Page 74 of The Charmer's Gambit
“There’s nothing funny about it,” I said, gesturing to his square chin.
His near-black eyes narrowed. “You sound just like Caleb.”
I shrugged. “We both understand how to use a razor.”
“Do you see what I put up with?” he asked, his gaze on Will. “I drop what I’m doing in Dubai and catch the next flight out, just to be harassed.” He shook his head and sobered. His stance changed as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, shifting his persona from big brother to bad man in charge. “I’ve already met with Hernandez’s men. They’re awake and packing, and they’re aware of their dismissal.”
Both of Will’s eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”
“They’ve been compromised. Why would you keep them on staff? Besides, I’m here and I actually know what the fuck I’m doing.” Mark settled into the armchair beside the couch and placed one jean-clad ankle over his opposite knee.
I took that as a cue to sit as well and folded myself back into my seat, and Will slid into the open space beside me. Hisleg pressed against mine as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and stared Mark down. My brother’s best friend didn’t flinch; he held the gaze with an assertiveness that rivaled the man beside me.
All the hairs on my arms danced as testosterone thickened the air. Neither one of them would ever bow to the other, which made this battle of wills a waste of time.
“So.” I cleared my throat. “Mark, this is Will. Will, this is Mark.”
I’d forgotten to properly introduce them earlier, not that either of them seemed to care. They were too busy trying to win Alpha Male of the Room.
Silence.
I bounced my foot in irritation and winced. It was already bruising from my trip down the stairs. Will’s warm hand brushed my leg on his way to my ankle. “Do you want more ice?” he asked.
“You might as well fill the bathtub at this rate,” I remarked, annoyed not at him but at the situation. “I’ll be fine. I just might need more painkillers soon.” He’d already given me more than the recommended dose for my headache.
“Look at me.” Mark’s command caught me off guard. He squatted in front of me without touching me. I met his serious gaze and held it. “Food,” was all he said as he stood and wandered over to the balcony door.
Will tilted my chin toward him and held my stare with an intense look. I swallowed, unnerved by having two very dominant men in one room. Then Mark started speaking in fluent French, ordering what sounded like dinner from a local restaurant, and broke the moment.
“Since when do you speak French?” Although it was whispered, he heard me just fine and winked at me before continuing the conversation.
“FBI, my ass.” I shook my head and rested against the strong man beside me. His natural heat blanketed me in the comfort I needed. I hadn’t realized my eyes were closed until Mark sighed. He was back in the chair by the couch with an ankle on his knee. His chin was propped on his fist, watching me.
“You’ll feel better after you eat something,” he said.
“I’ll feel better when you tell me how to handle Ryan, because I assume that’s why you’re here.” My voice was stronger than I expected. Every other part of me ached with exhaustion, but not my heart or my mind. “He’s not going to go away unless I do something drastic.”
“Yes, and his coming here shows escalation,” Mark replied.
“It was a message,” Will cut in. “He never wanted to take her; he just wanted to mark his territory so I would back off.”
“Precisely.” Admiration underlined that single word. “And he’ll become truly dangerous when you don’t, which is why we need to take action, and soon.”
“What do you suggest?” Will asked, his voice low.
“Political suicide,” he replied simply. “The tabloids love a good sex scandal. It seems to be the only way to destroy a career these days, and once that happens, Albertson will have a number of more pertinent issues to tend to than his errant ex-fiancée. Not the least of which being his more questionable connections, ones that are relying on him to become the next senator of Illinois.”
“He’s been making promises he can’t keep,” Will inferred before I could say the same. “But all this hinges on the child being his.”
Mark shrugged, his expression bored. “Whether or not it’s his is irrelevant. Senator Jenkins is not going to be happy to hear his young wife cheated on him with his protégé. He’ll destroy Albertson in retaliation for harming his precious manhood, while we can sit back and enjoy the fireworks. I’msure Senator Albertson won’t be too pleased, either, not that he’s an exemplary role model himself.”
I snorted. That was an understatement. Ryan’s father treated all women like objects, including me when Ryan and I were dating. He kept saying how sweet it was that I wanted a law degree, like it was a hobby and not a career. “So you’re suggesting we release the affair to the media,” I said after both men looked at me.
“No, I suggest we post some of the footage online anonymously and let the tabloids run with it. I have a few trusted sources we can leak it to directly to make sure it’s found, and the rest will take care of itself. Also, we need to do it next weekend.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because that’s when he’s announcing his candidacy,” he replied. “If we time it right, which we will, the news story will start to flash while he’s making his speech. No way he can recover from that, especially when Senator Jenkins will be sitting right next to him with his lovely wife to the left.”
