He sat there quietly.
“Nothing to say, dear husband?”
“What can I say?”
“I have you by the balls.” She flipped her long hair over her shoulder. “Did you really think you could leave this marriage? If anyone decides to chuck it like yesterday’s trash it’ll be me.”
“True, but you did sign a prenup, therefore if you leave the marriage you get exactly what you brought into it…nothing but grease under your nails and a crazy fascination for the finer things in life.”
“Would you like me to leave the marriage?” She sat down on the edge of the desk, leaning in such a way that her double Ds were seductively exposed.
“Come on. When I take office, I need a deceitful, insane woman at my side. You’re the right one for the job.”
“Oh, darling. Just as you said, you do need a woman like me by your side. With the pictures of the assistant I think we can prove to her, and that hunky ex-husband, that it’s in their best interest to stay quiet.”
“I think you’re forgetting that no one will care about a picture or two after they learn about what we’ve done.” His wife had a way of not seeing the forest because of the trees.
“Wouldn’t it be terrible if that cute little child of Novah’s would face a problem? What’s her name again? Fegan? Farrah?”
“Finley.”
“Yes, that’s it. Kids make us weak. They are the lifeline to all peaceful negotiations.”
“I won’t be a part of hurting any child, including my own.” He held her gaze.
“Of course not, darling.” She stood, rounded the desk and bent over him, planting her hands on the arms of the chair, surrounding him with her evil seduction. “It won’t come to that I assure you, knowing as much about little Miss Novah as I do, she’ll crumble like paper in a tornado. She’ll convince Egan to walk too. Imagine how they would be destroyed if one little hair were harmed on their kid’s head.” Her grin spoke of the animosity inside her heart. She reached out to trace the curve of his jaw and even her touch was cold. “As far as your pregnant slut goes, let it play out. She must have a few brain cells in that head. She doesn’t want to destroy her career, especially with an unwanted baby.”
“What if I don’t get elected—?”
“Seriously? You’re already one foot in, Peter. As we speak republicans are carving your name on the door at the governor’s mansion. Stop being so weak minded. Allow me to handle everything. You put on your pretty face, charming smile and keep pulling voters in.”
Once upon a time he swore he’d be elected without stepping on anyone. That had been so long ago, back when he was naive. A man couldn’t manage a political career without getting dirt on his hands. What ShyAnne, and neither Stark, knew was that Peter had made some unbelievably bad, and dangerous, business decisions with the wrong people who had a lot at stake in him winning the election. He couldn’t just walk away from this. Those unkind men were breathing down his neck to make good on the promises he’d made with their backing. If he didn’t get elected, then he wouldn’t be worth anything to them any longer. He could lose everything—including his life.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
NOVAH FOLLOWED THE beaten path through the field of wildflowers, hearing Hannah’s laughter before rounding the back of the big red barn that had the American flag painted on the side. Standing in the clearing was Hannah and Egan. He kicked up the dirt with his boot and hooked his thumbs into his front pockets.
“You certainly like shotguns, don’t you?” Egan checked out the weapon Hannah held firmly in her grip.
“A woman can never have too many,” Hannah said with a wide smile. “This gem I bought two weeks ago. My first semiautomatic. Much better than pump action.”
Novah could see the flirtation dripping from Hannah’s smile. She reached out and touched his wrist lightly—possessively. Something sharp and profound rocked through Novah, much like a kick in the teeth. She had no clue that Egan and Hannah had known each prior to them coming here. What was their relationship? They seemed very friendly.
It’s none of your business, Novah.
And yet, wasn’t it her business? Not only had she and Egan been intimate, but she’d been grappling with the possibility of them rekindling their relationship.
“Watch this.” Hannah widened her stance, lifted the muzzle of the gun and shot one of the glass bottles lined up on a branch. She lowered the gun and patted it proudly. “Can you do any better?”
“Should we make a bet?” He lifted a thick brow.
“How about we—”
Novah couldn’t take another second of the flirting. She joined them, making her presence known with a none too subtle clearing of her throat.
Hannah swept her lavender gaze up and down Novah and said, “I’m upset. My clothes look better on you.” Her genuine smile stretched from ear to ear. It was difficult to be upset with the woman whose genuine friendly personality seeped from every pore.
“That’s impossible.” It wasn’t as if Novah had
