Page 45 of The Press Secretary's Passion

“You’re joking?” he snaps, and I look around the room in which everyone is wearing the same shocked expression with their eyebrows in their hairlines.

“No,” I say slowly. “I don’t think so.”

“Honey, it’s all about you,” Jake says softly.

“What?” I shout.

“And me,” he says before a heavy pause, and by the look on his face, I feel like he’s trying to quietly tell me something, but I don’t know what. “And someone else.”

“I don’t understand,” I admit.

“Let’s break it down,” Rick says. “The Old Ghost is Jake. Ghost was his SEAL call sign.”

“Okay.”

“And this says that for him to rise, others will fall.”

“I don’t like that,” I mutter to myself, but it was apparently louder than I meant it to be, because everyone is either smiling or their lips are twitching.

“I don’t like it either,” Rick says.

“That’s great and all, but what does this have to do with me?” I prompt. I know I sound like an asshole for asking, but I really don’t get it. And I don’t want to. I don’t want to be involved in anything or with anyone who is trying to manipulate the president.

“This part right here,” Rick says, “is you.”

“The eagle and her mate are the first to go?” I read the last bit of the letter. “I don’t get it.”

“Babe,” Ryan clips out, and his tone of voice does absolutely nothing to hide his frustration or the fact that he thinks I’m an absolute moron. Great. “You used to work for Eagle News. The eagle is you.”

“What?” I gasp. “Someone wants to kill me?”

“Maybe,” Rick admits. “We don’t know.”

“Well, if someone could find out, that would be fucking great,” I snap before I get my emotions in hand. “I’m sorry. I’m just under a lot of stress. I don’t mean to be a bitch. Really.”

“You’re fine, honey,” Jake says gently.

“Thanks.”

The eagle and her mate are the first to go.

I read it over and over again. And then it clicks. Oh, thank God. It can’t be me.The eagle and her mate are the first to go.I don’t have a mate! I’ve never been so glad to be single. I want to fist pump in the air like the end of a cult classic ‘80s film I’m so excited.

“It can’t be me!” I practically shout with glee.

“How do you figure that?” Ryan drawls.

“I’m single! I don’t have a mate!” I shout. “Woohoo!”

“Everybody out,” Jake orders.

“Jake?” Grace asks.

“Everyone,” he confirms. I stand and start to follow everyone out, but he stops me. “Not you.”

I don’t like where this is going.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.