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She seems to relax a bit, but not enough to let go the scowl. “What do you want? I told you to take care of this problem. I don’t have the kind of money you do to get rid of the paparazzi!”

“Did they bother you?” I ask. I didn’t have time to check if there were other pictures online.

“Are you kidding me?” she asks incredulously. “I had to jump out the back window of the café where we met yesterday because they mobbed me as soon as I stepped foot outside.”

“Shit,” I curse under my breath and turn to Matthew who seems concerned but not panicking.

“Did they find out where you live, or work?” my campaign manager asks her, assessing the situation.

“No, not yet. But I don’t know if they asked around. I didn’t say much to the baristas that work there, but I’m not one hundred percent sure.”

I can feel the concern in her voice, studying her more carefully. She seems guarded, but I can’t figure out what’s going on in her head.

Matthew intervenes with a reassuring smile and calm voice. “That’s good. We can make sure they won’t find out. They only know you get coffee there, so if you avoid it for a few days they’ll give up and turn on Raphael. He’s easier to spot, considering his public life.”

What I like about Matthew is that around other people he never loses his cool. With me, it’s a different story, but we’ve known each other since forever and I expect him to be less guarded.

“Good, can I go home now? I’m honestly tired. It was a long day,” she pleads.

I watch her carefully. She seems tired, she’s shivering a bit, and she looks almost small in her oversized hoodie and black leggings. She looks both helpless and strong, a combination that makes me want to protect her again. But she doesn’t want my help, she made that loud and clear at the nightclub.

“Just a few more minutes, please. We need to figure out how to handle this situation and contain the damage, and I need you on board with it. I want to give clear directions to my staff as soon as possible so they can get on it first thing this morning. Can you do that for me?” My voice comes out soft and a small smile graces my lips.

I don’t want her to freak out again and end this meeting in flames.

“I suppose,” she murmurs, nodding.

She’s still pissed at me, but at least she is obliging. There’s hope she won’t make a fuss.

“We need to find common ground to deal with this…inconvenience.” I dare to wink and smile at her. She stares blankly at me. Okay, I’ve got a long way to go to gain her trust.

“Inconvenience is when you finish the toilet paper and you don’t have another roll handy. This is a nightmare. At least for me,” she blurts out, and I can’t stifle a chuckle.

“Yes, maybe your definition is more accurate,” I agree. “Matthew, do you have any suggestions about the direction we should take?” I turn to my best friend.

He smiles shyly and I have a bad feeling. He only does that when he wants to appear innocent, but I know him way better than that.

“You should get married.” He drops the bomb.

“No way!” I spit at the same time Silver squeals, “What?”

I warn him in a stern voice. “Please, be serious. We don’t have time for bullshit. It’s almost six, we didn’t sleep, and we’re all tired.” I know where this is going, and I want to give him the chance to backpedal.

“Iamserious. This is going to be a huge scandal: you were caught on film with a massive erection and she’s looking at you like you’re her entire world,” he starts but Silver interrupts him.

“I am not! And I don’t want even to hear this ridiculous so-called solution!”

“Yes, you are. You can pretend you’re not, but you totally are. Do you know how the press will spin this if we tell them it’s nothing and you disappear? You’ll be the slut that opens her legs for powerful men, and he’s the asshole taking advantage of you.” He states all of this sternly and I glare at him. I’m okay with hearing his solution, but I’m not okay with him insinuating she’s a whore, even if it’s clear he doesn’t think she is.

“I don’t give a shit about what people think about me. I’m not marrying him. This is insane!”

And I agree with her, this is insane. “Is there another solution? Like an ex-flame I bumped into or something?” I try to mediate.

“Yes, exactly.” She sides with me.

Matthew shakes his head and lowers his gaze, a small smile on his lips. “Can I be totally honest?” He bores his eyes into mine, asking silent permission to share something strategic in front a perfect stranger, Silver, and my father’s ears, Jordan. I silently nod.

“You need a wife. If you don’t get married soon, your father will cut your funding. People who vote for you will demand you commit to someone. This scandal looks like you’re having an affair. Your erection makes it look purely sexual, and you don’t need a sexual scandal right now. You can absolutely not look like a disgusting pig taking advantage of a woman. No one gives a shit if that’s what really happened. They don’t want the truth; they want to sink you and they’ll use this against you in the campaign. They’ll dig up so much dirt on her, fabricate so much shady business you won’t even see the midterms. Your career will end here. It will take you years to clean up your image.” He lays out the raw truth and I am breathless.