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“Doesn’t matter,” I say. Her wet eyes snap to mine and narrow. “What's done is done. Now we stop it.” Something like hope flashes across her face, her dark brown brows rising a fraction. “He can't just write a law. He has to get it pushed through the House and the Senate.” I smirk and reach over Tank to push her shoulder. “You're over the Senate, remember? You have sway there.”

“But I don't. I don't know anyone in this town, and even if I did, I'm hated because of my background, because of where I come from. No one will side with me just because it’ll make them look bad. He knows it too. The man practically begged me to try and stop this from happening. Probably just wants to sit back and watch me fail.”

Her broken spirit shreds my soul. Turning on my heels, I pace the length of the office.

“What else did he say?”

“That this city is built on secrets and secrets are power, something like that,” she grumbles.

With a small smile to Tank, she pats him on the shoulder and bends over to pick up her shoes. Her round ass presses against the dark fitted fabric of her dress pants, snagging my full attention.

“Benson.” Tank snaps his fingers in my face. “Focus.”

Dragging my hooded eyes from the ass I want to grab, I cock a dark brow at my best friend. “Oh I am,” I say with a smirk.

“I swear,” he grumbles and sits in the chair once again. Leaning forward, he clasps his hands between his legs and rests his elbows on his large thighs. “That means one of two things: bribery or blackmail. I'm going with blackmail. There's no way he'd pull enough votes for something like this without it.”

“So where does that leave us?” Absentmindedly, she gently wraps her hand around her throat, caressing the marked skin. I want to know what happened—no, I need to know—but not now. Now we focus on the issue at hand; then I get the details of who laid their hands on my girl.

My girl.

Right.

Unfortunately, she's not my anything except the one I can't have.

“We get the votes we need to make sure it doesn't get through the Senate,” I say, starting to pace again. “We’ll meet with everyone if we have to—”

Her cackling laugh cuts me off. Brows raised, I look over my shoulder to her.

“Oh, wouldn't that be nice? But you see, that's another piece of his brilliant plan. He wants me with the secretary of state, and you know what that means.”

Both Tank and I curse.

The man is brilliant, I'll give him that.

“You'll have to figure it out, Randi,” I say, my tone harsh. “Find someone here who can talk to the various senators while you're traveling. You can't lose momentum once you gain it. It's crucial to make people get behind you when they think everyone else is.”

“Or,” she says, her tone hopeful, “would your parents be open to helping?”

I hold a breath and shake my head, preparing for her disappointment. “My parents would never use their pull to help sway a vote like this. They're too selfish to rock the political party yacht they've coasted on the past few decades.”

Her shoulders round in defeat.

“We'll get the votes, Randi.” If only I could hold her, whisper in her ear, bury my nose in her hair, I could tell her that it’ll all be okay, that we’ll figure it out.

She rubs a few fingers across her forehead. “Worst first day in the history of first days,” she grumbles. A hint of a smile tugs at her lips, making an ounce of the heavy weight lift from my shoulders. “I told y'all I would keep this interesting.”

Tank laughs and slaps the tops of his thighs before standing. “Yeah you did, Randi. But next time, how about less of the dramatics?”

A true smile forms, parting her pink lips. “Come on now, T, where's the fun in that?”

* * *

The wooden doorthumps beneath the tap of my knuckle. Dropping my hand, I step back from the door and tuck both hands into the back pockets of my jeans as I wait. A bump from the other side and the soft padding of feet against the carpet grow closer before the door tugs open an inch.

I grin. Hair wrapped in some kind of towel turban, clean face, thick-framed glasses—this is my Randi. I've never seen anyone more beautiful and adorable. This version of her makes me want to cuddle her close while fucking her from behind. An odd mix of wanting to comfort and possess her all at the same time.

“Yeah?” she questions. Pulling the door open wider, she keeps her body tucked behind it.