“Wait…” I think back and realize Jordan’s been avoiding my PDBs, always sending me in while claiming he had tasks to take care of. Not coming to the SitRoom with me. He hasn’t been using his work phone—only my official phone when needing to do something for work.
And he hasn’t been wearing his name ba—
“What thefuck, Case?”
I rarely call her that and apparently she’ll let it slide this time. “Secret Service knows, of course. Because they have to let him in as a resident and give him protection. But I was hoping to avoid you ever having to know because we didn’t want you freaking out.”
“Who else knows?”
“These two, now. You. The detail. And Jordan.” Angie was brought into the inner trust circle a while back to make her job easier in case…
Well, in case a situation developed she’d need to quickly get ahead of.
A situation like this.
“Leo doesn’t know yet?” I ask.
Casey-Marie shakes her head.
“How’d you arrange things with the detail without me knowing?”
“Youdorealize you sign alotof shit I put in front of you without even reading it, right? Especially now, with the transition.” She attempts a playful smile. “I mean, as an attorney it makes me cringe every time you do it. As your chief of staff it makes my job hella easier.”
I close my eyes and groan again. “You wrote up an order and pushed it through.”
“Yeah. You also signed a congratulations letter to Jordan for all his years of dedicated public service. That was in a batch of other letters being sent out.” She smiles. “There are computer date-stamp trails on all the electronic versions of the printed papers, which all match the public timeline.” Her eyebrow arches. “You’re welcome.”
Someone knocks. “Come!” I yell.
The office door opens and Leo and Jordan hurry in. “What’s going on?” Leo asks.
I motion for Casey-Marie to hand me her phone. She calls up the picture, passes the phone to me, and I hold it out. “Youtellme, Special Agent Careless McHornypants.”
The way both their jaws drop as they process what they’re looking at would be hysterical if not for the fact that I’m staring down the barrel of a fucking scandal.
Not to mention Ily’s wrath.
“Ily’s going to neuter us,” I say as I pace the office. “She’s going to absolutely fuckingkillus. Theonegoddamned thing she warned us not to do!” I wheel on Jordan. “And you didn’t loop me in about your resignation?”
I don’t know if Jordan realizes he takes a step back, behind Leo, using him as a shield while Leo scowls. “Um—”
“What resignation?” Leo asks.
I point at Jordan. “Him. He’s not an employee now.”
Angie clears her throat and I motion for her to speak.
“Legally, as far as anyone else knows, nothing of an intimate nature happened between you and Jordan untilafterJordan resigned. There’s no law saying you can’t have another partner. And Jordan hasn’t violated any NatSec laws, right?” She looks at Casey-Marie.
“Right,” Casey-Marie says. “He hasn’t been in the SitRoom, handled any classified materials, or attended any other meetings that would put him afoul of the law. And, I mean, technically he still holds clearance, because—”
“You had me sign an order.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Fuck. Me.”
“Hold up.” Leo turns to Jordan. “What thehellis going on?”
Casey-Marie spares Jordan and summarizes everything. “And, anyway, this is your fault, Leo.”
“Myfault?”
