Page 296 of Lodestar

His brow furrowed. “I don’t need to hear that.”

I chuckled. “Don’t be naive, sir, and don’t think I don’t know about the atrocities you and those from your office have permitted in the hundreds of years of so-called independence.

"You forget, I served my country and I saw firsthand what happened on the ground.” I waved a hand. “Now, that isn’t to say that I’m not willing to take the legitimate route.

“I’ve got contacts of my own, contacts that, you will be displeased to hear, hold more power than you,butI have two problems. Two problems who are alsoyourproblems.”

President Davidson walked back a few steps and sat down on the foot of the bed. His elbows plunked on his knees as he stared at me.

I expected him to pepper me with questions but he didn’t. He said, “Aoife told me you’re her sister-in-law.”

“She did?” My thumb found the cameo face in the emerald and smoothed over the features. “A little premature, but I suppose she’s right.”

“How is she?”

“You could ask her yourself.”

“She won’t answer. She just says she’s fine.”

“Maybe that’s what she is.”

His jaw worked. “I made a lot of sacrifices in my life, Ms. Sullivan. Aoife, unfortunately, was one of them.”

Unease filtered through me. I wasn’t here for a TMI father-daughter sharing session. “You should tell her this. Not me.”

“Iintendedon telling her that,” he growled. “That’s why I invited her here. Notyou.” Davidson scrubbed a hand over hisface. “Her mother was the love of my life. Aoife was born of that love. Yet here I am, denying her. Hiding her away like she’s the dirty little secret when she’s the onerightthing I’ve ever done in my life.”

“I don’t need to hear this.”

He surged to his feet. “You can’t hold the truth of her identity over me to make me fall in line.”

Meaning someone had already tried…

“That wasn’t my intention,” I told him calmly.

Watching him work himself up over this would have been amusing if he hadn’t skipped over his kid to get into the White House.

“Then you just admitted to crimes to the president for fun?” he drawled.

“I admitted to nothing other than doing a better job than your security services at uncovering the Sparrows’ identities.

"If anything, that shows incompetence on your government’s behalf, not guilt on mine.” With a sniff and a pointed look, I continued, “I’m not trying to make you fall in line. I’m here with a different purpose.

“Let’s face it, your approval rating has never been higher. Not only because of your proactive stance on the Sparrows but because of your wife’s murder. You’ll likely win the reelection.”

“Likely means nothing in the end. Especially if Aoife’s relationship with me is revealed to the press.”

“I assume that youhavebeen threatened?”

“Yes. My chief of staff intercepted a letter—” His jaw clenched as the fury in his eyes lit up his whole face. “I don’t do well with threats, Ms. Sullivan.”

His chief of staff.

Smythe and Foundry were fucking obvious. They had about as much finesse as Kat turning cartwheels down a hallway.

“What did this letter ask you to do?”

“Resign from reelecting in exchange fordiscretionregarding Aoife’s parentage.”

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