DEADLY AFFAIR

ienna Blake stood at the foot of the spiral staircase, heels sinking slightly into the plush crimson car

the crowd with silver trays bearing champagne flutes and tiny hors d'oeuvres that looked more like art tha

to be elegant, but not scream seduction. She had to look like she belonged here, like she w

apartment drawer. Tonight, she wasn't

columnist covering political philanthropy a

ecognized tech CEOs, Wall Street moguls, even a few celebrities blending into

for Senator L

ad just

e, Eleanor, who wore a scarlet gown and an expression of serene detachment. Roth, tall and comman

nna

ed his ev

and leaned just enough to suggest attentiveness without ever yielding

ew how to

needed the drink, but because it gave her an excuse to hover. When Roth turned t

hallway leading to the private V

Langf

ed, feignin

her. "Senator Roth's office received your request for an

kept her expression calm. "

undraiser softened behind thick drapes. They passed two discreet security guards and ent

awrence Roth, pour

id, turning toward her.

er hand. "All

with me. We have... five minutes befor

in slightly. "Five minutes is

was hard to tell if it was flirtation or pol

she said smoothly. "Yo

s drink. "Tha

cs was about dang

for a second, the air

, Ms. Langford, what

nna

ar her own h

it just right-curious enough to dig

ho build empires not just for power, but for the world they want to leave behind. Y

tudying her. "

e earn

sn't about what you build. It's about

at away. "And w

just slightly. "People

d and an aide poked his head in. "Senato

d. Flattery can be a slippery slope. One minute you're

rs," she said

smell the oak of his bourbon. "Th

e disappeared ba

gers itched to reach for her recorder-but it was all mental tonight. N

e, but that final line wasn't dismissa

that

ed reflections across her living room. She kicked off her heels and poure

ion when she mentioned legacy had shifted. For a sli

haps,

e opened a new document, titli

preferred, how he avoided giving direct answers, how the woman with him-the pois

fingers hoverin

ry?" she whispered,

wo

how far sh