DECEIT (B723) by Hazel Grace (ebook reader for surface pro .TXT) 📕

so tightly?” He promptly releases me, possibly realizing that he fucked up or set up an alarm that he could’ve kept from sounding.

Except I’m not some secretary that works for a governor and served a President of the United States like he believes I have.

I’m a fucking assassin that has taken more men and women down than he has standing behind him on a daily basis.

I gradually put some space between us and turned to face my boyfriend, wearing his cheap smile that I never noticed before.

Maybe it’s faux because I’m tipped off to some bullshit that Alexander got himself into or wanted all along. And now I’m curious about what he’s done, so I play it as cool as possible.

“Now, what is this about?” I ask, giving myself some space between us. “Who is this Chung-Ho—what was the last name?” I dawn ignorance because it’s the best policy to avoid this conversation and get my bearings.

“I was just speaking with Senator Evans this evening, and he mentioned funding his campaign while offering me a position.”

“In politics?”

“Something like that.” I don’t get to answer because he continues rambling. “My brother is a congressman in—“

“What?”

What the hell? 

I didn’t know he had a brother in Congress. He just suggested he was always busy and never got to speak with him.

Maybe if you would’ve asked more questions…

“Yeah, babe, I told you. In New Hampshire.”

I shake my head. “No, I would’ve caught on to that.”

“Might’ve been when you were falling asleep.”

As reasonable as that sounds, I feel like that comment would’ve woken me up. I didn’t want my home life to be involved in politics even though Wade was governor; that’s as far as I’d let it in.

“Anyway, my brother, Warren, is wanting to be put on the Republican ballot for President in the future. So I’ve been playing nice with politicians who I’ve helped run stocks and IRAs for.”

“What does that have to do with that guy?”

“Do you know him?” He lifts a brow, and I shake my head.

“Never heard of him.”

“Damn—“ He rubs the slight stubble along his jaw. “—he’s a dangerous dude.”

I step closer. “Why? Is your brother in trouble?”

“He mentioned that he’s been approached by a group of men who wanted to sell him nuclear weapons. To get into the black market of—“

“That’s insane. You have to tell him no.”

Alexander hits me with a no-shit look. “Emmy, I know. But he’s the oldest child. He’s an asshole. He wants alliances with many powerful people, Americans and the like.”

“But if this gets out, it’d ruin him.”

“He’s pretty adamant on this.”

“Has your family been threatened?”

Alexander shakes his head then slowly stops. “I mean…there are always threats. We’re a powerful family. You know how the rich work with their jealousy and need for ultimate power.”

I shrug. “I don’t have access—“

“No, no—“ Alexander steps closer, setting the hairs on my arms on end. “—I’m not asking you for nukes or the codes for things like that. My brother would like to speak with him.”

I would ask him why but he’s not going to tell me. He wouldn’t want me to worry.

However, his brother is a fucking moron. Getting involved with Chung-Ho Gwan would get him on the radar of any country that’s hunting him down.

“You’re scaring me,” I state honestly but not for the reasons that are continuing to sink in his head. My hands find my stomach, and Alexander follows my motion with his dark eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he mutters. “I don’t want to keep anything from you.”

“He doesn’t sound like a safe man, Alex. I think your brother should stay away. It’ll cause too much unnecessary press for him and if someone else finds out…it won’t be good.“

And now my boyfriend’s brother is on my radar.

I’ll be sure to make sure Warren doesn’t get on any ballot.

“Let’s drop it.” Alexander breaks his focus off me and relaxes his shoulders. “It was a stupid question.”

I scoff. “Yeah, one that you have my full attention on.”

He slowly brings his dark browns to me, but I’ve dealt with worse. “I said, let’s drop it.” My jaw constricts before I feel the babies kicking.

Placing my palm on the skin that separates me from my children, one of them kicks at it.

I take silent comfort in the movement, knowing that they must feel my stress coursing through my frame and my accelerated heartbeat.

“How many weeks are you?”

It sounds like a simple question, right? Something someone would ask you in passing or just out of curiosity. But I hear the serving purpose of the question and understand that this man in front of me is country first and family second.

“Twenty-eight.”

A slow smile forms along his handsome features. “Good.” He motions with his hand. “Come, let’s get you something to eat before the babies eat you alive.”

I walk past him to get downstairs and to my phone. I need to text Ledger and get this information out to him.

If Chung-Ho is initiating deals with someone in our own country, the wrong hands will eventually get things they’re not supposed to have and possibly use them one day.

A piercing pain radiates off my right side and my hand immediately goes to it, just to come back with blood along my inner fingers.

I whip around, locating Alexander with what appears to be an eight-inch blade coming down to swing at me again. I move to the side but he knicks my bicep, and I feel the sharp metal slice through my shirt and flesh.

My right hand comes around to slam into the side of his face and Alexander staggers backward—surprised.

Yeah, motherfucker, I’m not just an assistant. 

The blade thrust forward, almost getting to…my babies. My brows deepen at Alexander.

My Alexander.

The man who said he was going to give the babies and me everything.

The man who reminds me every day of how much he loves me.

The same one who just tried to shank me and believe I was going to stand around and take it.

“What the fuck!” I holler out, the color of red outlining my vision. “Are you