She wasn’t sure if she bought his explanation, but she’d wager most of those watching the interview would. “I’ve heard rumors that you plan to run for president of the United States in the next election,” she said.

His shoulders dropped, the tension in his body gone from when he’d answered her previous question. “I love this country, Ms. Dawson. My father was president, my brother was president, and someday, if God graces me with the opportunity, I’ll serve our country as president too.”

She knew she was playing with fire, but she had to see if she could garner a reaction from him. “You’re a national hero. Donations into your campaign must be pouring in faster than you can count them.” She held his gaze. “Contributions from, say, A Better Tomorrow.”

A muscle in his jaw jumped. “I don’t know anything about contributions. I have people who do that for me.”

She flashed him a smile. “Of course.” She stood and offered her hand. “Thank you for the interview, Senator. It was absolutely enlightening.”

He didn’t move from his chair for a moment, and then suddenly he was right in front of her, a tad too close. “For me as well, Ms. Dawson,” he said quietly, shaking her hand.

She saw the same anger in his eyes as before, when it had been directed at Agent Gossner. Only this time, his wrath was directed at her.

The urge to flee overwhelmed her.

She yanked back her hand and circled around the chair for her purse. “My crew will be out of your way in a few minutes, but I’ll just get out of your way now.”

With homicidal butterflies battling each other in her belly, she bent and retrieved her purse, but as she straightened, a few items spilled out onto the floor with a clatter. She kneeled down, her hands shaking as she picked up her compact mirror. “I’m such a klutz. Sorry about that.” She stood and almost slammed into the senator.

He held her cell in his hand. “I believe you dropped this as well.”

She grabbed it from him and jammed it back into her purse, but not before she saw the words download complete on the screen.

The senator tipped his head, a slight smile on his lips. “Until we meet again, Ms. Dawson.”

Stumbling over her feet, she hurried out of the room and into the hallway, smashing into a familiar body.

His hands gripped her biceps, steadying her. “Easy now.”

Her heart spread wings and hope filled her chest as she looked up at her husband. “Logan. You’re here. I thought you left already.”

“I couldn’t.” He let go of her, his eyes dimmed with regret. “Not until I knew you were safe.” He blew out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck. “Great interview.”

Her hope deflated like an old balloon. “Thank you.”

She should tell him that the senator might be suspicious of her, but she didn’t want to be Logan’s obligation. He’d come only because he was worried about her. If he knew she could be in danger, he’d stand by her, if only to act as her bodyguard.

It was best to stay quiet about it for now. Even if the senator had seen the cell phone’s screen, he wouldn’t know what it meant. She’d be fine.

At least physically.

She’d taken care of herself for years.

But as she walked away from her husband for the last time, she knew she’d never fully recover from her broken heart.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

A DAY AFTER Rachel’s interview with the senator had aired all over the country, she’d returned to her small house in Michigan and discovered she had eighty voice mail messages. Not only had she received calls for interviews, she’d gotten several job offers from prominent news stations across the globe. It should have been a dream come true.

Instead, it gave her a giant headache.

Even the offer from New York didn’t excite her. Regardless of what had happened with Logan, Michigan was her home and her friends were her family. She didn’t want to leave them.

Staring at the two empty wineglasses on her coffee table, she sat on her couch next to Lisa, twirling the wedding band she couldn’t make herself remove. “I never thought I’d need a publicist to keep the media away from me.”

Lisa had taken the situation into hand and was now fielding all her calls. She’d catalogued all eighty voice mail messages from most to least important. “You’ve got interest from all the major networks, but it’s your call. Personally, I’d love to see Barbara Walters interview you. She can get anyone to cry.”

She shook her head, a slight smile on her face. “I’d never cry on television.” Before Logan, she’d never cried period. But once she’d opened the floodgates, the waterworks kept flowing. How embarrassed she’d been to return to Paradise Lost and have Logan’s friends try but fail to console her.

But at least they were busy now digging through Hutton’s files. The app had worked well—almost too well. Along with the senator’s files, it had also downloaded the files from three other computers. Because of the way the program was designed, they couldn’t tell which files belonged to whom until they opened them. And according to Sawyer, there were thousands.

“Exactly,” Lisa said, adjusting her glasses. “Why not show your sensitive side?”

Curled into the corner of the couch, Rachel tucked her feet under her. “Because I don’t want to be known as the tough reporter who cried. I want to be known as the tough reporter who kicked some ass and saved the world from one nasty virus.” Rachel angled toward her friend. “I’m not granting any interviews. I’m not ready to talk about what happened. Besides, I’m a reporter. I have no desire to sit in the other chair, even if it’s for Barbara Walters.”

“Have you heard from Logan?” Lisa asked gently.

Earlier that day on the phone, Rachel had given Lisa a quick overview of what had transpired between her and Logan. She’d also filled her in on their suspicions about Senators Hutton and Byron, leaving Sawyer’s name out since he didn’t want anyone to know about his ties to Paradise Lost.

“No.” She looked up at the ceiling, warding off the tears. “Guess there’s a good reason they say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”

“Fuck that,” Lisa said, shocking the hell out of her with the profanity. “Listen to me. Both of you are just too stubborn to lay it out there. You love each other. That’s the only thing that matters.”

She’d almost believed that for a little while in Vegas, but now, the pessimist in her had returned. “Sometimes, love isn’t enough. I thought he accepted me. All of me. But he wants a woman he can control. He wants a . . . submissive.”

Lisa blew out an exasperated breath. “How do you know that’s what he wants? Just because he’s dominant in the bedroom and he likes his lovers to give up control to him doesn’t mean he wants a submissive woman.”

“What do you know about dominance and submission? You’ve never made a single comment about the lifestyle before.”

Lisa played with the ends of her short brown hair. “Before I became a born-again virgin, I may have dabbled in kink.”

“What the hell?” Rachel said a bit too loudly, knocking over a wineglass and Lisa’s purse on the coffee table with her foot. “How have you been keeping this from me? Does Kate know?”

“No,” Lisa said vehemently. “And you have to promise not to say anything.”

“Why? Why would you keep that from us, especially from Kate when she’s in the lifestyle? No one would judge you. In fact, I’m sure Danielle would give you a membership to Benediction at a reduced rate.”

Lisa looked down at her lap. “It’s a part of a past I’ve put behind me. Some people don’t deserve pleasure or passion or love.”

“I think I’ve come to know you pretty well over the last year or so. The woman who I call my friend deserves all that and more.”

Sadness registered in Lisa’s eyes. “That’s just it, Rachel. You don’t know me. You don’t know me at all. No one does. But that doesn’t mean I’m not your friend. I made a mistake five years ago that cost me the man I loved. Don’t give up without a fight. You may be a submissive in the bedroom, but you’re one hundred percent dominant outside of it, so don’t wait for him to come after you. Decide what’s most important to you, what will truly make you happy, and make it happen. Don’t lose your chance like I did.”