The Laws of Seduction: A French Kiss Novel

by Jones, Gwen

  “Testosterone,” he said, hitting send.

  Charlotte pulled her legs up on the sofa, checking the time on the mantel clock. “It’s nearly twelve-thirty.”

  “Which means she ought to be sipping martinis with Hitchell right now.” Rex got up from the sofa, preferring to pace back and forth. “Who knows how long their lunch will take. He doesn’t like her any more than she likes him.”

  “Do you know anything about him?”

  “Only that he’s insisting on adding something to benefit his own business to the dredging bill, or he won’t sign off on it.” He paused at a mirror, straightening his tie. “And that he has a lot of money to throw around.”

  “And you talk about my having a tantrum.” She propped her chin in her hand, leaning forward. “Welcome to Washington politics.”

  “Hardly, belle. Welcome to the way of the world. I’m not poor by any stretch of the imagination, but from what I’ve heard, he could give Marcel a run for his money. Which means he has unlimited funds.”

  “And how’d he get that way?”

  “I know he has some connections to oil.”

  “He wouldn’t happen to be from Texas, would he?”

  “Very perceptive, avocate,” he said. “Oil equals Texas, right?”

  “In the U.S., more than likely. Oil interests plus Texas often drags big money behind it. It wouldn’t be hard to figure out.”

  “All I know is we need him to sign off on the bill.” His eyes darkened. “And that the first words out of Lilith’s mouth better be that he has.”

  “And what’re your first words going to be?” Charlotte asked.

  “How about ‘Why are you out to get me? Who’s behind you? Where’s my phone? Why are you such an ungrateful, greedy bitch?’ ”

  “How about you just smack her with your new phone? That’s a little more subtle.”

  “I haven’t any plans to be subtle, ma belle. The obviousness of the situation won’t allow it.”

  Charlotte shook her head. “So you’d really use the proof of her infidelity against her? Are you really that much of a cad?”

  He laughed, as if she just paid him a compliment. “I’ll leave it up to your own impression to answer that question. But as far as Lilith is concerned, it would work to my advantage if she thought the worst of me, don’t you think?”

  “I’d rather not think about it at all. Especially since the phone was hacked and the proof may not be there anyway.”

  “Oui,” Rex said quietly, picking at a bowl of mixed nuts. He grabbed a handful, then tossed it back. “There is that.” He began pacing again, feeling more antsy than ever. And that meant he wasn’t in control, a state he never liked to find himself in. “If she’s down with Hitchell, it’ll be a while before she makes it up here. Are you hungry by any chance? If anything, I can use some coffee.”

  She eyed him dubiously. “Right, because anyone can see you need an accelerant. Shall we order room service?”

  “Absolutely,” he said, sliding the menu from the desk drawer.

  They settled on a cheese plate, a plate of assorted meats, pâtés and breads, a baby greens salad, a bottle of sparkling water, and a large pot of coffee. Not ten minutes later, someone knocked.

  “Well, that was quick,” Charlotte said, going to the door. When she opened it, she started, standing back. “Oh!”

  “Oh!” the congresswoman echoed. She shot a glance to the room number on the door. “I must have the wrong suite. I’m so sorry—”

  “You could find this room blindfolded,” Rex said, stepping forward. “In fact . . .” His mouth crooked in mirth. “I believe you have.”

  She stared at him, her guard up. “What’s going on here?” Then looked to Charlotte. “And who the hell are you?”

  He took the representative’s arm and he pulled her into the room, closing the door behind her. “Lilith, meet my attorney, Charlotte Andreko. Charlotte, this is Representative Lilith Millwater.”

  “Representative Millwater,” Charlotte said, folding her hands in front of her.

  The congresswoman looked between the two of them, settling on Rex. “I thought you were supposed to be in Philadelphia? I thought you were arrested.”

  “Things changed,” he said. “But that didn’t seem to stop you from dashing up here from your lunch with Hitchell.” He waggled his finger at her. “Main course before dessert, Madame Congresswoman. You should know that by now.”

  She reddened considerably, from either anger or embarrassment, or a combination of both. “His office called and said he wasn’t coming, so I left.”

  “That’s sincerely unfortunate,” Rex said, closing in on her. “But we have a few issues that’re even more pressing at the moment, such as what the hell’s going on. But why don’t we start with my phone? Where the fuck is it?”

  She flinched. “What are you talking about?”

  “My cell. My mobile. Mon téléphone portable,” he said, his voice low and lethal. “Do you need me to say it in Urdu?”

  “You don’t have it? But I assumed that since it wasn’t—” All at once she blanched. “I-I mean—I thought—”

  “What, Lilith?” he said, coming closer. He grabbed her by the arms, looming over her “What are you trying to say?”

  “Let me go,” she said, stepping back. “I’ll explain.”

  “Yes,” Rex said. “Why don’t you?”

  She swallowed, visibly nervous as she pulled her shoulders back, trying to regain a semblance of composure. “I called in a favor from my husband. The cheating bastard owes me plenty. He’s a judge, you know. So I asked him to have someone sneak into the property room and”—she coughed—“take your phone.”

  Now he was getting somewhere. “All right, Lilith, I can see your point. You wanted to erase that recording. But you must also know by now there was something else on there, something that can clear me of this ridiculous charge. So give it back to me and I’ll forget the whole thing.”

  She seemed surprised. “Are you saying there was a recording of you and the girl?”

  “Yes,” he said, as if it was obvious. “You didn’t hear it?”

  She sighed, rubbing her forehead. “I didn’t have a chance.”

  Rex stared at her. “What are you talking about?”

  “She means she doesn’t have your phone,” Charlotte concluded. “Isn’t that right, congresswoman?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Because it was gone before my husband could get to it.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Poli Ticking

  REX FELT LIKE he’d been punched in the solar plexus. He grabbed Lilith’s arm. “What do you mean it was gone?”

  The congresswoman shook him loose. “I mean there was no record of it. It wasn’t there.”

  “The police took your phone at the scene, didn’t they?” Charlotte asked Rex.

  “Oui,” he said. “I saw it at the police station. When I got there they made me empty my pockets, then they photographed and fingerprinted me. That’s when the arresting officer gave it to them and I signed for everything.” He looked to Charlotte. “You even saw the receipt.” He cursed roundly in a French Charlotte didn’t understand, though she thoroughly understood the tone. “They told me I could pick it up later after I made bail.” He turned to the Lilith, incensed. “And now you’re saying it wasn’t even there?”

  “I’m saying whomever my husband sent found nothing,” Lilith said, looking frantic. “And now we’re both screwed—thanks to you.”

  Rex cornered the congresswoman, incensed. “You pushed me to make that recording. You could have sent that bill through a long time ago but non—you were enjoying my contributions too much to send it out for a vote.”

  “That’s not true,” she said, squeezing around him to the bar. She grabbed a bottle of vodka and a glass, pouring herself a double shot. “Bel
ieve me, I tried but it never had a chance,” she said, tossing it back. “It was dead on arrival.”

  “What do you mean?” Rex said, going to her. “I was there when member after member of both parties were out on the floor praising the bill, crowing about how many jobs it would create. Then I come back two months later and suddenly everything’s changed. Why?”

  “How the hell do I know,” she said, pouring another shot. “Because they all talk a good game about jobs, getting those sound bytes in for the commercials. But when it comes to spending any money, they’re all a bunch of little girls.”

  “But you knew this was going to happen,” Rex said, “and the last time I saw you, you assured me you could fight it. Wasn’t that how you justified taking my money?”

  “I tried, I really tried. And I came this close . . .” Lilith pinched her fingers together. “Hitchell assured me he’d make a deal. He promised me. But apparently he pulled his support when he didn’t show up today, and well . . .” She shrugged, wincing behind her glass. “There’s nothing I can do about it.”

  “You bitch,” he said, his hands clenching. “I’d like to say you used me, but you’ll get yours when that recording comes out.”

  She slammed the glass to the bar. “Don’t say that—don’t even joke about it. If it does, I’m ruined. My political career is over.”

  “Well, start planning a new one, because I just found out the phone’s been hacked.”

  “You can’t be serious,” she said, coming at him. “I assumed your password would protect it. That no one could get into it but you.”

  “Well obviously, someone wants to get at me,” Rex said, “or why would they have taken it?”

  She swallowed hard, staring at him. “Rex, I—”

  A knock came at the door. “I’ll get it,” Charlotte said, opening it to room service.

  Lilith slugged back the last of her vodka. “Oh what’s the use.” She turned to the door. “I’m going—”

  “Oh no.” He stepped in front of her. “Join us. Please.

  “I don’t think so,” Lilith said. “I think this conversation’s over.”

  “No, I think it’s hardly begun,” Charlotte said. She looked to the server, indicating the dining area at the other end of the long room. “Three plates, please.” And back to the battling duo at the bar. “We’re all in this together, so why don’t you two quit nipping at each other and call a truce. If you do, maybe we can figure this thing out.”

  “Just listen to your girl,” Lilith said, glaring at Charlotte. “You’ve got her well-trained.”

  “I’m not his girl,” Charlotte said evenly. “I’m his lawyer.”

  “And I was his friendly local politician,” she said, yanking at the hem of her tailored jacket. “But I was also a girl in his service”—she spun the word, her gaze dropping—“just as much as you are.”

  “Dégage.” Rex’s voice seethed. “Get out.”

  “Hey, you were the one who asked me here,” Lilith said, grabbing the bottle again. “Get a good look at what your money buys you.”

  “I said get out!” Rex flung his hand toward the door. “If you don’t get—”

  “Stop it,” Charlotte hissed. She hastily tipped the server, then hustled him out. “Jesus, he heard everything you said.”

  Lilith laughed. “Which is probably just more of the same bullshit that happens in this town every day.”

  “Oh sit the hell down—both of you,” Charlotte said, taking a chair at the head of the table. She dragged a tray over, sliding chorizo onto her plate. She looked up. “I said . . .”

  Rex slanted a glance at Lilith, then flipped his hand toward the table. “S’il vous plaît,” he said tartly, indicating the way. She slammed the tumbler to the bar and sauntered over, Rex waiting for her to sit before he did. As hungry as he was before, he couldn’t choke down a crumb, but the bottle of wine definitely looked inviting.

  “That’s better,” Charlotte said, setting down her fork. “Okay, if we can get past our mutual animosity maybe we can learn a few things.” She looked to the congresswoman. “Rex said you were there when he heard the door open to the conference room. Did you follow him?”

  She filled her water glass, taking a sip. “Yes.”

  “I suppose this may seem fairly obvious,” Charlotte continued, “but why?”

  She huffed, looking askance. “Because I was angry,” Lilith said. “Wouldn’t you be? He just made a fool out of me and taped me while he did it. And then he went right from me to some little K Street whore.”

  “Did you know her?” Charlotte asked.

  Lilith paused, taking another sip of water. “I’d seen her around at parties. A couple months ago I saw them together—in the bar downstairs. She was just leaving him.” She tossed Rex a scowl. “Or maybe I should say—she looked like she was running away.”

  “That’s a lie,” Rex said vehemently.

  “Rex, please,” Charlotte said. She looked back to Lilith. “Did you confront him then?”

  “No, but I asked him later about it. That’s how I found out—hey.” She looked to Rex and back. “Maybe I ought to have my lawyer here, too.”

  “I’m the one with the sexual assault charge, remember?” Rex said. “Or would you like to one-up me with your little story about judicial corruption and attempted larceny?”

  Lilith tossed him a filthy scowl before turning back to Charlotte. “You were saying . . . ?”

  “So when you saw him leave the ballroom with her, you got angry. You were jealous.”

  “Well, wouldn’t you be?” Lilith glared at her, incredulous. “Rex had always made time for me before whenever he was in the U.S., but this trip he wanted nothing to do with me. I wanted to know why.”

  “And why do you think that was, Lilith?” Rex asked.

  She ignored him, addressing Charlotte. “I even arranged my schedule so we’d have time together, to talk about the bill if he wanted, but he turned me down flat. Instead, he went after that little whore. So sure, I followed. And caught them red-handed.”

  “Quite the voyeur, aren’t you, chérie,” Rex said. “You like to watch?”

  “Unlike you,” Lilith said. “You’re a man of action. More like fuck anyone and anything.”

  Rex laughed. “Recognizing your own modus operandi?”

  “This was different,” she said.

  “You mean I was different. From all the others in your retinue.”

  She glared at him. “I was in love with you.”

  “Really.” He calmly sipped his wine. “How awful for you.”

  “Rex, please,” Charlotte said sharply. Which surprised Rex considerably. She looked back to Lilith. “So he made a fool out of you, then left to go off with another woman. You were angry and humiliated. So you followed them.”

  “Yes,” she said quietly, taking a gulp of water. “Maybe I shouldn’t have but he really left me no choice.”

  “You wanted an explanation for his actions. You wanted to continue the conversation.”

  “Yes, I did.” Lilith looked grateful for the clarification. “I think he owed it to me.”

  “That’s understandable,” Charlotte said. “So you went out the same door from the ballroom that they did?”

  “Yes, into the hall. It was empty, so it was easy to hear. And I did hear . . .” Lilith looked out into space, almost as if she were replaying the scenario in her head.

  “What?” Charlotte probed. “Talking? Chatting?”

  “Yes.”

  “Were you sure it was Rex and the girl?”

  “Oh yes,” she said, sliding a heated glance toward Rex. “By this time I knew his voice very well . . . under those circumstances.” She shook her head, sipping more water. “I could hear her, too. She was moaning and groaning.”

  Charlotte leaned in, whispering, “Like sh
e was in pain?”

  Lilith laughed. “Hardly.”

  Rex held his breath. Mon Dieu. Charlotte knew exactly what she was doing.

  “So you opened the door?” Charlotte asked.

  “Yes.” Her eyes narrowed. “And there she was with her legs up on the table, pulling up her dress. Then he goes and rips her underwear off, and that’s when she started screaming.”

  “And didn’t stop until security heard her from the ballroom and came in, right?”

  “I suppose . . .” Lilith said, looking to Charlotte with trepidation.

  Charlotte got up, gripping the back of her chair as she stared dead into Lilith. “So this looked pretty consensual to you.”

  “Wait a minute.” Lilith’s gaze shot back and forth between the two. “What just happened here?”

  “What just happened is if you could repeat what you just said under oath, it would go a long way in exonerating Rex,” Charlotte said.

  “And why would I want to do that?” said Lilith. “It wouldn’t be ten minutes before the press would find out we were sleeping together. It’d be political suicide.”

  “But you’ll have to admit it if you’re called to testify,” Charlotte said.

  “Non, she wouldn’t,” Rex said. “She conveniently ran off before security came. Because it’d be my word against hers.”

  Lilith glared at him. “You bet it is. And until you find that phone, maybe I didn’t see a thing.”

  “But we could call you,” Charlotte said, “and you’d have to testify.”

  “As a hostile witness. Where I’d deny everything, including being there.” The congresswoman reached for the bottle of wine.

  “Seem we’re at an impasse,” Rex said.

  “No,” said Charlotte. “You’re at mutually assured destruction. Which means you two better start working together, or you’re both going where you so do not want to go. Or does prison and political obscurity sound good?”

  “Point taken,” Lilith said, filling her glass. “But there’s nothing I can do about it.”

  “Try looking at the larger issue,” Charlotte said. “Like why the lobbyist is accusing him in the first place.”