Page 96 of Captive Lies

“Oh, shut up, August,” Amelia snapped. “There’s no truth to the lovechild rumor, so what are we afraidof?”

“Then why are we here, Amelia, trying to diffuse the ‘girlfriend situation’ when the senator is supposed to be back in DC, going over legislation and preparing for the next Senate Intelligence committeehearing?”

Grant shrugged off Jake and Tyler’s hold and walked over to Blaire. He held out his hand, urging her to stand up beside him, his eyes appealing to her questioning ones to trust him. Tightening his fingers around hers, he didn’t want her to run away when he spoke his nextwords.

“Blaire’s not my girlfriend.” Grant kept his gaze on his mother whose eyes narrowed at him. He smiled before glancing at the woman beside him. Blaire was staring at the area rug, probably feeling hurt and pissed at his announcement when not too long ago he demanded she be hisagain.

“She’s my fiancée.” Her head snapped up then, eyes flaring with outrage, and before she could screw up his plans, he silenced her with a kiss. When he released her lips, he cupped her face with both hands so she had nowhere else to look but at him. “I know we were going to keep it a secret for a while longer, baby,” he crooned. “But there’s no reason to keep it under wraps anymore, not when the National Tattler released that story this morning.” Her eyes were shooting sparks of retribution, and Grant had to will his cock not to rise to the challenge just yet by reminding himself that his mother was in theroom.

“Well that certainly changes everything,” Amelia exclaimed, clapping her hands once in excitement. As if on cue, Colette appeared with a platter of small sandwiches and sweet little cakes and a pot of tea. “Don’t you think this calls for a celebration,Colette?”

“It sure does, ma’am,” his housekeeper replied demurely before withdrawing back into the kitchen, but Grant caught the satisfied smile on herface.

“I don’t see how this changes anything?” Gus sputtered, but Grant knew that he’d defeated his dad’s political advisor in his own manipulative game. He’d have to thank Gus later for giving him the opportunity to work his play to hisadvantage.

“It changes a whole lot actually,” the senator said reflectively as he joined his wife who walked over tothem.

“You’ve always been a part of the family, Blaire,” his mother said while giving his woman a kiss and squeezing Grant’s arm. His dad hugged Blaire and welcomed her to the family as well. Though Grant felt a pinch of guilt in his chest as he met Jake’s amused stare, he convinced himself he did the right thing foreveryone.

Mom held Blaire’s bare ring finger. “I know you wanted to keep this a secret, but I hope you proposed properly,Grant.”

He grinned at his mother before surrendering a bemused Blaire to her. Grant walked to his office safe, unlocked the secure cabinet, and withdrew the small box he’d kept there for more than a month. He’d been debating on ways to ask Blaire to marry him, but each carefully composed speech didn’t sound like him. He wasn’t a man of tender words—he was a man who took what he wanted. He lifted the sparkling diamond from the box and strode back to the livingroom.

Shit! Blaire had that deer-in-headlights look as his mother went on and on about wedding dresses, flower arrangements, and reception venues. He’d better go rescueher.

“Don’t scare my bride-to-be, Mom, when she’s just getting used to the idea,” he chided. Pulling Blaire back into his arms, he held her left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. “Now, you’re mine, Angel,” he whispered in her ear. He tried to kiss her lips, but Blaire turned her head toward his mother and he ended up kissing her cheekinstead.

“Your son is sooooo possessive.” Blaire smiled as if making a joke, but Grant knew better and winced when her fingers pinched the muscle at hisside.

“Oh, these Thorne men are,” Mom repliedconspiratorially.

Gus cleared his throat. “Senator, where do we want to go fromhere?”

“It’s up to Grant and Blaire to announce their engagement,” the senator looked pointedly at his son. “The sooner thebetter.”

“I’ll have a press release out tomorrow,” Grant saidsmoothly.

“How will this help with the Tattler story?” Blaireasked.

“There’s a big difference between a girlfriend and a fiancée,” the senator said. “The latter implies commitment. There’s nothing worse than uncertainty influencing public opinion. Being Grant’s fiancée, you’re more or less already family, and there’s a suggested permanence that would go a long way in calming mysupporters.”

“The term girlfriend could be twisted to mean lover, hookup, fling, or even worse,” his mother added. “Too much scandal can come from that, but as a fiancée you can only be looked upon as the future Mrs. Thorne and that, my dear, commandsrespect.”

“There’ll be questions about Blaire’s background,” Gus pointed out. “But since she’s engaged to Grant, it’ll be more accepted when the senator’s office throws their support behind her. One caveat. This may fly with our Massachusetts voters, but if you run for higher office, it might cause anissue.”

“Family first,” the senator replied withouthesitation.

Lynch nodded, resignation on his face, even if he tried to remain stoic. “She’s not a criminal … that much we ascertained, unless she hasn’t told us everything. She can’t choose her family. If you need the senator’s office to draft a show of support if the lovechild rumors persist, then we’ll get involved. Otherwise, I hope you get your engagement announced as soon aspossible.”

Grant gave his father’s advisor a curt nod. He didn’t fully trust August Lynch, but he had bigger matters to settle at that moment. Blaire was staring daggers at him like she wanted to do damage to some parts of hisanatomy.

He couldn’t wait to get heralone.

37

Blaire

Our visitors had leftand Jake was updating Grant on the status of Bobby and Drew. I was sitting on the couch and Grant was perched on its arm, his hand never leaving mine ever since he’d slipped the ring on my finger. I was fuming on the inside, but set my outrage aside to listen toJake.

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