Page 7 of Power Games

“I’m twenty, uninterested in sex or politics, and there’s booze in my room.”

He lifted a brow. “Underage drinking?”

“I purchase my violet gin in England, for your information. The legal age happens to be eighteen over there. And if you want me to share, you won’t tell, darling.”

Charles laughed. A real laugh, that went all the way to his eyes. “Fine. Bring on the…violet gin?”

The man was easy to talk to, even more so after a few G and Ts. Guys were generally wary of her; she wasn’t one to fall for their bullshit.

Charles didn’t do bullshit. He didn’t mince his words. He could take a joke.

Basically, he was a catch. Or he would have been, had he not been married.

Vanessa wondered if his wife was insane for being willing to sharethat.

Of course, he could be lying. Maybe there was no agreement at all between them, and he was just a cheating scumbag. Or perhaps he’d been the one forcing her into it. She’d learned to never take anything anyone that had been invited into her father’s house said at face value.

“So, you basically do charity work all the time.”

He shrugged. “Jacobs does investment, development, high tech, and I just know how to assemble guns.”

A little self-consciousness, a little derision; he wasn’t taking himself seriously at all. Wasn’t he just delicious?

“Charles!” they heard faintly.

A woman, coming from the main staircase.

She saw him change before her eyes. Tense. Become colder. Just like that, the light faded.

“Charles!” the woman yelled again.

He sighed.

“The wife, I take it.”

“Yes. Izzy.” He got to his feet, slowly. “Well, I’m glad to have met you. This evening might have been far less agreeable if I hadn’t.”

“Likewise.”

She forced a smile, and waved awkwardly. “Bye, Charles. Good luck with everything.”

Every word was painful now—not quite right, not enough. He went to the door, giving her a delightful view of his firm ass in his custom suit. She looked away.

Taken, idiot. The man is taken.

“Lock your door behind me, Vanessa.”

She didn’t see him again for about three seasons after that.

Their second meeting wasn’t quite as innocent.

3

A Dangerous Path

Nine months later

It was working.He’d gotten used to it. Maybe he even liked it.

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