Page 82 of Protected
“I don't want to argue about this Bradley, I want the legislative team researching how to make the bill possible.”
Bradley sighed but agreed. He had just wrapped up legislative research for the senator’s brilliant anti-porn law, and that was hard enough. This had to be the stupidest thing the senator had ever come up with.
Darci was going to lose her shit when she found out. Knowing that made him want to call her and give her a heads up. Doing so could get him in serious trouble, but he couldn’t bear to think what not telling her might do to their fragile relationship. Wasn’t he about to get fired anyway? Might as well tell her instead of risking the progress they had made as a couple.
Picking up his phone, he fired off a quick text to Darci asking if she could meet him for lunch. They exchanged a few messages and agreed on twelve-thirty at a place across the street from his office. It would give him an opportunity to check on her after the stress of last night.
His morning was spent avoiding his legislative director so he would have an excuse for not starting the process of drafting the ludicrous bill. Until it was time for lunch with Darci, he did his own research, hoping to find something that would convince the senator to drop this.
At twelve-fifteen, he passed through the front office to tell Adara he was stepping out for lunch. Darci arrived at the restaurant ten minutes late. She looked tired. Maybe she could use a little distraction. When their eyes met as she stood in the doorway scanning the lunch crowd, he scowled and crooked his finger at her.
“You're late,” he chided when she approached. “We agreed on twelve-thirty. It's nearly twelve-forty-five.”
“I'm sorry,” she said, growing flustered. “I got a last-minute phone call, and it took longer to leave than I planned.”
“You could have told me you were going to be late. It’s rude to keep people waiting isn’t it, pet?” He saw the switch flip in her brain when he called her pet. It was fun to watch.
“I’m sorry. I’ll find a way to make it up to you, Sir.” She whispered the last word and settled into the seat across from him.
“Good girl.” His stern scowl morphed into a tender smile as her face flushed. “How is your day going? How are you feeling?” he asked, brushing the top of her hand with his fingers as it rested on the table.
“I’ve just been trying to keep myself busy. I talked to Noah. That was hard. How is yours going?”
“You’re a good friend. It hadn’t even crossed my mind to check in on Noah. How is he handling this?”
He wasn’t ready to spoil their lunch with how his day was going.
Tears glistened in her eyes and she sighed. “I think he’s taking it harder than he lets on. He’s always been stoic in my presence, but they were crazy about each other. He’s going to need friends. Now stop avoiding my question. How was your day?”
He laughed. She knew him well enough already to know he was dodging something. “I'm not happy with my day at all. I've got some news that will piss you off, but you have to promise not to leak this and you have to promise not to take it out on me, or I won't tell you.”
“Bradley, what is it?”
“I’m serious, Darci. Promise. I’m about to tell you something I shouldn’t, and if you leak anything, it will get me fired.”
“Wow. It must be serious if you’re willing to risk your job to tell me. I promise. I would never do anything to jeopardize your career. Please tell me.” He studied her for a moment, trying to determine the best way to approach this. Blunt honesty was the best policy in this situation, so he took a deep breath and told her everything.
It didn’t take long for anger to take over her pretty features. “How the hell can you still support this man? It’s fucking disgusting the way he rides around on that moral high horse. I’m willing to bet the man is a closet pervert. The morally superior ones always are.”
“You promised not to take it out on me,” he said with a warning frown. “I'm just as angry as you, but I promise I'm doing everything I can to stop it, and if he pulls it off the bill will never make it into law. His campaign will be toast by then, so you won't need to worry about me working for him anymore.”
“Bradley, it's not that simple and you know it. He’s a smart guy. The bill might fail, but it’s going to start a national conversation that could harm communities all over the country and cause states to pass their own laws irrespective of what happens in Congress. The rhetoric of this campaign has already sparked a lot of conflict. Why would he want to put this through right now on the heels of another sex-related bill that’s going to get crushed?”
“I'm not sure what his problem is. He’s obsessed with these murders. He's ordered me to put together a research team.”
“The ACSL will fucking destroy him.”
“Calm down, Darci. That's exactly what I told him.”
“How long have you known about this?” The accusation in her tone rubbed him the wrong way, but he tried to tell himself she was just doing her job.
“You are literally the first person I came to after he told me his plan.” She seemed pleased by that fact but was still visibly angry.
“Now would be a great time to jump ship and go work for your father. Being unable to support the senator on this issue is the perfect excuse. You don't have to worry about it looking like you're on anyone's coat tails.”
“Darci, I told you I don't want to work for my father.” He didn’t bother keeping the irritation out of his voice.
“So, take a year off and then run for yourself. You would do great in Congress,” she pressed.
