“I was super careful and waited for morning before venturing out.” Her tone tells me I’m treading on dangerous ground. Luckily, my phone saves me from starting another argument.
“Listen, babe, I need to go. Slate’s calling. Make sure to ping me when you arrive home and turn on the alarm before bed. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I push the button and Slate’s angry voice sounds in my ear. “What the hell is going on?”
Seeing how he never wastes time with greetings, I’m not offended. “Nothin’ more than I already told you.”
He whooshes out his breath, distorting the phone’s mic. “Someone high up in government knows you work for me. You need to drop Ms. Bright as a client, or I lose our DC contracts.”
“Hell, I’m real sorry.” Me and a lot of vets rely heavily on Patten’s paycheck. I wouldn’t jeopardize his cash cow for any number of zeros. “I know an agency that’d be more than happy to take on our client. I’ll speak with them as soon as we hang up.”
“Fuck, no. Find out why she’s so damn important. Keep me in the loop and call me if you need help.” He hangs up and I’ve had enough drama for one day. Selena needs to stop messing around and ’fess up.
A few minutes later, she exits the john’s room. At the same time, the guys I’ve been watching stand, so I push her into a supply closet and shove a key card with a uniform into her arms. “Change, grab a pile of towels, and take the employee’s elevator to room three-twenty-one.”
No doubt, the Feds have all the egresses covered but I’m betting they didn’t expect us to stay in a posh hotel overnight. Even if they did, Jason booked the room under an alias.
Later, I knock on the door adjoining Selena’s and she answers, wrapped in a towel. At this point, I wouldn’t care if she wore a washcloth, I need to know what the fuck is going on. “Mind telling me why there’s government boys following you?”
“The less you know, the better.” Smiling, she starts to lower her covering, but I grab her wrist.
Thinking of all those zeros, I bite my tongue, and glare until she sighs heavily. “Listen, the reason I make so much money is my clients trust me. I have a spotless reputation, not only in the bedroom, but outside, as well. I’ve never shared one iota about stuff I’ve heard or seen and believe me, people have asked.”
I let go of her and growl, “Keep your damn clothes on around me.”
“Fine.” She rifles through her suitcase, struts into the bathroom, and slams the door.
I wander to the other side and raise my voice to be heard over the running water. “What are we talkin’ here? Senators? Congressmen?”
“Higher.” Her admission sends chills down my spine.What if those guys in the lobby were Secret Service?
“Did you hear or see something recently which would make someone want to kill you?”
“No, not that I know of.” Because she exits wearing sheer lingerie, I turn to face the wall.
“I told you. Not interested. Let’s talk about your daughter for a moment, if you can tamp down your damn libido.”
Selena huffs and plops on the bed. “I already told you what I know.”
“I believe you neglected to mention there’s a restraining order.”
“So what? I don’t visit her. I haven’t been up north in years.”
“You’re not supposed to call, neither.”
“I’m her mother, dammit. We should be able to talk.”
“Did you know she filed for emancipation?”
“It doesn’t surprise me, but no. She and her great-grandmother don’t get along. Not only is she a bible-thumping Nazi, but she also has Alzheimer’s. Chrissy can’t take care of her and attend school. The courts are fucking nuts. Where is she? You promised you’d find her.”
“We’re workin’ on it.” I don’t tell her we’re back to square one.
When I get back to my room, my phone pings with a video and a text. ‘If you don’t want your wife to see this, drop your client and go home.’
The movie of me fucking Selena is flawless. If I wasn’t so pissed, I’d be impressed.
I forward the image to Sam and call. “Time to circle the wagons. Ask Slate to study the picture. I swear it isn’t me.”
She lets out a string of curses that would make stronger men than me blush. “I am going to bust some freakin’ balls.”
Her tone scares the shit out of me. I need to drive home.
