Page 108 of Release

Chapter Twenty-Five

Now

By the time George departs the steakhouse, we’ve put nearly a half mil into the PAC. That’ll buy us alotof network ad time.

I hang back and end up sitting next to Junior at the table while maybe half the attendees are still there and chewing the fat over dessert.

Offering him a smile, I reach into my pocket and pull out a cell phone, keeping it low under the table and out of view from others. I’ve been flirting with him off and on every time I see him at events, when Declan isn’t there to see me do it and George is too preoccupied to notice, so none of this is out of the clear blue.

“What’s your personal cell number, Terry? I thought I had it.”

He smiles and leans in and recites it to me. I punch it into the burner phone’s text feature and text him from it. Not with my name, just a simpleHiand a smiley face.

He pulls out his phone and checks it. “Thank you.” His is a cheap-ass flip phone, and I wonder if it’s a burner.

“Don’t put my name in there, okay?” I tell him. “Neither of us need a hassle. This number’s not traceable to me.”

He chuckles and enters something, then shows me.

Cutie Pie

Somehow, I manage not to throw up in my mouth. I drop my voice and give him a sexy smile. “If I text or call you at that number, is there anyone at home who’ll give you a hassle about it?”

“Nah, sugar.” He grins. “I’m single. Been single for a couple of years. Besides, this is a disposable number, not my real phone. I trade them out every few months.”

“Well, isn’tthatconvenient?” Both the phone sitch and his personal one. Research told me he was unmarried. I wanted to make sure he hadn’t shacked up with someone in the meantime that I hadn’t heard about.

His greedy gaze drops to my cleavage. “It sure is.”

“Make sure you delete texts from me immediately after reading them.”

“I will, don’t worry.”

If I thought he was tech savvy, or had a better phone, I’d make him use Signal. But this is even better. Much tidier.

I glance around like I’m trying to verify our privacy. “Can we talk alone somewhere?”

“Sure. Follow me.” He stands, offering me his hand.

I suppress a revulsed shudder as I take it to help me up. I follow him from the room and down a back hallway to an office, where we are alone.

The fuck’s nearly thirty years older than me, but he’s also one of those rich, clueless goobers who’s so used to buying women’s affections that he doesn’t realize how repulsive he truly is. Not that he’s particularly ugly or anything, just an oily sheen to his persona, a smarmy whiff that follows him everywhere and colors everything he says and does with a hint of sticky, perverse privilege.

I’m sure there are probably women who find him physically attractive, until they actually get to know him for any length of time.

I opt to go right for the jugular. “I’m sure you understand that a person in my particular position needs to be…discreet.”

He nods a little too eagerly. Meaning I know I won’t have to work a fraction as hard as I was expecting to. “Oh, me, too.”

“Excellent.” I smile. “We’re approaching a very busy time in the governor’s schedule. In another couple of weeks, my free time will be extremely limited. I’d love to get together privately with you one night this coming week.” I step closer. “So I can show you my…appreciation of your support for the governor’s campaign.”

His gaze keeps drifting to my cleavage, where I deliberately wore a low-cut blouse tonight. I wasn’t wearing it all day at work—I changed before I left the office, without letting George or Declan see me.

“How about Sunday night?” he suggests, his tongue flicking out to lick his lips.

“That could work. We can’t use my house, though. George’s security detail monitors the front gate and will have to be told you’re coming to allow you entry, making it potentially public if anyone files an FOIA request. That looks like a massive conflict of interest neither of us want becoming public. I’m sure you don’t want to be on the receiving end of an elections commission inquiry.”

He scratches his chin. “Oh. I hadn’t thought about it like that. I guess you’re right. We really do need to keep this quiet.”