“Under armed guard I assume?” I say sarcastically. “A whole wing of security following me everywhere I go?”
“Oh, just the one, actually.”
The room goes a little quiet as I jerk my head back to my mother. “What?”
She smiles broadly at me, like she’s about to deliver some good news. “Look, I get it, honey; I really do. You’re twenty-three, you’re an adult, and you don’t want your every move shadowed by a bunch of strange older men in suits, I get it.”
Something inside of me pricks up, like a sort of sixth sense. “Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ here somewhere?”
“You’re only getting one agent, actually. One who we know you’ll get along with, one who is up to the task of protecting your well being, and one who-”
“Who?”
My mother flashes a smile at me — that big, warm politician smile that got her elected — before she suddenly turns to Hunter. “Someone close, and someone who can be trusted with family affairs.”
Oh my God.
The suit, the earpiece, the knowing grin, the smug look of amusement; it’s all falling into place.
It’s all falling horribly into place.
“Alec and I feel that Hunter is the perfect man for the job of keeping an eye on you.”
It’s like everything's in slow motion as I whip my head around to look at him; him, the man with the piercing blue eyes, the smug look of arrogance on his face, and those sculpted arms crossed over his chest.
Him, the man who’s now in charge of “keeping an eye on me.”
Him, the man who made my body move and feel like never before. Him, the man out of a dark fantasy, who was supposed to stay there in the shadows of “that one crazy night.”
My protector, and my wicked, dirty little secret.
My stepbrother.
I think I’m going to be sick.
It’s the last thought I have before I shove past him, blow out the door away from my mother yelling at me, and run headlong towards the bathroom.
This is a catastrophe.
A national catastrophe.
4.
“You don’t seem very happy to see me, Madison”
“Fuck!” Madison jumps as she steps out of the hallway bathroom right into me and my questions. She catches her breath and glares at me as she straightens that creamy-colored skirt-suit that her handlers have dressed her up in, like she’s some sort of Senator’s wife. It’s supposed to be formal, and demure, and classy in a restrained, elegant way.
It’s not supposed to be sexy. It’s not supposed to hug the curve of her hips and her perfect ass in a way that makes me want to tear everything off her but the skirt. Those heels are supposed to be restrained and chic; they’re not supposed to make me want to use them as handles as I drive my cock into her.
I shake my head, clearing the suddenly x-rated slew of thoughts from my mind. It seems there’s a lot about this girl that isn’t supposed to be.
She glares at me. “Perceptive, aren’t you?” She says with a scowl. “And don’t call me that.”
“Call you what?”
“Madison. It’s just Maddie.”
I grin broadly. “What, not a fan of the double presidential reference?”
“What do you think?”
“I think it’s pretty funny that we’ve got a new President who names her daughter after two former Presidents, that’s what I think.”
She rolls her eyes. “Fine, you’re right, I’m not very happy to see you.”
I laugh. “That’s a shame, you seemed pretty gaga for me before.”
“Uh, definitely not.”
I smile broadly at her, remembering that flirt, that come-hither look, that teasing line. “Maddie, please.” I drape my arm over her shoulder but she quickly shrugs it off and shoots me a dagger look. “Oh c’mon, I think we made some magic happen, don’t you?”
She’s pursing her lips and shaking her head as she glares at me. “Are you making jokes about this? Is this funny to you?”
“Is it not to you?”
“No!” She hisses loudly, darting her eyes around the empty hallway before whirling back at me. “No, it’s horrible, and a scandal, and-”
“See, I sort of like the sound of that, scandal.” I arch my brows at her. “Kinda hot when you say it out loud, huh?”
Her mouth is open as she looks at me like I’ve got three heads, those pretty, perfect pink lips all pouty and open and aghast looking. “You would.”