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I take a deep breath before walking back into the war room, not that it helps. All eyes swing my way and then immediately past. They’re looking for Jackson, but he isn’t behind me. For him to duck out of work, I must have damaged things between us for good. Idiot. I somehow manage to wreck relationships whether I’m trying to or not.
When it’s evident that Jackson isn’t returning, the meeting resumes, though the atmosphere is a lot thicker.
Knot clears his throat as I take my seat. “Though I’m against allowing this thread to continue, we’re all convinced Harding will seek you out. The best we can do is frame the situation to maintain complete control. I won’t let you be put at risk.”
“Okay, so let’s get started.”
Knot gestures to Birdie, who’s keeping tabs on the congressman. “We know he spends most of his time in DC. The current session ends on the seventh of next month. After that, he’ll return to Arizona for summer fundraising and ass-kissing.”
“He’ll want to get to you before he leaves, but DC is four hours from here,” O’Reilly speculates.
I shrug, unsure why they haven’t already figured this out. “So we set something up for me to be in Washington at some point.”
Bash pipes in, looking a little heated about learning his best friends went at it while watching them go at it. “It’ll need to be publicized. Like a fundraiser where you’re listed as an organizer or sponsor or something.”
“Right.” I nod.
“Birdie?” Knot says.
She’s already clacking furiously on her keyboard. “I’m on it. Looking for events already on the calendar.”
We all watch her work and respond physically when her shoulders sag. She’s coming up short. “Does the congressman need to be involved?”
“No,” Knot answers. “Anything to get Chelsea’s fake name in the paper.”
“Okay. I think I’ve got something then. There’s a deployed spouse event going on this weekend. It’s a carnival theme. We could step up and give the event a boost. There’s no way they’d turn us down. Well, they wouldn’t turn down a private citizen whose husband is deployed.”
“That’s it. Make it happen,” my boss orders his intel chief. To Sadie and me, he says, “You two, work on staging a meetup. I want it to happen in a public place. A hotel bar. I want people in that room to run interference if necessary.”
“Okay. We’ve got a plan but not a lot of time. Let’s move, people,” O’Reilly says as he stands.
I walk out with the others, torn between following Sadie and searching for Jackson. The choice is taken from my hands when one of the SEALs attaches himself to my hip. “Got a minute?” the guttural voice asks.
Devil points me to an empty office, and I enter without question. I know what’s on his mind anyway. “Look. I didn’t mean to air all that laundry. I’m just not used to being told what to do.”
The feral SEAL raises a brow, challenging my explanation. Military. Duh. “Fine. I’m not used to someone having a say in my personal life.”
“That’s not fair. You offered yourself up in front of your team. You can’t expect them not to react. And for someone who cares about you as Jackson does… The man is only human. Of course, he’ll be jealous, but I think it’s more than that. And I believe you do, too. Selling yourself even for a good reason would shatter him…and you.”
“I get what you’re saying, okay, but Jackson and I aren’t a thing. I piss him off too much.”
Laughter rumbles from Devil’s chest. “If that were the case, you’d never have gotten a reaction from him to begin with. Jackson has always kept his emotions in check. Until you, the only person that could reach him was his son. And if it’s loyalty you’re worried about, you can stop. Jackson gave up an Ivy League scholarship to be a father. He joined the Navy to provide for his son.”
“You don’t have to sell me on Jackson being a good man. I know he is. That’s why I’ve tried to convince him he deserves better than the neurotic bitch with trust issues.”
“Whatever issues you have might help Bennett deal with his.”
Jackson has no issues except me. “Devil, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but what’s happened has already happened. It’s all moot now.”
Before he says anything else, I walk from the room and set off to look for Sadie. I find her waiting for me in the executive conference room. “So…?”
“Nope,” I cut her off. “Not going there. What hotel do we use?”
Our plan is simple and wrapped up in less than an hour. Sadie and I take our plans and stroll toward Birdie’s office. She’s leaning back in her chair, smiling smugly when we walk in. “I take it things are going well?” I ask as I claim one of her guest chairs.
“Well? I’ve already booked a shit-ton of inflatables, secured and paid for food trucks to set up and feed the crowd, and even hired some street performers. Even better is that I got Dallas Allred, famous investigative reporter and wife to one Hagan “Ink” Fischer, to write an article highlighting the event. She promised to include that your husband is currently deployed. I should be receiving it anytime now. Once I have it, I’ll forward a fake newsletter to Harding’s personal email. Dallas tells me she’ll even be able to get TV mention of the event, so we have a better chance of catching Harding’s attention.”
I applaud the woman, astounded by how she works so fast. Birdie blushes and asks, “What about you guys? You get the trap set?”
