Page 75 of Playboy Billionaire

Their eyes met, and he looked as puzzled as she felt. “Were these sent from the same person?” she asked. “Could it be just by chance that we both received photos for completely different reasons?”

“Highly doubtful. And the timing is suspect…immediately following my presidential run? I don’t believe in coincidence.”

“But why involve me?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“I’m scared Graham.”

“I wish I could say I’m not shaken by this. For me, I thought it seemed obvious that I was being threatened by a political rival, but now? Why did you think to call me?”

“I don’t know. I wondered if you might know something about it and I wanted to warn you in case they got leaked.”

“There is something…” She pulled out one of her photos, the one of them on Rodeo Drive. “I never told you how I found out you were married in the first place. It was your wife. Emily confronted me with evidence of our affair. She had pictures. I have no idea how she got them. She threatened to expose me if I let on to you that she knew about us. This is the exact same photo Emily showed me when she confronted me all those years ago.”

His brows drew together, “Emily? What?”

She reached for another photo from his pile, the one picturing them together with her pregnant swollen belly. “She showed me this one too. Then she made me promise that I wouldn’t tell you.”

“I’m supposed to believe that she’s known about us all along. For all these years?”

“It’s the truth.”

“And you’re sure these are the same photographs?”

“Positive, I could never forget something like that, Graham.”

“Jesus!” He raked his hands through his hair, then stood up and began pacing. “My wife has been adamantly opposed to me accepting this nomination. She doesn’t want the additional scrutiny that my holding this office would bring to our family. She has come to resent what she calls, ‘sacrificing her life,’ for my career.”

“Could she have sent them?”

There was a long stretch of silence before he answered, “Anything is possible, but isn’t it strange that all your pictures target your,” he cleared his throat, “Your…um…”

“Just say it, me with my clients. And yours are all of the two of us.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, “Rather than gaining clarity, I’m more confused than ever. When we talked on the phone, I wasn’t completely honest with you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have a nephew, Emily’s sister’s son, who coincidentally is working on your film. He’s been facetiming us and I’ve had to suffer through hearing about you and my wife has never let on anything. She’s listened to him sing your praises without a hint of emotion.”

Her eye’s widened in shock, “Oh my God! Who is your nephew?”

“Ben Donavan.”

“Ben? Are you sure he doesn’t know about us?”

“I was before. He was just a kid then.”

“But he is Emily’s nephew and has access to my room. As a matter of fact, he’s gone out with my roommate several times. Could he be using her to get at us?”

Graham blew out a long breath, “I’ll have to question Emily and get back with you. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“If these photos get out, it will destroy your career and at the very least my reputation.”

“I’m aware of that,” he said grimly. “I’ll give you my private number and you must let me know if you hear any more. Don’t let on to Ben that you know about his connection to me until I have time to sort this out. I’ve known Ben his whole life. He’s a good kid. I’m sure this is all innocent and nothing but a bizarre coincidence. If I’m wrong, he and my wife are the ones who should be on the big screen. They’d be up for an Oscar.”

Penelope nodded her head, “I’ll go along with that for now, but don’t take too long. I’m worried about my friend. I really think I need to say something to her, at least.”

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