Page 99 of Now or Never
“Good thing you didn’t explain that during the presidential race. I don’t think you and your running mate would’ve won.” A lot of people had voted for her predecessor because of his family values, and even Kenna hadn’t known the vice president was an asset forDominatus.
The former president had tried to go up against them. Now he was dead, and his vice president had assumed his role. In the endDominatusgot what they wanted.
“Now you know the truth.”
Kenna stared at the president, unsure if she believed that. Did these people ever tell the truth? “That remains to be seen. What did you mean, the firstborn of all the offspring?”
“Your child is the first of a new generation.”
“But she isn’t one ofyourchildren.” Jax was the father, not someDominatussperm donor. Kenna didn’t want to think about all these guys purporting they were her father. She pushed those thoughts away. This child would know exactly who she was, and it had nothing to do withDominatus.
“You fail to understand,” the president said. “No child has been born to one of us in this generation.”
“Any of the kids born around when I was, or after? No one’s had a baby?”
“You are the first.” President Tetherton sighed. “Many believe this generation was born sterile. Until you.”
Jax pulled Kenna closer. “I’m not part ofDominatus. Maybe that’s why we conceived.”
That would make a lot of things make sense. Like why Buzard had those men retrieve a sample of Jax’s blood. He might’ve been trying to figure out a solution to an infertility problem.
The president nodded, a single bow of her head. “That may very well be the case.”
“We aren’t research subjects for you to figure out.” Kenna was emphatic about that. “Don’t ask. Don’t come calling. No more kidnapping or co-opting, or anything. All of you are going to leave us alone.”
“The life you carry means we continue. That’s something we have to explore?—”
“I’m not part of your sick agenda.” Kenna let that sink in. “Never, not ever. None of my family, no matter who they are or what they do.”
A tendon shifted in the president’s jaw.
“Maybe I should go explain that to themen.” Kenna turned and walked the hall back to the main room, Jax beside her. “Do you have cell signal here?” she whispered.
“No.” He slid the phone back in his pocket. “We need to get out of here, before they decide they need us for something else. I’m pretty sure Marine One is outside. What do you say we steal the president’s helicopter?”
They passed two Secret Service agents standing near the door.
Jax said, “Kidding.”
Kenna thought it was a great idea. “We don’t need to get arrested. But I agree we should get out of here.”
He held the door for her, and she strode in like she was the one in charge here. A little command presence so they remembered she wasn’t someone they could push around.
“Where do I sign?” She glanced at the general, who stood on his side of the table with his hands braced on either side of a long paper. Petyr sat on the far end, his arms folded across his chest. Apparently, they weren’t in agreement. “I’d like to get out of here. I have an appointment.”
But right now, her biggest problem was that Ramon, Zeyla, and Bruce where nowhere to be found. Where had they been taken?
“Whatever you have so far, figure the rest out later. Send me an amendment, and I’ll e-sign it.” Kenna stopped about ten feet from the table, Jax beside her. “I’m done here.”
The major general straightened, a look on his face that she didn’t like at all. “I’ll get the ceremonial dagger. We can all spill our blood and sign.”
Kenna nearly walked out right then. “I just have one question. For Petyr. Why did you pretend Schnell was trying to kill you?”
She presumed the lawyers were pawns caught in the crossfire, but maybe it was someone’s idea to target them as the perpetrators. The president, maybe? Would she cut down women she should consider sisters? More likely it was either Petyr himself or Schnell even.
“You malign my integrity?” the general said, a deadly severity in his tone. He picked up a dagger from the table and slid it from its sheath. “Sign.” He pointed the knife at the Croatian president.
Petyr stared at him. “And swear an oath to terms that are favorable only to you? I don’t think so.”
