Page 265 of Innocent

“I know you care about Elliot,” she continues. “You’re loyal to him. If you’re as savvy as people have told me you are, you’ll know making me First Lady is what’s best for the countryandfor Elliot.”

I give it a moment to make her think I’m considering it. “So youdothink he should be president?”

“Of course I do. No reason we can’t work together, though. He can get his initiatives passed, and I can keep my friends happy. Plus, you help me with this, and Elliot won’t get hurt.”

Oh, he’d be hurt, all right.“If I help you, youpromisehe won’t be hurt?”

“Absolutely.”

“Does Stella know we’re talking right now? Has she already agreed to help you?”

Grace waves my questions away. “No, I haven’t talked to her. Yet. But she has even more to benefit from this plan, either way. If she’s standing by me, our friends will help her for her loyalty to them. Plus, she’ll be seen as a strong woman doing the difficult but morally right thing.” She shrugs. “She’ll probably get a book deal out of it, too. Speaking circuit, all of that.”

There’s no fucking chance I’m helping her, but I can’t let her know that before I come up with a plan to neutralize her scheme. I pull a different mask into place. “Then how do we spin this? And, again, what’s my role?”

She brightens, assuming I’m in. “He marries me, we say we’ve been dating in secret, you corroborate it all, and I’ll resign from the House in time to walk the inaugural parade with him.That’sthe plan.”

Annndthat’swhy she’s not worried about her re-election chances.

She waggles a finger at me. “Just get me five minutes in a room with him, and I’ll do the rest. Like I said, there are alotof people in the wings who’d be very grateful. You will think you’ve been blessed by an archangel once they start expressing their gratitude. And this isn’t quid pro quo. I’m not offering you anything. They’re not offering anything specific. All I want is access.”

“But if they want him knocked out of the race—”

“Only because I haven’t brought him to heel before now. They’ll be satisfied if I’m in the East Wing and have him under my control.”

“You’re sure they won’t hurt him, if I help you? I don’t want him to get hurt.”

Her smile widens, creeping me out. I realize that’s her legit smile, and it’s horrifying. “I promise, if you get me a few minutes alone with Elliot to do this, I will make sure he’s taken care ofandprotected. Iswear.”

My mind races because I need time, even though I’m already formulating a plan. “I’ll need a few days, at the very least. He’s booked, we’re travelling all weekend, we’ve got debate prep, and I’ll have to come up with an excuse that doesn’t make me look like I’m in on this.”

“Don’t panic—you’ve got time. Up until the last day of October. Otherwise, I’ll drop my own October surprise by the thirty-first, if I haven’t struck a deal with Elliot by then.”

She looks smugly self-assured. “I know you like him, Jordan.Everyonelikes Elliot. He’s a sweet guy. Me exposing him as a rapist would besucha shock to everyone, and would needlessly ruin his life.”

Shetsks. “But you makethishappen for me? Elliot’s a winner, I’m a winner, and you’re a winner. The sky’s the limit for your future, if you do this. I’ll keep you clean, too. I’ll make sure to keep your name out of it.”

I take another fake sip of my drink. “We will need to coordinate this. This won’t be an overnight plan. I have to carefully set it up. We’ll need to meet a few times to get our stories straight and verify past campaign appearance dates and locations, your whereabouts, those details. We can’t rush and be sloppy.”

She lights up, the greedy bitch. “Absolutely.” She downs half her drink.

I pretend I’m thinking. “I do this for you, then I want chief of staff.”

Confusion furrows her brow. “I thought Casey-Marie Blaine will be his chief? Didn’t he just hire her?”

Fuck. That’s not public knowledge yet, meaning Grace has a mole in the campaign or in the West Wing, which is something else I’ll need to figure out, and fast. Elliot hasn’t talked to Stella. Even if he had, he wouldn’t have told her that. He knows the info’s embargoed until next week.

“EastWing,” I clarify. “Yourchief of staff. After the inauguration, Elliot’s hiring Leo Cruz to be his body man. They’re best friends, but right now Leo’s working for President Samuels. I want to remain in the White House, and not as an assistant deputy to some policy wonk and exiled across the street in the EEOB. You’ll need someone working for you who has connections and East Wing experience, and I have several years of both. It’s logical. I want the exposure so it’ll helpmycareer after Elliot’s out of office. You’re not the only one with future plans and ambitions. Just because you don’t know mine doesn’t mean I don’t have any.”

“Ahh.” But she looks happy now. “Done. You do this for me, you’re my chief of staff, and I’d be thrilled to have you.”

There’s quid pro quo. This all, right here, is more than enough to turn over to the FBI. Extortion, trading favors—but it doesn’t protect Elliot from other attempts.

One thing isn’t a lie on my part—this won’t be an overnight plan.

I pretend to take a moment mulling it over. “Okay. Then I’m in. As long as Elliot doesn’t get hurt. But if anyone hurts Elliot, I’ll burn you so hard and fast you won’t know what hit you.”

She holds up a hand. “I promise to protect him. Absolutely.”