At the Pleasure of the President (The Perfect Gentlemen 5)

“Either?” Zack could hardly breathe. “What do you mean?”

Thomas stepped in front of him. “Don’t get close, sir. We don’t know what we’re dealing with.”

More blood spat from his mouth and he’d turned an ashy gray color. “Another of my country’s inventions. Odorless. Tasteless. Quick but not too fast. I sincerely hope your whore enjoyed her coffee this morning. If you don’t play the game properly, more will follow. This is my final message.”

Paul’s head fell forward and he slumped in his seat. In that moment, Zack knew precisely what real terror was.

Elizabeth.

He’d been such a fool. She loved him. He’d put her in a cell and failed to realize that the wolves around him would circle her the moment he pushed her away.

For his stupidity, he might have to put her in a coffin.

Without looking back, he dashed out the door, Thomas hot on his heels. Zack could only pray that somehow, someway he could save her.

* * * *

Liz was trying to pull herself together when the door burst open and Roman strode in, wearing his slick suit, carrying a thick file folder, and looking frightfully grim.

She gaped. Zack had sent his attack dog in after her rather than facing her himself? He’d nearly died and he hadn’t needed to see her, hadn’t wanted to hold her. No. He’d suspected she’d somehow been responsible for the attempt on his life and sicced Roman on her.

Mad followed, still in his pajama pants and a wrinkled T-shirt, looking like he’d rolled out of bed for this interrogation.

Roman frowned. “Liz—”

“Tell me exactly what I’m being accused of, you massive asshole. I’m never going to forgive you for this, by the way. Have you thought these ridiculous accusations through for even two fucking seconds? How long have you known me?”

He seemed slightly taken aback by her aggression, but he smoothed his expression as he set the file folder on the table and squared off with her. “I knew Joy, too. I knew her very well. And as it turns out, she was a Russian operative. Her father just told Zack that five minutes ago. So it doesn’t matter how well I think I know you.”

Liz felt her eyes go wide. Seriously?

But now that he said it, she felt stupid for not embracing that possibility sooner. She’d had her head in the clouds and hadn’t seen the real threat in their midst. Joy. Joy had been in charge of so many facets of the campaign and Zack’s life. Joy had been the ghost who’d kept her apart from Zack for years. Now she was the lie that could tear them in two for good. Liz had to handle this cross-examination well or risk losing everything.

“And that’s on you, pal,” Mad cut in. “Hey, Liz. You hungry? Sara made sandwiches. She could bring them down. Or booze.” He looked at Roman. “Man, we could probably use some booze.”

Roman glared his way. “I did not want you in here. You’re sitting next to me because Zack asked me to include you. I can toss you out on your ass.”

If that threat worried Mad, he didn’t show it. “I’m here so Zack has a shot at coming out of this with his family intact. You’re just going to ask Liz a whole bunch of questions you won’t believe her answers to because she doesn’t have definitive proof. But at some point the evidence she needs will pop up, and you’ll have to live with the fact that you cost Zack the love of his life because you can’t trust anyone. It sucks that Joy betrayed everyone. But you’re taking it personally by taking it out on Liz. You need to stop.”

Okay, Mad could stay.

Liz drew in a bracing breath. “I am not Joy, Roman.”

“While Zack and Roman were jogging earlier today, someone took a shot at him,” Mad explained. “Thomas managed to cover him, but one of the other Secret Service agents was hit in the arm. They’ve caught the man they believe is the shooter and Connor is talking to the Russian now at the police station.”

“Are you planning on telling her everything?” Roman asked with a huff.

She turned a glare on Roman because he didn’t get to have it both ways. “Well, according to you I should already know everything, shouldn’t I? Since apparently I’m the one who set Zack up to die.”

That was why she was here. They thought she’d sold Zack out. Now that she looked back, she could easily see that they’d suspected her for a while.

Her heart felt heavy in her chest. He’d suspected she was working with the Russians when he’d slept with her. What had he said? He kept his friends close and his enemies closer. Somewhere along the way she’d become his enemy, and only then had he taken her to bed. He didn’t love her. He’d merely placated and used her.

She forced herself to pull the chair back and sit because their accusations were serious. Zack had abandoned her. She loved Gus like a sister, but in the end her very dear friend would stick with her fiancée. Liz was completely alone. Sure Mad was trying to help, but the Perfect Gentlemen would close ranks around Zack, and she would be outside their circle. It was past time to start protecting herself.

“I would like a lawyer.”

“You don’t need a lawyer.” Mad pulled out his own chair and sat. “You need patience because this thing is going to settle out and Roman is going to see he’s being a butthead.”

“Is that a technical term?” Roman asked, shooting Mad a dirty look.

“Absolutely, Counselor.” Mad attempted a smile as he leaned in, his voice conspiratorially low. “That’s what we call him when he gets a stick up his butt about something, just like we have since we were kids. You have to understand that Roman feeds all of Zack’s worst impulses.”

“Could we stop psychoanalyzing me and focus?” Roman turned his attention back to her. “You’re not under arrest. I have some simple questions, Liz. If you’ll cooperate, I believe the president will work with you.”

“What he’s trying to say is Zack is absolutely sick at heart about this and he doesn’t know what to do. He’s crazy in love with you, but he’s suspected Joy for a while, and finding out that she was in on the Russian conspiracy won’t improve this situation for him at all,” Mad explained.

Oh, Zack had been smart to send Mad in here. “I’m not Joy.”

“I know that,” Mad promised. “And deep down Zack knows it, too. He just needs time to get over his shock. And you have to forgive Roman. He’s, like, ninety-nine percent cynicism. He was born that way. Once he has some proof, he’ll be right back to being our lovable grouch.”

She studied Roman. He was one of the most cynical humans she’d ever met. And she’d rather not play his game, but she didn’t have a choice. “Ask your questions, Roman.”

“How did you meet Joy?” Roman looked relieved to get down to business.

Her heart felt hollow as she answered. “You know I met her through Frank Hayes, the same way I met Zack. I had worked on a couple of other senatorial campaigns by then. As I understand it, Joy didn’t get along with Zack’s previous media consultant, and you didn’t like him, either.”

“He was old school,” Roman admitted. “He didn’t understand social media. His ways worked once upon a time, but I knew we needed a fresh voice, especially for the presidential election. I’m not great on camera, not the way you are. I liked the idea of bringing a woman onto the team. I thought it would make Zack look more inclusive.”

She didn’t take that statement poorly. Since

Roman was a blunt instrument, he had very little tact. She’d always been more subtle. It was why Zack had needed both of them for that campaign. “I took the initial meeting with Frank and instantly disliked him. I didn’t think there was any way I would accept the job if he offered it to me, but then I met Zack and I very quickly changed my mind. I even got along with Joy. But I hadn’t met her or anyone else from the campaign before that day. I don’t remember the exact day of our meeting. I think it was a Friday. I have years’ worth of calendar data. I could check it if you want me to.”

“What did you know about the Women and Girls Education Foundation?” Roman asked.

“I certainly didn’t know it was responsible for trafficking women,” she replied. “I went to a couple of meetings with Joy since she was considering partnering with them if she became First Lady. If I met Tavia Gordon, I don’t recall.”

“Are you aware that the e-mail that called off the FAA investigation into the crash that supposedly killed Mad originated from your office?”

Roman’s question made her heart stop. “No. Are you sure? It wasn’t me. Roman, it couldn’t have been. I don’t have the power to call off an FAA investigation.”

“Well, someone on your team is tricky enough with our network and knew how to make that directive look as if it came from the Oval, but we’ve traced the message back to your office.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” Someone had been using her computer, setting her up and doing god only knew what else, and no one had bothered to mention it to her?

“Normally, you don’t tell a suspect that you’re on to their bad deeds,” Roman replied. “It tends to hurt the investigation. I’ll be honest with you, Liz. I believe you should have been isolated until we figured out your status. One way or another, the choices you’ve made have caused Zack a great deal of trouble.”

“Wow.” Mad sat back. “I don’t even know how to save you from yourself, man.”

Liz stood, glaring Roman’s way. “Are you kidding me? My choices? How about the choices you’ve made, Calder? You chose to withhold vital information from me.”