Page 77 of The Charmer's Gambit
“Oh, darlin’, you have so much to learn.” He kissed me gently. “I might not live in extravagance, but Evan sure does. Sarah now too.”
“That bitch has been holding out on me,” I accused half-heartedly.
He chuckled. “We both know you wouldn’t care. Now I should go make the arrangements—”
“Nope. Food first,” Mark interrupted. He hopped up seconds before someone tapped at the door. “Thank fuck. I’m starving.”
“How did he do that?” I asked, startled.
He held up a phone over his head on his way to the foyer. “I told the guy to text me from the elevator.” When he returned, it was with three separate bags that he promptly divided between us. “This is my favorite place in Nice. Trust me, you’re both in for a treat.”
“Favorite place in Nice,” I repeated. “Right. Because you come here all the time.”
“Sure. Didn’t you know the FBI loves France?” He didn’t even crack a smile as he ripped open the bags. And if I didn’t know he was completely full of shit, I’d say he was serious.
“One of these days, you’re going to tell me the truth about what you do.”
“Honestly, it’s Caleb you should talk to. He has more fun than I do.” He waggled his brows. “Now eat, Dawson. Something tells me you’ll need your energy over the next few weeks.”
30
From My Family to Yours
Four Weeks Later
“So the baby is his,” I said after reading the article Kincaid handed me. Senator Jenkins required a paternity test, and someone leaked it to the press. I had no doubt it was the man sitting across from me in Will’s living room.
“Oh, it gets better,” he mused. “Albertson was more prepared than I expected and had a contingency plan in place. The media received a handful of incriminating photos that painted Senator Jenkins as an abusive husband, which is actually true. So now Albertson’s campaign managers are busy assigning their lead candidate with the role of white knight.”
“How is that better?” Will asked before I could. He stood leaning against the wall beside the couch, swirling a glass of wine. Those sinful jeans were in place, making me want to lick him. Too bad we had company.
“Because,” Mark drawled, “Bianca will divorce with sole custody of the kid and immediately marry the baby’s father.”
My stomach twisted. “That’s not better; that’s worse.” Ryan would destroy her, and all because . . . I couldn’t even finish thethought. It hurt too much. I’d sent another woman to serve my sentence. How was that fair?
Will, sensing my discomfort, asked the question I couldn’t articulate. “You’re not concerned for Bianca?”
Mark scoffed. “Please, that woman was groomed for this. She’s over the moon at winning the hand of a future senator. He comes from good breeding stock, he has money, and he has a long future in front of him. And it probably helps that he’s prettier than her soon-to-be ex-husband.” He flipped out his phone to show us a photo that was taken from a distance, likely by him. “Does that look like an unhappy woman?”
“I used to look like that,” I whispered, taking in her doting smile and doe eyes. “Give it a year.”
He shook his head sharply. “No, you fail to realize what drives a man like Albertson. You challenge him in a way that this woman never will. Honestly, he’ll get bored with her before he ever lays a hand on her. I’m more concerned that he’s going to come after you again at some point to fill the void, but he’ll be busy maintaining the perfect husband facade for at least the next two years.”
“And if you’re wrong?” Will asked.
“I’m not, but on the very small chance I am, we both know you already took care of it.” Respect colored his features as he added, “The wine was brilliant.”
“I’m certain I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he replied.
“Wine?” I repeated, taking in Mark’s obvious amusement and Will’s emotionless expression. “What are you two going on about?”
“Your betrothed sent Albertson a clever message and let him know in no uncertain terms that the Mershanos are an equal, if not superior, competitor in this game.” He sounded impressed, which said a lot about whatever Will had done.
“What was the message?” I asked, ignoring thebetrothedcomment. “What did you do, Will?”
He rubbed a thumb over his bottom lip as if debating how much to say. I narrowed my gaze, silently demanding him to tell me everything, or there would be hell to pay later. Ryan wasmyex, and my problem.
“Mmm,” he murmured, sensing my unspoken challenge. His expression said he liked it, perhaps too much. “Let’s just say I returned the favor by playing with the water in his office, and when he woke up, a bottle of Mershano Vineyards’s finest wine was waiting for him.”
