Rogue Ever After (The Rogue Series Book 7) Read online

  The calls that flooded his office, the emails that inundated his inbox, and the tweets that blew up his Twitter feed suggested no, they weren’t.

  “It’s an open primary. Anyone can vote, not just Republicans,” Zora argued.

  David shook his head. “But without the base, you’d need conservative blue dog Democrats, moderate Republicans, and independents to turn out in big numbers.”

  Ethan exhaled. “So if I side with Thayer, I’d win the primary.”

  “Yes,” Zora said, her expression tight, “but you’d be forced to defend your positions in the general election, several months later. And if the Democrats run the right candidate, you’ll lose.”

  “I wouldn’t have put it as bluntly, but—” David broke off, his expression pained as he didn’t refute her statement.

  Frustration knotted Ethan’s stomach. “Maybe losing would be a blessing.”

  “How so?” Larry asked, alarmed.

  Ethan rubbed the back of his neck. “Say I defeat a primary opponent and then am able to gather my coalition to beat the Democratic nominee? I’ll still have to come back and face a group of Republican senators who’ll judge me for not toeing the party line in my election bid.”

  And he could damn sure kiss a seat on the Appropriations committee goodbye. If the Republicans retained the Senate, he’d be lucky to claim seats on the Environment and Public Works or the Small Business committees.

  He banged a fist against the desk. Fuck! What was he supposed to do? He hadn’t expected any of this; hadn’t hungered for any of it. He’d never wanted to get into politics. His father had been the politician in the family. Governor Edward Humphries had planned to turn his governorship into a senate seat and—if things went well—then turn his senate seat into a grab for the White House.

  Unfortunately, fate had dealt a cruel hand to his father, once dementia took hold and Edward’s once sharp mind began to dull. Realizing the inevitable, Edward had nevertheless charged into making Ethan his successor, often saying, “A Humphries still has a chance to make a difference.”

  Ethan’s memories of those conversations with his father were the only remaining proof they’d ever happened. And it was those words, the steady conviction in his father’s gaze when he’d uttered them, that motivated Ethan. Those words, and his father’s passionate belief that they needed to give back to the country that gave them so much, were what prodded Ethan to keep going even as the political landscape grew more polarized and the idea of meeting in the middle to govern became a relic of the past.

  These days “compromise” was a dirty word.

  His phone buzzed and he pressed the blinking light. “Yes?”

  His receptionist’s voice was clear. “Ms. Raines on line two.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zora stiffen and cross her arms over her chest. His gaze followed the motion and he was rewarded by the plumped up cleavage revealed by her scooped neckline. When he lifted his gaze and their eyes met, what she saw in his stare caused her expression to soften and her lips to part for a second.

  “Senator, would you like to take the call from Ms. Raines?” his receptionist questioned, clearly awaiting his directive.

  The words broke the mood and Zora looked away, leaving him to wonder if he’d imagined the entire interlude.

  Victoria Raines. He’d met her at a DC gala hosted by her employer, Capital Bank. They’d gone out a few times, and as much as he enjoyed her company, he didn’t see a future with her. Before his mother had passed away seven years ago, he’d seen firsthand what a devoted and loving relationship entailed, and what was needed for this life of service. He wouldn’t settle for anything less than what his parents had. Victoria was smart, beautiful, and well-connected, but Ethan didn’t feel compelled to be in her presence and didn’t wonder about where she was or what she was doing when they weren’t together. And there was nothing Victoria could do to banish thoughts of Zora from his mind.

  Which meant they’d need to talk.

  “Take a message,” he told his receptionist.

  Zora’s brow furrowed and she muttered something beneath her breath.

  “What?” he asked her.

  Her gaze flew back to his, but David was the one who responded. “We’ve conducted polling on the two of you together.”

  “Excuse me?” Ethan’s lack of comprehension was strong enough to yank his attention away from Zora.

  “We conducted polling about you dating Ms. Raines.”

  That’s what he thought he’d heard. “Who told you to do that?”

  David straightened. “No one had to tell me. It’s my job. I thought it was important. And Zora agreed.”

  Oh, did she?

  Ethan’s chest tightened and he absently rubbed at the spot while staring at her bent head. The idea of Zora creating questions and surveying people about his dating life didn’t sit well with him.

  What did she want to know?

  What had she asked?

  Did she care?

  “And?” Ethan finally said from behind gritted teeth.

  “It didn’t poll well. People didn’t seem to feel much of a connection between you.”

  “They weren’t the only ones,” Zora muttered.

  Now he knew he hadn’t imagined those words, nor the smirk now gracing her lips.

  “But the polling did show that people liked the idea of you settling down in general,” David continued. “They were willing to give you the benefit of the doubt when you were first appointed, considering the suddenness of the selection, but people were clear that they’d like to see you married.”

  “Well, since the people want to see it…” Ethan rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to base my social life on polling data.”

  “I didn’t say you needed to. Polling is just information. And the more knowledge we have, the better we can serve you.” David blinked. “I wonder if the opinion changes if you married Ms. Raines.”

  Ethan held up a hand. “No! My dating life is not up for debate or discussion. Find another topic.”

  “Is my timing perfect, or what?” Alex Ramos asked, strolling in.

  Ethan eyed the young man responsible for keeping track of his appointments and apportioning his time among his many responsibilities. “Depends on why you’re here.”

  “I just got a call from the Senate Majority Leader’s office. He wants to meet with you tomorrow afternoon.”

  Ethan sat up quickly, the back of his chair popping forward. “Did he say why?”

  Alex’s gaze shot to Zora, no doubt confused by Ethan’s response. These days, no one outside of the Senate Republican Steering Committee—whose name suggested its function—was eager to be summoned into the majority leader’s office. “No. He just mentioned Senator Hanley.”

  “Holy shit,” Larry breathed.

  David banged his fist on the top of his thigh. “This is it, Senator!”

  “It’s what you’ve wanted since you got here,” Zora said, solemnly.

  Ethan exhaled deeply in an effort to stem the tide of excitement coursing through him. “We don’t know that.”

  “Of course we do,” David said, hurrying to his feet, his arms motioning madly. “He mentioned Hanley! He must’ve confirmed the old man’s retiring!”

  Which meant there would be a rare vacancy on the Appropriations committee. Ethan swallowed. His father’s hard work. His own dedication.

  Could it all finally be paying off?

  “And since Cox couldn’t make good on his promise to keep the auto plants in his state, the Dems could run a goldfish against him in Michigan and win,” Larry said, referring to the other Senator who could challenge Ethan for the coveted spot.

  The wave of emotion crashing over him came from out of nowhere. Ethan swiveled his chair and tilted his head skyward, praying gravity would send his impending tears back to their source. From the moment the governor appointed him to his father’s seat, he’d done his best to legislate in a way that would make his father proud. A
nd now his efforts were being rewarded. He was well on his way to fulfilling his father’s dreams before dementia had stolen them away.

  “Hey,” Alex said, “wasn’t your father chosen for the Appropriations committee before his—”

  In his peripheral vision, Ethan saw Zora making a horizontal slashing motion across her throat, warning Alex to stop talking. His heart swelled in gratitude at her loyalty and protection. She’d been with him since Day One and was always looking out for him. He needed to do the same. He was determined to discover what had happened at Zora’s meeting this morning and help her figure out a way to fix it.

  “It’s okay,” Ethan told her before glancing at Alex. “Yes, he was.”

  “If Webster confirms this during your meeting,” David said, steamrolling over the awkwardness, “we can mention it at the fundraiser. Getting you re-elected is crucial now. Otherwise, there is no committee seat.”

  “Sorry, sir.” Color burnished Alex’s cheekbones.

  Ethan shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

  Alex nodded and hurried out of the office.

  “We can’t announce it officially, but we can drop the news informally,” Larry was saying. “Once your donors learn you’re assured a spot on Approps, they’ll give you as much money as you need to ensure your win.”

  Ethan turned to share a smile of accomplishment with Zora, only to find her worrying her bottom lip—again!—as she stared off into the distance. Sure, this wasn’t peace in the Middle East, but she knew this was important to him. Why wasn’t she more excited? As David and Larry continued planning how to utilize this information for his advantage, Ethan tuned them out, his entire being focused on studying his deputy chief of staff.

  They’d always had an amazing working relationship. In fact, he still marveled at their connection. Zora anticipated what he needed before he’d even uttered the request. She knew who really needed to see him and who could be handled by another member of his staff. And during meetings when a speaker would say something obscure that he found amusing, he’d look over to find her eyes sparkling, her gorgeous smile hidden behind her hand.

  As if she sensed his regard, Zora glanced up and, again, their gazes met. Her stare seared through him, raising the small hairs on his nape. But he couldn’t read her, and that irritated the fuck out of him.

  He tried again, offering her a raised brow, one of the many shared looks they usually exchanged throughout the day. Instead of her usual response—one corner of her mouth quirking upward and a rueful shake of her head—her lashes lowered to cover her eyes and she turned away from him.

  Goddammit, Zora! What’s wrong? Why are you shutting me out?

  3

  Zora’s skin prickled from the heat of Ethan’s intense scrutiny, but she refused to look at him. How could she when doing so would exert an unfair influence as she grappled with the toughest decision of her life?

  She tried to swallow past the lump that had taken up residence in the back of her throat. She’d loved Ethan long before he’d added the title of Senator to his name. They’d been on the same Judiciary committee at the University of Virginia, though he’d been a third-year law student and she’d only been a third-year undergraduate. She didn’t consider it love at first sight because she didn’t believe in that lunacy, but with his dark hair and eyes and tall, athletic build, she’d definitely tumbled headlong into lust.

  Love, true love, took time. It involved getting to know a person—their traits and values. Watching them in action. Seeing how their mind worked. Hearing their jokes. And over the year she and Ethan had served together on that committee, Zora had fallen hard for him.

  But it had been one-sided.

  He liked her. They always had an easy rapport, especially in the group setting, but he’d never asked her out. Once, during the party the committee had thrown on the last day of their term, they’d almost shared a kiss. At least, she thought they almost kissed. She’d imbibed three red Solo cups of PBR, so who knew?

  But then Ethan had graduated and gone off to work for a prestigious law firm in Richmond and they’d lost touch.

  Which explained her shock when he’d reached out to her following his appointment to the senate seat after his father had to step down for health reasons. Ethan knew she was an ardent Democrat; some of their wildest and most passionate conversations had been with both of them on different sides of an issue. She’d assumed he’d want his staff to reflect his political viewpoint, but he’d quickly disabused her of that notion.

  “I want my staff to be people I can trust to be honest with me. You won’t tell me what you think I want to hear. You’ll always give me your straight opinion, Z. That’s what I need.”

  She’d enjoyed her work with a feminist lobbying group in DC, but she knew getting on a senate staff, especially one with Ethan’s pedigree, would be a huge coup. She was being given a chance to make a difference. To really help people and effectuate change, something vitally important to her. How could she turn down that opportunity?

  Over the next three and a half years, she’d spent more time with him than anyone else in her life. And every day had been a struggle. Because as a young man, Ethan had been attractive, but now?

  Now he was damn near irresistible.

  His tall frame had filled out into a mouthwatering work of art that showcased his tailored suits to perfection. He’d tamed his dark wavy hair into a refined style that made her fingers itch to rake through his silky strands. And his strong jaw—clean-shaven in law school—was now sexily covered by a neatly trimmed beard that drew attention to his firm lips. The man was the yummiest thing she’d ever seen, and she wasn’t the only one who felt that way. He caused a stir anytime he strolled the floors of the Hart Senate Office Building or the US Capitol, and he’d made District Dish’s list of the sexiest bachelors in Congress each year since he’d arrived in DC.

  But he wasn’t merely a pretty face. He was smart, funny, and compassionate. And though they sometimes differed in their belief of how to best help those in need, she never doubted that he cared deeply about the people he represented. He inspired her to give more, work harder, and think outside the box just to keep up with him. He was a good man, and it hadn’t taken long for her college infatuation to mature into love.

  Which made her decision today all the more painful. As she’d sat in the attorney’s office, absorbing Aunt Gladys’s gift and parting words, Zora knew what she’d have to do. And the sorrow she’d felt over losing her beloved great aunt had been magnified by the realization that if she took action, she would lose Ethan, too.

  She bit back tears, her heart feeling as though it were ripping in two.

  A staffer hurried into the office, disrupting Zora’s thoughts. “Sir, you have to see this!” she exclaimed, grabbing the remote control from the coffee table in his sitting area and pointing it at the large flat screen mounted on the wall.

  On the screen, the President of the United States stood on the South Lawn of the White House, his close-cropped shock of wiry white hair barely moving, despite the helicopter in the background. A horde of reporters threw a torrent of questions at him.

  “Mr. President, do you believe we’re in immediate danger?”

  “Mr. President, under what authority do you have the right to do this?”

  “Mr. President, are you referring to Roosevelt’s executive order regarding Japanese Americans during World War II?”

  “World War II,” President Thayer repeated. His blue eyes widened, and he pursed his thin lips. “That’s exactly what I meant. It’s a fabulous idea, we’re going to put the best people on it and we’re going to make it happen.”

  He turned and hurried over to Marine One, his suit jacket flapping in the breeze.

  Beneath his retreating figure, the chiron on the screen announced, “BREAKING NEWS: President Thayer decrees all immigrants be rounded up, placed in facilities until ‘we know who’s who.’”

  Rage invaded her body, scorching the melancholy
she’d felt only moments before.

  Ethan’s mouth dropped open. “What the fuck?”

  Immediately, phones began ringing and alerts pinged for attention as calls, texts and emails flooded the office.

  David exhaled. “So much for working on your campaign strategy…”

  He was right. Any hopes of making a decision regarding Ethan’s election game plan were ruined. Their entire day—and if they were lucky it would only be today—would be consumed with responding to this latest verbal grenade the president had ignorantly armed and lobbed into a crowded space.

  Which suited Zora just fine. It was far easier for her to shroud herself in anger at the resident of the Oval Office than to sit here and deal with her wavering resolve toward Ethan.

  Larry blinked. “Can you believe this fucking guy?”

  “I can!” Zora jumped to her feet and flung a hand at the TV. “The question is, why are all of you always surprised when he spews this hateful shit?”

  “I don’t know,” Larry said. “I guess because you don’t expect the President of the United States to just…say something like that.”

  “What do you want to do about it, sir?” David asked.

  Ethan bent his head, massaging the nape of his neck with a hand.

  Zora held her breath. C’mon, Ethan! Please! She was dimly aware of clenching her fists, her nails digging into her palms. Don’t let it slide. Not this time. I just need a reason…

  Ethan finally glanced up, his broad shoulders tense. “Do about what?”

  “What the president just announced,” Larry said haltingly, jerking his thumb at the screen.

  A muscle ticked in Ethan’s jaw. “Nothing.”

  Disappointment stung Zora like a thousand papercuts. “Are you serious?” she blurted out.

  “Yes,” Ethan said, his tone suddenly hard. “It’s in my best interests to steer clear of this.”

  “I agree,” David said, primly.

  Zora curled her lip. On a traditional political team, David would be considered her boss, but Ethan treated them as equals, often saying they balanced each other. Meaning, Zora rarely agreed with the older politico. She focused on Ethan. “It may be in your best political interest, but what about our interests as people? As Americans?”