Page 51 of Tempting Tessa

Jessie’s eyes widened artfully. Harris chuckled.

Tessa leaned forward as if Harriswereher equal and she wanted to share a secret with him. “You’ve built something remarkable, and I’m no fan of the CIA or the Black Swans. I’m sure you know that. But even the best plans have weaknesses. Blind spots. I’m offering to help you eliminate yours.”

“You want more than Ms. Medoza’s freedom,” he said, catching on.

“I know an opportunity when I see one.”

He resumed his seat, rocking back and forth with his fingers steepled again. Those intrusive eyes bored into her. “What weaknesses do you think I have, little fox?”

I, he’d said, notwe. Notmy plan. He was taking it personally. Another plus for her. “Pursuing revenge creates a narrow focus. Your inner demons get the best of you. You get sloppy, predictable. Patterns emerge. Just like when you used to beat up Mom—you followed your right hook with a left uppercut.” She tapped a finger on the desk. “Every. Time.”

His face blanched. He rocked a bit more aggressively. “You think you know me, Contessa?”

She did. Too well. “Nothing surprises me anymore. Nothing escapes my notice. While you laid breadcrumbs to put the Agency in fear of an EMP attack on military bases, you’ve been working on far more while they’re distracted with that, haven’t you? Revenge is what you’re after.”

“Power is what I seek.”

“That’s what you tell yourself.”

He glared. She glared back. A standoff ensued. She knew the first one to talk lost this game of wills.

It wouldn’t be her.

He stood, ambling to the windows again, bracing his hands against the sides of the metal frames and staring at the scene before him. She wondered if he saw any of it or was inside his head, moving the pieces on his mental chess board around to see which would get him what he wanted.

But she’d hit her target, letting him know his plan wasn’t so secret. That she knew he wanted to expose the Black Swan Division and paint them as terrorists inside their own organization. Cripple the Agency. Get them tangled up in congressional hearings and a media frenzy that would land certain members of the upper echelon in prison for treason.

“Your loyalty is to the CIA,” he said flatly.

She breathed a silent sigh. He’d spoken first. She had him on the hook. “My only loyalty is to myself. You taught me that.”

He peered at her briefly before returning to the view. “I don’t believe you.”

“Yet, here I am. Despite what Jessie believes, I willingly walked in here and am offering to help you. Don’t you get it? I don’t want to stop you. I want to help you bring down the swans and the Agency. They’ve kept me on a leash even though I walked away. I want my freedom.”

Boldly, she went around the desk and plopped down into his chair, kicking her feet up onto the corner of the black monstrosity. Everyone in the room jolted as if shocked.

The security baffoon strode toward her.

Harris held up a hand to stop him.

Tessa cocked her chin at Jessie and the guard. “I’m not saying anything else until they’re gone. Her loyalty lies with her brother, and although she’s been useful to you so far, you won’t need her any longer. Do we have a deal or not?”

Harris flared his hands outward. “I can’t simply let her walk out. She knows too much.”

She tapped her temple. “Blindspot, right there. She knows that if she talks, Tommy will die.” She gave Jessie a stern, condescending glower. “That’s a promise, Mendoza. If you want to protect your brother, keep your mouth shut.”

Jessie stepped forward, matching her in intimidation. “Don’t you dare threaten him.”

Tessa smiled at her stepfather. “See? She’ll do anything to keep the brat safe. Tommy is her blindspot.”

Harris stood for a long moment, holding eye contact with Tessa. She saw something behind his cold, calculating gaze shift. He was logical above it all, and everything she’d told him fit with his warped belief system. He motioned at Jessie. “Go downstairs. I’ll speak to you when we’re done here.”

Tessa didn’t dare glance away. Another test. Another game. Jessie gave a dramatic sigh and stomped for the door. “You can’t trust her,” she said to Harris. “She’syourblind spot. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

When the door closed behind her, he smiled at Tessa. “Time to prove yourself.”

She shrugged. “What do you want me to do?”

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