Only You (Sweet Torment 2)

Again, the thought didn’t spark a good feeling. Good news was, with a man like Harris buying up enough stock to heighten visibility of Savas, it was a good sign my letter of recommendation was coming, and perhaps a good record to back it up. I could only hope Colin wouldn’t be my only offer of employment in a couple months.

“A generous notion,” I said politely.

“One you’ll keep in mind?” he pushed.

I gave a swift nod.

“Good. I can understand why you changed career paths and I can assure you that working with Davis Shipping will get you on that path faster than Savas.”

“Excuse me?”

Colin shrugged. “I’ve seen the news. I know you come from a political background.”

My stomach knotted. Seeing the news and my background were two different things. Judging by the sly smile Colin was sporting, he’d done a bit of digging on me.

“Shame what’s going on. You worked directly for Bill Vorse, correct?”

I blinked twice, a little unnerved by the turn in the conversation. “Yes, I did.”

“All those women coming forward . . .” He looked me over again and I knew his innuendo. “You resigned the same time the scandal broke.”

“I did. Is there a point to your questions?”

Even Leo never pushed this. Mostly because the connection to my career in politics and my endeavor to get my life back with a new career path wasn’t essential. Maybe it was because Roman filled Leo in enough to not ask questions. Maybe Leo didn’t care, because on the surface, there was nothing to discuss. The scandal would ride out, hopefully the funds would be recovered, and no one would ever know I was even suspected of anything.

“When a beautiful woman comes into my life, I get curious.”

“You looked into my previous employment record?”

“It’s not a secret.”

“I know it’s not, I just don’t see the motives behind your actions.”

That sly smile returned and he took another step toward me. “I just find it interesting is all. Your track record.”

Track record.

Those two words hit me hard like a fist to the chest. I knew he had dug deeper than I liked. I straightened my shoulders, reminding myself to stay calm. Stay powerful. Stay unaffected.

“I have a track record of being good at my job.”

“I’m sure that’s true, but it was interesting to find the correlations between the scandal and your immediate departure from the governor’s office.”

“I resigned for my own reasons. I have nothing to do with the scandal.”

He nodded but obviously didn’t believe me. “Reputations are made and broken every day. A fact I’m sure you’re aware of.”

There was a hint of threat in his voice. “I’ve met Cathy several times and can only assume she’ll be back to fill your current position, which means you’ll be on the job market again. And no campaign or political office will take you. Tough break.”

My lips parted on a slight gasp, and terror of how this man had gotten information on me started to blister my blood. But Colin merely smiled. “I have a friend on the Wilson campaign and he told me about this hot little redhead who applied a few weeks ago but got turned down. Damn small world filled with gossipers.”

I closed my eyes briefly. I knew the asshole Colin was talking about. I didn’t even get two words out or my resume out of my hand before Wilson’s campaign manager told me to basically fuck off. Colin obviously knew I was on borrowed time waiting for the scandal to die down. Like he said, gossipers were everywhere.

Stay strong.

“I’ll ask you again.” I straightened my posture. “Is there a purpose to your line of questioning?”

“Just making observations. I wonder how difficult it would be to, I don’t know, show up to galas and convince major investors to buy up stock in certain companies if you had a reputation for fucking your boss, let’s say?” He ran his thumb along the glossy table he stood next to. “Not sure anyone would take you seriously. In any industry.”