Page 130 of Sinful Blaze

I love my sister. I love my brother-in-law, too.

I also love how beautiful the flames look as they climb up the letter in my hand.

“I’d point out that Pasha might have something to say about that, but I have a gut feeling that he’s going to want to teach her things even more dangerous.”

Like how to smash your enemies’ hands to rubble, perhaps.

My emotional rollercoaster has officially coasted to a stop. Mel continues to gush over her unborn niece, Jameson calls out his input from whichever room he happens to be in, and by the time Pasha comes home, all my stress is as gone as the ashes of that stupid letter.

50

PASHA

Intel updates this morning did not bring me good news.

What they did bring me is straight to Brennan’s office.

More specifically, to his assistant’s desk, where the events calendar is open on the computer.

“Um, can I help you?” Fitz glares at me from across the room, a steaming mug of coffee in his hand. He closes the distance with impressive speed, shouldering me away from his abandoned post. “Do you have an appointment?”

“That’s what I was trying to figure out.”

Brennan’s assistant sniffs derisively. He knows as well as I do that my name is nowhere to be found on the senator’s calendar. “I’m sorry; you’ll just have to wait for Senator Brennan to contact you.”

“Or…” I pull a hundred-dollar bill from my pocket and slide it across the desk. “You can help me find him.”

Fitz looks at the money, then back to me. “As I said, you need to wait for the senator to reach out to you.”

I’m partially irritated, partially impressed. This might be an expensive bribe, and that’s saying something about Fitz’s character. I pull out the wad of cash I always keep on hand and slide a few more hundreds across his desk.

“I really, really don’t like waiting.”

He eyes the cash. This time, his resolve visibly cracks. It’s another few silent moments of internal debate before he takes the money and stuffs it into his pocket. “What do you want?”

“A copy of his schedule.”

Fitz scoffs at me. “You’re serious? That’s a huge breach in security! I could get fired!”

“And I could make it worth the risk.” I tap the wad of cash to remind him of just how much more there could be waiting for him.

Again, he considers it. And again, I have to admire the internal struggle he puts himself through. I’ve seen guys like him sell their grandmothers for twenties without a second thought, but he’s weighing the pros and cons of accepting far more lucrative bribes for a politician who probably pays him slave wages.

“Why do you need to see him so badly?”

I think I know what he’s asking. If I show you the calendar, will you do something that will land both of us in prison?

Tempting. But I’ve got too much to lose nowadays.

“Brennan gave me his word. I gave him mine. Only one of us seems intent on keeping it.” I soften my tone into something reasonable. “All I want to do is talk to him.”

Fitz is silent for a while. Then, at last, he nods. “Fine. I can give you a printout of this week’s schedule, but that’s it. Anything more will risk raising the alarms.”

I call bullshit, but I’ll take it. He does as he said and I peruse the sheet when he hands it to me. Aaand… bingo.

“Give me the information for this dinner.”

Fitz scoffs. “The state dinner? That’s a political hotspot! The senator is one of the keynote speakers and that guest list is airtight. There’s no way you’re going to be able to just show up.”

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