The president nodded with tears in his eyes. “She’s so brave. So smart.” He leaned forward suddenly and grasped Gregori’s shoulder. “Give me your word you won’t let anything happen to her.”
He gazed into the president’s eyes. They were hazel like Abigail’s. “You have my word. I’ll defend her with my life.”
The president watched him closely, then nodded. “Good.” He sat back and took a deep breath. “You were right to suggest she stay here. It occurred to me, too. But you can see how strongly she feels.”
Gregori nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“She’s very passionate about this mission. She hopes it will save her mother. I have the same hope, or I would never put her at such risk.”
Gregori rose to his feet. “Then it’s settled. We’ll take her.” And God help them if anything happened to her.
Chapter Nineteen
Abigail slammed the safe door shut and twirled the combination lock. She’d tossed all her plant information inside. It was her personal safe at the lab, and only she knew the combination. Of course, the info was also on her computer, but no one could access it without a password. If Dad sent Gregori and his buddies to China without her, they wouldn’t know what to look for.
She groaned. This act of rebellion could condemn the mission to failure. And condemn her mother.
Tears burned her eyes. The trip had been her idea, dammit. How could they decide she shouldn’t be allowed to go?
She’d been afraid this would happen. Her whole life had revolved around two lists—what was allowed, and what wasn’t allowed, and the second list had always been ten times longer than the first.
She paced across the lab, still angry. Still hurt. Still mortified. She’d completely lost it. Years of frustration and resentment had erupted all at once.
She’d been too upset to remain at the White House. Her poor father had looked so shocked. And hurt. He’d worked so hard over the years, and she was proud of him. It wasn’t his fault she’d never adjusted to public life. Madison and Lincoln thrived on it. Even Mom had loved it before she became ill.
She couldn’t face her mother, either. She sure didn’t want to hear another lecture about keeping away from vampires. One more item to add to the not-allowed list. Good Lord, her parents would have a fit if they knew she’d kissed Gregori. They’d want to kill him.
They’d have to wait their turn. She was ready to clobber him herself. How could he kiss her one night, then betray her the next? She’d thought he was on her side.
Her mother didn’t want her to go to China. Her father had originally rejected her request. He was only going along with it now because he thought the Vamps could sneak her in undetected and keep her safe. It was bad enough to have both parents opposed to the idea, but then Gregori had to join in?
She strode to her desk to boot up her computer, then changed her mind. She was too upset to work. The stress ball from Gregori sat on her desk, mocking her. How dare he betray her! She grabbed the ball and gave it a squeeze.
“Et tu, Brute?” She tossed it back onto her desk and strode to the black-topped table where she’d started examining the plant he had given her. No, she couldn’t concentrate right now.
She paced across the laboratory. It was small, but it was all hers. She stopped by the window and looked out. The parking lot was mostly empty, but the soldiers were still at the entrance gate. She spotted another soldier walking along the perimeter of the chain-link fence topped with barbed wire. The grounds were well lit and dotted with security cameras. And there were more military personnel in the lobby. The installation was so well guarded, she didn’t need a Secret Service agent here. They dropped her off and returned to the White House.
With a sigh, she closed the blinds. She didn’t want to see the soldiers, see the proof that she merely moved from one prison to another. The room was dim now, the only light coming from the lamp on her desk. She wandered over to the long, black lab table. The epoxy resin surface was cool to the touch and bare right now except for her microscope and the plant at the end of the table. She’d cleared away all her work in anticipation of her trip to China.
How could Gregori recommend she not go? Didn’t he understand how important this trip was to her? She ought to give him a piece of her mind. Vent, then maybe she could relax.
She paced over to her desk, then dug his note out of her portfolio.
“Feel my wrath,” she muttered as she punched in the number.
He picked up the call right after the first ring.
“I am so angry with—”
“Where are you?” he interrupted.