Page 56 of Desire

Chapter Sixteen

Christopher

I’m having lunch in the residence dining room on Monday when Leo comes up. The kids are in school, Kev is with Shea at a meeting over on the Hill, and the White House, despite how many people work here, feels kind of empty, to me.

This is Kev’s first full official day back at work since he was shot, and it takes everything in my power not to go withthe two of them today and personally supervise him.

Except he has a job to do. Prophet is back in the saddle, and Priest has to let go.

It’s been almost a month since he was shot, and we have no more answers than we did the day of.

I’m actually a little surprised to see Leo here. Usually, when Shea has to attend a meeting, especially with Kev involved in the meeting, Leo’s is there with her.

“We need to talk, sir,” he says.

“What’s with the ‘sir’ shit in private?” I joke.

Except from the look on Leo’s face, whatever he’s come to talk to me about…

It’s grim.

He’s not deterred. “Sir?”

I nod and sit back, my nerves jangling as every instinct and bit of training from twenty-six years spent in the Secret Service tries to kick in all at once. “What’s going on?”

He glances around.“We alone?”

“Yeah.”

He pulls out the chair next to me and sits before he looks me in the eyes. “I need you to stay calm, sir.”

“What happened?” Fear fills me. “The kids? Shae? Kev?”

He shakes his head and lays a staying hand on my arm. “They’re allfine. But we need to talk.”

My pulse had spiked and now I want to smack him. “You fucking scared me!”

He leans in closer, dropping his voice.“Chris,promiseme.”

“Promise youwhat?”

“I’m going to tell you some things, and I need your word you’re going to stay calm, sit here, and let me tell you, and you aren’t going to jump up and demand Shae nukes someone.”

I have a feeling I’m not going to enjoy the rest of my lunch. I push away the plate holding what’s left of my ham sandwich and stare at him. “What the fuck?”

But he doesn’tmove, waiting.

“Fine! Just tell me.”

And…

He does.

Unfortunately, the information doesn’t leave me wanting to jump up, at first. It leaves me…cold.

Chilled.

Heartsick.