Seduction in Session (24 page)

“Even if it means potentially hurting one of your fiancé’s friends?”

“Are you talking about Zack? I’ve talked to him about it. He doesn’t know anything more than we do. He remembers her from his childhood. He called her Nata and she was more of a mother to him than his own. Apparently Constance Hayes really liked to drink.”

She’d died in a car accident nine years before. The official report was that the roads had been slick. But Lara had heard the woman had a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit.

She had to point out the ramifications to Everly. “If Natalia came from one of those schools, you must know what that means. The press would go wild if the president was raised by a sex slave. It could ruin his father’s legacy.”

Everly shook her head. “I think you’ll find Zack has a healthy attitude when it comes to his father. He kind of hated the bastard, so he’s not terribly concerned with old Frank’s legacy. If the story comes out, he makes a big push to end human trafficking in honor of his beloved nanny and everyone moves on. It’s a flash-in-the-pan story.”

It was hard to get used to the fact that she was sitting with a woman who called POTUS Zack, like being on a first-name basis with the president was no big deal.

“Unless Natalia knows where the skeletons are buried. Then it’s possible that parts of her diary become a best-selling exposé of the whole Hayes family.” Lara didn’t see any other way this journal of the family’s former domestic servant became a moneymaker, and even she wasn’t too idealistic to realize that everything came down to cash. None of this would be happening if someone, somewhere couldn’t make money.

“If she has a story, it could be worth a lot,” Everly said cautiously.

“Yes, it could.”

“But you don’t care about that.”

“No, I don’t care about the money. I care about making sure no
other woman gets sold. I do what I do to help make the world a better place. That is all I’m concerned with.”

“I believe you.” Everly leaned forward and picked up one of her cucumber sandwiches. “I think we can work together. For some reason our informant want us to, but that doesn’t mean we’re not calling the shots. I know we started rough, but let’s keep our lines of communication open and see what happens. We don’t have to play by this guy’s rules.”

“As long as you understand that my only concern is helping people. If the president has done something that would harm his ability to serve the American public, I would use this information to take him down.”

“I know Zack. Whoever is running this show might be trying to implicate and harm him, but I assure you he’s a good man.”

But Lara knew something Everly didn’t. She’d seen those tapes. She would have to use them at a later date to make her case, but since she couldn’t get her hands on them now, this wasn’t the time. Instead, she’d try to form some sort of bond with this woman since they’d been thrown together. It was time to take a risk.

“I’m meeting with him tonight,” Lara admitted.

Everly’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”

“Yes, but I hope he gives me some direction on how to find Natalia. When was the last time he contacted you?”

“Weeks ago. It’s why I wrote to you. I’ve had no further communication with him and he didn’t exactly leave me any way to contact him. You’re my only lead, but I think we could become partners. I’ll share information with you, Lara. I know you don’t have any reason to believe me, but I promise that I will be your partner in this.”

She could really use a partner. “I won’t ask much of you. Just don’t tell my boyfriend. I’m still hoping I can figure out a way to make the meeting tonight without him.”

She’d agreed to keep Connor’s cover with everyone who didn’t know otherwise, so she hadn’t referred to him as a bodyguard. Besides, after
the last twenty-four hours, it was a lot easier to think of him as more than someone her dad was paying. He was her lover.

“That Connor guy is your boyfriend?” Everly looked toward the balcony. “He seems a little protective.”

“Yes, but if I don’t show up tonight alone, I’ll miss the chance to find out whatever the informant knows.”

Everly went silent for a moment. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Do you care about this guy?”

“Yes. I really do, but he won’t understand. He won’t let me go and if this informant even sniffs I’ve got someone watching, he’ll leave and I’m worried he won’t contact me again.”

Everly took a long sip of tea. “He hasn’t contacted me since it became very apparent I’m with Gabriel. I understand the whole protective boyfriend thing. Wait until you’ve got a ring on your finger and see how protective these guys can be. I mean guys like them. Your Connor strikes me as being somewhat like my Gabriel. Oh, they might not dress the same, but underneath that thin veneer of civilization lies the heart of a true caveman. He would love to drag me back to his beautifully decorated cave and keep me there.”

“I don’t think Connor even has a veneer. He’s kind of all caveman.”

A bright smile broke over Everly’s face. “And you’re in love with him.”

“I wouldn’t say . . . What I mean is . . . yeah. Yeah, I am and I don’t know that he wants anything that serious. I’m fairly certain if he finds out what I’m planning tonight, he’ll dump me.” The thought brought tears to her eyes.

“All right, then we have to find a way to keep him out of it. If we’re partners in this, you have to be able to count on me to back you.”

“I already have a way. I’ve sent Connor on something of an errand to pick up an item I left in the apartment of a friend who’s now out of town. His unit is in the building. It’ll be tight, but I think I can get to the Mall, have my meeting, and get back before Connor finds out. He’s going to want to search the whole place despite the fact that I only need one thing. I know that look in his eyes. Ever since he met my friend
Freddy, Connor has been suspicious. He’ll take the time to search every inch, trying to find anything on him as long as he thinks I’m safely locked away.”

“Why is he suspicious of this Freddy person?”

Maybe she shouldn’t have opened this up, but if she was looking for a partner in crime, Everly should know what she was getting herself into. “I’ve had someone watching me for a couple of weeks. He’s been a little threatening. Connor is sure it’s Freddy so he’ll take this chance to try to get the goods on him. I figure I’ll have roughly an hour.”

“Someone’s stalking you?”

“I don’t know that I would put it that way.” She didn’t want to scare Everly off.

“What way would you put it?”

She liked to put a positive spin on things. “This man simply takes a possibly unhealthy interest in my life.”

“So he’s stalking you.” Everly’s gaze trailed to the balcony. “All right. Gabriel’s meeting with some friends tonight. I can bow out. I’ll say I’ve got a headache. They won’t mind. They’ll love having a boys’ night. When should I meet you here?”

“I have to go alone.”

“You have to meet him alone, but you’re not walking the streets of D.C. alone. I’ll make myself scarce when Deep Throat shows. I’m not without talents of my own. Besides, I’d love to get a better look at the man. I can watch out for you.”

“I don’t want to drag you into this and I don’t want to get you in trouble with your fiancé. Unless you think he won’t mind.”

“Oh, he’ll mind if he finds out. You have no idea the shit storm that will come for us if he learns about this. So we have to be careful. You don’t think your boyfriend has a clue?”

She thought about the way he’d looked at her this morning. Wary, as though studying her for some reason. He’d been upset about the story she was working on. That had to be it. There was no way he could
know what she was plotting. He wasn’t a mind reader. He was an ex-soldier. “No. He was upset with me about something else, but we worked that out. He’s a good man. I know he seems gruff, but he has a soft side.”

“That man has a soft side?”

Lara nodded. “He does. He’s good with my dog. He’s sweet with me. He tolerates my friends. He’s a really good guy. I’m lucky to have met him. I just hope I get to keep him in my life for a long time.”

“Do you think a man like that can be domesticated?”

She knew the answer to that. “I think a man like Connor has likely seen a lot of things go wrong in his life. He used to be a soldier. He’s seen the rough side of the world. Now he needs to see the soft side. I think a man like him needs love and caring and a happy home more than anyone else.”

Everly leaned over and took Lara’s hand, and just for a second she could have sworn there were tears in her eyes. “I’m very happy for you. I don’t know that many women who look closely enough at a man like him to see what they need. He’s lucky and he better not forget it. I’m going to help you. I will be there tonight to watch your back.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt. There really is someone after me, but I have to take this chance to find out the truth.”

Everly grinned and opened her Prada bag, pulling out a nice-sized revolver. “Don’t worry about me. I can take care of both of us.”

“That is a really big gun.” Lara leaned away.

“Good thing I know how to use it,” Everly said, sliding it back into her bag. “Are those more cucumber sandwiches? Plotting always makes me hungry.”

She passed her the plate. “Help yourself.”

“Thanks. We’re going to need our strength, sister.”

Lara watched as Everly selected a sandwich. A weird warm feeling began in her chest like something important had just happened and she’d found a place she belonged that hadn’t existed before. Somehow
she knew that despite their rough beginning, she and Everly were going to be friends.

She leaned forward. “So we meet him at midnight. Here’s my plan.”

She and Everly enjoyed tea and plotting.

*   *   *

C
onnor looked back into the condo where Everly and Lara sat, a delicate tea set between them. Lara had jumped through hoops to get the tray ready. She’d been specific about the type of bread she needed and how it had to be cut. Connor knew that Everly would be happy with coffee and store-bought cookies. She’d been raised as a cop’s daughter. There wasn’t a pretentious bone in her body.

Of course he couldn’t say that. He had to pretend like he’d just met a man he’d known for most of his life, a man he considered a brother.

Unfortunately, Gabe Bond was also a man who’d seen him work, and that had changed things between them.

“She’s pretty,” Gabe said. “She’s also going to wonder why you’re spying on her when we’re supposed to be doing manly things like drinking Scotch. Is this the best you have?”

When he glanced over, Gabe was staring at the label on the bottle. Everly might not be pretentious, but Gabe had grown up surrounded by cash and tended to expect the best. “I couldn’t exactly buy fifty-year, Gabe. I’m supposed to be poor.”

“Yes, I got the whole rundown on your cover from Roman. You’re supposed to be some down-on-his-luck ex-soldier looking for a job. You’re not supposed to own million-dollar homes around the country. What are you up to? Three now?”

He turned away from the window and wished Everly had come alone. “Yes. I have the place in New York, the home here, and a flat I keep in London. What’s your point, Gabe?”

Gabe frowned. “I didn’t really have one. I’ve always been curious. You can’t make that much from the Agency. When we were kids, your
mom was broke all the time. You were on scholarship. I have to wonder where the fortune came from.”

It shouldn’t have surprised him that Gabe wanted to poke and prod into his past. He likely thought there was plenty of nastiness buried there, and he was right. “It’s really none of your business.”

“No, I guess it’s not, but I’m curious. We’ve been friends all these years, but you’ve never really talked about it. Does Dax know?”

“Yes.” Dax pretty much knew everything. He’d needled Connor until he’d finally told the bastard. Dax was seemingly happy-go-lucky, but when he zeroed in on something, he could be like a pit bull.

“Good. Someone should know all your secrets.” Gabe poured a few fingers into Lara’s crystal tumbler. “You want one?”

Now he’d likely go to Dax and try to turn Dax against him. It was probably no less than he deserved. “Sure. They’re plotting.”

A grimace crossed Gabe’s face. “I don’t know about that. Everly isn’t going into this meeting with a lot of love for the girl.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Gabe handed him the glass. “She runs a tabloid. Everly’s had about enough of tabloids to last a lifetime. We’re currently trying to keep them off Sara. Some asshole tipped off the rags that she set up a registry for the baby. Her best friend wants to throw her a baby shower in a few months, and Sara wanted to set everything up before she starts showing. Apparently one of the clerks called it in and now they’re all speculating that Maddox Crawford has an heir.”

“He does. I don’t see why that would make Everly dislike Lara in the beginning. She runs a site that specifically deals with political scandals, and she only runs a story when it can shine a light on one of her causes.”

Gabe’s brows rose. “You sound like you like this girl.”

He wasn’t ready to talk to Gabe about Lara. He didn’t want to talk to Gabe at all. He took a slow sip of Scotch. “I simply don’t think Everly starting off hostile to her is going to help anything. Everly will come around, and then she’ll feel guilty and they will plot.”

“Everly doesn’t plot. And I don’t know that she’ll come around. She’s become pretty protective of Sara. She’s actually pretty protective of you guys, too. She was talking just this morning about how she needed to meet this woman to make sure she wasn’t getting her hooks into you.”

He laughed, well aware it was a bitter sound. “Why would she be protective of me? She knows damn well I can look after myself.”

“She doesn’t see it that way. She thinks you could use a good woman. Does Lara Armstrong fit the bill?”

He looked out over the balcony. In the distance, he could see the Mall and all the tourists milling about. Families. Couples. They were out enjoying the day. He never did that shit. Once or twice he’d gone places with Dax and his family. He could remember a couple of sweet summer days between his sophomore and junior years when he’d been invited to accompany Dax, his parents, and flirty sister, Augustine, to San Francisco. Connor remembered that trip so vividly. It was one of the times in his life he’d been able to forget that his father hadn’t bothered to stick around for his birth and his mother had quickly found the bottom of a bottle and barely ever climbed out of it. She’d been a functional alcoholic and skank.