. He scanned one after another, becoming more distraught. “Why do you have private pictures of Novah and me?” He pushed aside the incriminating material.
“Oh, I believe it’s in a woman’s best interest to always have a cushion in case it becomes necessary. I know your type, and she is quite a temptation, isn’t she? I knew it was only a matter of time before you couldn’t control your dick around her. That’s how it happens.”
“Nothing happened between us.”
“Oh, but it looks like it, or rather we can make it look that way. And don’t fear, I have pictures of you and the other pregnant slut too in case we need them.”
“You’ve been a busy woman, ShyAnne,” he said calmly. “I always thought you had a streak of voyeuristic tendencies.”
“I
