Page 7 of Enemy of My Enemy

Protective detail? Wait, that was only for politicians, cabinet members, officers of the state, important diplomats. Not for him. He wasn’t— No, there had to be some mistake. Shaking his head, Ethan tried to speak.

“You are the first gentleman of the United States,” Director Triplett smoothly interrupted. “You are required to have a full protective detail of Secret Service agents.”

“What about before?” Ethan frowned. “In Iowa?”

“You were still in our employ then, and our attorneys decided that your special expertise and the community of agents around you would offer you a similar level of protection without putting an undue strain on your personal life. We also implemented a few special programs, which we never informed you of. Suffice it to say, you were protected in Iowa and on every one of your flights back and forth from Des Moines to DC, Mr. First Gentleman, even before you had an official status.” Director Triplett leaned forward, smiling. “But now, you are a private citizen, out of our employ, and an expressed member of the first family. Your protection is one of our number one priorities.”

Ethan’s stomach plummeted. “A full detail?”

“A full detail that will be based here in the East Wing where you office. Your condo will be secured and monitored twenty-four-seven, even while you are living at the White House. Your personal vehicle will be locked up at our secure site. Anytime you need to be transported, the Secret Service will escort you to and from your location. You will have a team of close protection agents and a supporting protective detail working for you around the clock. Your detail will provide you with individualized security and threat assessments on a daily basis and provide you with personal security at all times.”

It was the same speech Ethan had given to three presidents. A cage of protection settling down around the protectee. He’d watched their gazes harden as he’d outlined their restrictions in freedom of movement, but he’d never thought that those protections would ever turn around and cage him.

“Director…” Ethan swallowed. “I’m familiar with the speech.”

“Good. Then you also know there’s no arguing with the protective detail or with the agents assigned to your protection.” Director Triplett raised one eyebrow.

“Yes, ma’am.” Ethan slumped backward. He frowned. “Who will be on my detail? I know all the senior agents in DC.” Were they rotating agents from the field back to Washington? Setting him up with strangers? Maybe other agents who weren’t so keen on Ethan’s choices and behaviors, like what he’d just escaped in Iowa?

Director Triplett tried to smother her grin as she looked sidelong at Daniels. “In light of recent events, I’ve decided to issue a verbal order of understanding. Agents who have a prior relationship with you or with the president will not be barred from continued service with either of you two.”

Ethan sat up straight. “Director?”

“Please meet the head of your protective detail, Mr. First Gentleman. A true gem in the Secret Service, First Gentleman Detail Lead, Agent Levi Daniels.”

Daniels beamed, wide and toothy, and held out his arms when Ethan jumped to his feet. Ethan wrapped him up in a huge bear hug as Daniels slapped at his shoulder, laughing.

“Levi! You’re second in command in the West Wing! Why would you transfer over here?” Historically, the detail protecting the first lady had less standing than the agents protecting the president. The presidential detail was where it was at. Everyone who was anyone in the Secret Service wanted to be there. “Why would you come down here?”

“Because it’syou, man.” Daniels pulled back but kept one hand on Ethan’s shoulder. He beamed. “Because it’s you, and I can’t let anything happen to you. I’m so damn proud of you. You and your man both.”

Jack had repeatedly asked Daniels to call him by his first name, and while Daniels hadn’t relented in Jack’s presence, he had taken to calling Jack ‘your man’ while he and Ethan were alone.

“Some of the other guys wanted to come over, too. Few guys from the swing shift. Beech. Caldwell. Hanier. They didn’t want to leave you. We were all so pissed when you got sent to Iowa—”

Director Triplett cleared her throat as she stood and smoothed her skirt.

Daniels kept going, covering his slip. “And it was easy to fill your detail. All volunteers. Every single one.”

For the second time, Ethan had to fight against his throat clenching, against a swell of emotion that threatened to swallow him whole. Loyalty, devotion, comradery, and his brothers in the agency. He’d spent twelve years with most of the agents Daniels had mentioned. One of the biggest gut-punches of being transferred to Iowa, after losing such close contact with Jack, was the disconnection from his colleagues and his friends.

“Levi…” He didn’t know what to say.

Daniels let him off the hook. “Mr. First Gentleman,” he said, dipping his head toward Ethan. “I’m going to set up your detail headquarters office right next door. We’re working on connecting the feed from Horsepower so we’ll have the same real-time intel in both locations. Scott and I plan on sharing the morning briefs.”

“Sounds good, Lead Agent Daniels.” Ethan returned the honorific.

“I’ve got to get going.” Director Triplett held out her hand for Ethan. “I wanted to personally congratulate you, though, Mr. First Gentleman.”

He didn’t know what to say. He smiled as he took her hand and tried not to look constipated.

“We’ll leave you to get settled in your new digs.”

Daniels and the director headed out. The heavy door slid shut, and then Ethan was alone in his new office for the first time.

He exhaled. “First gentleman of the United States.” His gaze darted around his office, taking it all in. Across the Kennedy Garden and the Rose Garden, he could just make out the white columns of the Oval Office. He’d never, not once, imagined that this would be his life.

In his pants pocket, his cell vibrated. Pulling it out, Ethan swiped through the screensaver—a picture of him and Jack dancing at the Correspondents’ Dinner some press photog had snapped—and found a message from Jack.