Page 36 of Senator

“Who told her to get involved with that organization? She shouldn’t have put herself in such a dangerous position.” A small tic pulsed on the side of Ashur’s face. “They could have killed her.”

“She started the organization, idiot. Of course, she’s going to be involved. You can’t change who she is. Her life means nothing if she doesn’t try to save the innocent. That’s the reason you need her to accomplish your plan.”

Ashur’s hold on the railing tightened. “I don’t need her. She’ll become a liability if she keeps pursuing her agenda. I can do it without her.”

“The hell you can. She is your ace in the hole. Without her, no one from the left will take you seriously. She’s an international phenomenon.”

After a long pause while Ashur stared at Tara’s picture, he said, “Fine. Make it happen.”

“And how do you suppose I do this? If you recall, she told you to go fuck yourself.”

“Those weren’t the words she used.”

“It was close enough.”

“Whatever. You going to help me or not?”

“I’ll give it a shot, but remember you don’t have much to bargain with. You need her more than she needs you.”

Ashur released a frustrated breath. “Use my money. She needs funding for her projects. I don’t care if you promise her half my net worth. It’s not as if I’ll spend it in this lifetime or the next.”

“So in other words, you’re going to buy her?”

“It’s a mutually beneficial business decision. She gets unending funding to save the world and I get a wife who will endear herself to the masses. Just make sure you don’t forget to detail expectations on both our parts in a thorough contract. I don’t want any misunderstandings.”

“You’re the only man who could make marriage to the only woman he’s ever loved into a business decision.”

“That’s all it is. The past is the past. Tara made a choice when she left.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it. After everything that happened this weekend, I can’t believe you’d hold on to old mistakes and hurts. You know the truth, and you’re still hiding your head in the sand from it. She was innocent. You want a villain, then look at your father. He’s the bad guy in this, not Tara.”

“Stay out of it, Veer. Why don’t you figure out how to handle your conservative princess and how she’s going to react instead of giving me unsolicited advice?”

Unfazed by Ashur’s jab, Veer responded, “It’s not unsolicited if I’m doing your work for you. Your ass should be the one proposing to Tara. If we win, I can almost see how it will look when the first lady tells the world the vice president was the one who proposed to her instead of her husband.”

“Funny, asshole. At least Tara likes you and will consider anything you offer her. If I went to her she’d slam the door in my face before I got one word out.” Ashur sighed. “This isn’t how I thought I’d marry her, but at least I’ll have her.”

My stomach burned as I realized exactly what Veer and Ashur were orchestrating. Tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t believe this was their secret. Why hadn’t I figured it out? The clues were everywhere.

“Well, as you said, you’ll still have her.”

Ashur checked his watch again. “V, make it happen. I have to go talk to Sam and fill her in.”

“Good luck.”

“I’m not the one that will need the luck. We’re about to take the wind from Jacinta’s sails.”

“She’ll understand.” Veer paused. “At least, I hope she will when she hears about it.”

“You aren’t going to tell her?”

“We broke up.”

“What? You love her. Why the fuck would you do that? I thought I was the moron out of the two of us.”

“It’s better to cut it off completely.” Veer’s voice was gruff as he responded. “The longer I waited, the harder it was.”

He was hurting as much as I was.

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