Page 68 (2/2)

"My answer is no"

I stopped just outside the door to the living roole, I could see just a hint of the person who’d just spoken

Ada, just to prove a point to Ivy

My answer is no I wondered what the question was, and why those words made my stomach feel like it had been lined with lead

"You know," Adam said, each word issued with quiet force, "that I would never ask you for anything, if the situation weren’t--"

"Desperate?" his father supplied "Believe me, Adam, I’m well aware of what you think of me You haveyour place in this family"

"No interest in politics," Adam corrected

"You were born for this If you retired from the military, we could have you on the road to the Senate in a matter of months A decade from now, you could be a contender for the White House"

"You really think this is the time for this discussion?" Adam asked tersely

"You’re the one who invited me here," William countered

"Because I wanted your help" Ada theirl crawled under your skin years ago" As intense as Adam’s tone was, William’s was casual "I’ve never understood the hold she has on you If she’s gone, I won’t shed a tear"

My fingers curled the to, I took a step forward Adam’s father saw me a second before Adaive us aAda"

I beat the older man to the front door The fact that Adaht he could help If William Keyes wanted to walk away froh me to do it

"Tess" The tone in Adam’s voice told me that he wanted me out of this room, away from his father It was a tone that, in other circu," I said, trying to force Keyes to look at ain, "thathappens to her, a lot of very powerful people will be very unhappy Including you"

A flash of soht on that last point

"Your sister always has a contingency plan," William Keyes said, his voice perfectly ht her that" He brushed past me and out the door

"Stay here," Adanant pause, Vivvie stepped into the room "That was"

"Adaest fan"