Page 118 of Not the Plan

He blushed. “Thanks, Isadora.”

“Why aren’t you calling me ‘Isa’?” The question was out before she’d recognized that she wanted to know.

“I thought maybe you wouldn’t want me to anymore.”

She sighed. His eyes were so sad and unsure.

“No, Karim. I think, I owe—”

His phone rang.

“Shit. It’s Julian. Gimme a second?” he asked.

“It’s okay.” She nodded. She got up from the couch and went into the kitchen. Tapping her fingers on the counter, she was close enough to follow their conversation, but didn’t, too caught up in the storm roiling inside her.I want him. So much, so, so much. But even if there was a way to have D.C. and Karim, how could he trust me now? What if I just tell him? Tell him how I feel, spit it out, and whatever happens, happens. He’s been so—

“Isa?” He’d finished his call and joined her in the kitchen.

“Yeah?” She turned. He was two small steps away. He took a half-step forward but stopped. A shiver went through her as she remembered the last time they’d been in her kitchen, in almost thesame position, both naked. He’d scooped her up, sat her down on the countertop, and kissed, mouthed, and sucked his way down from her ear to the inside of her opposite thigh. It had taken an eternity. By the time he’d reached his destination, she’d been shaking with want.

He let out a puff of breath and moistened his lips. She asked herself if he was remembering the same thing.

“I, um…have to go,” he said.

“You do?”

“Yeah, I’ll leave the key with you, okay?” He turned to leave.

“Oh, okay. Thanks,” she said, following him toward the door. “Peter’s going to request a vote on the presidency tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“That’s what I figured. Did Julian set you up, Karim?” Her question was soft, asked as he stepped through the doorway.

“He did.” He nodded. “I think he wanted to force me to get angry and quit or align myself with him for good.”

“Oh,” she said.

“I lied to him, Isa. I’m playing along until I…um…we…well, you and Daniel find a way to stop him. Then I’m done.”

“Are you going to leave?” Hot, acidic fear crackled in her chest.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “If he’s managed to damage my reputation as much as I think he has, I’m pretty much done in the California legislature. I may even get disbarred for fraud. Then I’ll need a new, new start.” He paused, nudging her doormat with the toe of his shoe. “But at least this time I’ll really start fresh; Laila signed the divorce papers. Threatening to go after her money was my way out. I’d better go. See you later, beautiful?”

Overwhelmed by all the information, she nodded, closing the door as he walked away. She slid down it, tears threatening. On the edge of a huge crying jag, she stopped short.

No, Isadora. No! You have not come this far and worked this hard to let Julian Brown fuck it all up.She forced herself to her feet, fear and rage swirling into a searing charge. She had to use the energy before it burned her up. The USB key caught her eye.

—

“It’s awfully convenient,” Isadora said to Daniel on the phone, twenty minutes later. She’d separated the videos by participant and managed to watch as little as possible to verify that yes, they featured who the file names said they did, and they were compromising. Isadora had to give Julian credit—he’d managed to film the ones least likely to give in to habitual forms of pressure. That fact nagged at her. It had to mean something, having material on people who wouldn’t have given in any other way.

“Convenient?” he asked.

“Yeah. That these specific members would find themselves in a compromising position somewhere they could be filmed. Your colleagues aren’t novices.”

“No, they aren’t,” Daniel said. “Or they shouldn’t be. Ike’s has its reputation, but how could Julian have been certain that these members woulddoanything worth filming? Do you think he hired professionals? You watched the videos; did you recognize any of the women?”

“Yeckh,no. I didn’twatch.I played only the first few seconds to be sure of the members’ identities.” She’d heard a couple voices, which was difficult enough. Those were giggles and laughs she’d never erase from her memory. “It would have made sense for Julian to bring in a prostitute to be certain he’d get useful material. But, correct me if I’m wrong, aren’t the parties at Ike’s closed? To avoid that sort of thing?”

---