Julia waited for Schultz to lean over to kiss her as he normally did but he pulled out the chair opposite of her and took a seat. His usual smile was absent. It was as if he’d switched a lever to release butterflies into her stomach, and not the pretty kind either. Her breathing became somewhat labored as she waited for him to answer. She’d been so careful about how she’d handled the situation that there was no way he could know about the pictures…even if he did work for the White House. Right? She needed that reassurance and she wasn’t getting it from his reticent attitude.
“I lost my appetite this morning during a meeting that I had with Jon.” Schultz didn’t waste time getting to the point…and it was sharp. He also shook his head at the waiter who’d appeared out of nowhere. The young man had the intellect to back away and leave them to their privacy. Julia’s phone made a thud as it hit the table when his words had finally penetrated. He knew. He was now fully aware of the embarrassing position she’d put herself into and the fact that having her in his life would hurt his career. Her fingers had gone numb and her peripheral vision became thinner until Schultz’s handsome face was the only thing she could see through the tunnel. This couldn’t be happening. “You should read the fine print in your contracts a little more carefully.”
“Schultz—”
“You don’t need to worry about the person trying to extort money from you any longer. He or she will be dealt with before Monday’s deadline.” Schultz was lucky that she’d heard anything after his declaration that Jon had gone behind her back and informed the one person she hadn’t wanted this situation to touch. She’d been protecting him, but he wouldn’t see it that way. It dawned on Julia that he’d purposefully chosen a public place so that all she could do was sit and listen to what he had to say. There would be no exchange of heated words and this gave him the ability to leave before she had a chance to explain herself. She’d been in Washington long enough to know how to play the system, but she wasn’t going to allow him to do that to them. She’d had damned good reasons for keeping her baggage out of their lives and he didn’t get to close her out only knowing half the story. “It’s apparent you didn’t trust me enough to come to me in the first place. I don’t have to tell you how humiliating it was to hear that you’re being blackmailed from a mutual friend. I think—”
“We’ll talk about this in private,” Julia said carefully, finally gaining some composure as her mind spun with solutions. She’d known all along that he would have been able to make all of this disappear had she gone to him immediately after receiving the extortion note. She’d chosen another route based on her own pride and wanting this swept under the rug before it could damage his reputation. She also didn’t want him using his position to take care of her problems, which in all likelihood would weaken his position in the administration. She wouldn’t apologize for that. She was a grown adult who could make her own decisions. Her fingers finally grasped her phone and she slipped it inside her purse, making sure she met his stare. He hid his emotions behind his hooded eyes, but it was the tic in his square jaw that told her he was beyond livid. He had this all wrong and he’d understand once she had a chance to tell him everything. “I’ll meet you back at my place since it’s closer.”
“Your apartment is being electronically monitored.”
Julia stilled her movements, grateful that she hadn’t stood up from the table quite yet. She was receiving one blow after another. Schultz leaned back in his chair and tilted his head as he studied her, giving the appearance that he was calm and collected. He was anything but. She wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but his stare caused a sliver of fear to invade the bubble of protection she thought she’d been surrounded in. She’d had everything under control five minutes ago and now everything was falling apart.
“What do you mean…like it’s bugged?” Julia asked in a low voice, leaning in so that only he could hear her.
“What I mean is that you’re in over your head. You’re dealing with a professional and it’s highly doubtful that all he wants is your money,” Schultz pointed out in a restrained tone. In fact, it was as if he were conducting business with a stranger and that scared her most of all. Julia needed to get him alone so that she could explain, but he continued to drive his point home. “Someone went to a lot of trouble to locate something that they could use against you. Do you have any idea who that might be? Is there even a remote chance that it is someone from your past?”
Julia so didn’t want to have this conversation here and yet Schultz didn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave. She couldn’t stand the detached look on his face or the fact that he wasn’t focusing on the issue that needed to be addressed. The problem they had now was that he felt betrayed and that was the last thing she wanted him to think. But if talking about the actual extortion here at the table led to them going home to discuss their relationship, she was all for it. She set her purse down on the table and got down to business.
“Schultz, did you even read the note? This has nothing to do with me. I’m a pawn,” Julia stressed, needing him to understand that this went beyond her. This was what she’d hired Jon to take care of. “They’re using me to get to you and I wasn’t about to let that happen.”
Julia could see that Schultz wanted to respond to that, but he stopped himself just shy of getting the words out. She wanted him to counter her just once without thinking. He was always too in control over everything in his life, especially in the bedroom, but he had to see that there wasn’t a way to talk about her blackmailer without bringing up their personal lives.
“You’re assuming it’s about me because the blackmailer stated in his note that he will release those photos of you to the media if he doesn’t receive the money, thereby ruining my reputation,” Schultz said as he reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. He glanced at the screen but then gave her back his full attention. Julia would have given anything to know what the message said that he’d just received but he continued before she could ask. “He or she knows you. They were confident you wouldn’t allow that to happen and they were absolutely certain you wouldn’t come to me for help because of the nature of the photographs. Who knows you that well, Julia? I certainly didn’t.”
Schultz’s last shot was a direct hit and she hissed in a breath as she pulled back, trying to dodge some of the pain. It didn’t work. And talking about this in public wasn’t working either. Julia made a decision and she hoped like hell that she wasn’t about to make a huge mistake. She stood as gracefully as she could and picked up her purse, sliding the thin strap over her shoulder.
“I’m going to assume that your apartment is free and clear for us to continue to have this conversation because I’m through having it here. I’ll cancel the rest of my appointments for the afternoon and meet you there.” Julia held her head up high as she walked through the restaurant, grateful that the lobby was clear at such a late hour so she didn’t run into anyone she knew. It didn’t help that tears blurred her vision. She startled right before reaching the door, not expecting the feel of Schultz’s warm hand through the material of her thin grey blouse. “I told you that I’m not discussing this here.”
Schultz escorted her through the door and around the side of the restaurant’s entrance until he had her back flat against the concrete of the building. Julia had instinctively placed her palms on his chest, amazed that she could feel the beat of his heart through the fabric of his jacket. The speed of his heartbeat matched her own. It was rare that either one of them put on public displays of affection, especially given their jobs and the fact that they attended high-profile functions.
“You went behind my back to seek help from another man when you were in trouble…something that threatened both of us,” Schultz whispered in a rough voice, his lips inches from hers. His dark brown eyes deepened with emotion when she parted her lips to deny what he was saying, but he prevented that by shaking his head and sliding a hand up to cup her cheek. The gentleness of his touch contradicted the
turmoil written in his features that led her to understand just how much she’d hurt him. “You’ve lied to me for the past two weeks, Julia. Where does that leave the two of us?”
Chapter Three
SCHULTZ RESISTED THE urge to pour himself two fingers of Old Puteney 21 single malt scotch, his preferred drink when he was unwinding after a long day at work. The problem was that it was only going on three in the afternoon and alcohol would cloud his better judgment. He needed to remain sharp for a lot of reasons, mainly the upcoming no-holds-barred confrontation with Julia. He could easily see that she didn’t regret how she’d handled things or the fact that she’d purposefully kept him in the dark. It was like salt in the wound. He’d hear what she had to say and then spend the rest of the afternoon making her problem disappear forever. He just didn’t appreciate the doubts swirling in his mind that she’d vanish with them.
“You’re all clear, sir. Nothing on the waterfall other than your neighbor’s Wi-Fi router and your security system’s encrypted cellular transmitter.” Braeden said, walking out of the bedroom holding a portable spectrum analyzer developed by the NSA specifically to counter detect electronic eavesdropping devices including the CIA’s own miniature burst transmitter models. “Will there be anything else?”
“No, thank you,” Schultz said, turning from the large picture window that overlooked Lafayette Square. His view of the White House from his penthouse apartment above the Hay-Adams was impeccable, but he’d been too caught up in his thoughts to appreciate it. “I don’t want to be disturbed once Ms. Melina arrives. Inform Matt and Scott of that as well.”
“Understood, sir.”
Braeden walked to the door, only to have Emmett open it before the other agent could turn the knob. The two agents wouldn’t be on shift much longer before their replacements took over. Emmett announced Julia’s arrival and before long she appeared looking as beautiful as the day he’d met her. He remembered that night as if it were yesterday.
They’d both attended a small gathering of friends to celebrate Jon Rudnick’s decision to open the doors of G.A.P.S. Schultz and another friend of theirs, Gavin Crest, had made an appearance to show their support. The moment he’d entered the door, his eyes had been drawn to the blonde beauty who’d been standing across the room with a glass of red wine in her perfectly-framed French-manicured hand. He’d known the moment that her blue eyes met his that he would have her for his own, but it had gone beyond a simple matter of conquest within the first month. She’d become such an intricate part of his life that he’d never questioned the path they’d taken. Now…it was as if a woman he’d never met before was entering his home.
“Thank you, Don,” Julia said quietly, taking something from her agent’s hands after she’d crossed the threshold into Schultz’s apartment. The grey blouse tucked into her white slacks accentuated her slim waist, showcasing her voluptuous body that did nothing to diminish her professional demeanor. She was only five feet four inches in height and yet her confidence was that of a six-foot man. She was a pit bull in negotiations and an intelligent woman who knew how to get the job done. Why then did she not come to him when she’d first received the blackmail notice? “Would you please let Ken know that I’ll be in for the evening?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Don replied, closing the door behind her.
Julia turned and stopped in her tracks, their eyes connecting. The air had become as stifling as it was outside and Schultz slowly reached up, loosening his tie. His fingers itched to pour himself that drink he’d wanted earlier but he refrained. He gestured toward his office behind her, indicating that’s where she could deposit her laptop and the small box that Don had placed on top of it. He had an idea of what it contained and he wanted nothing to do with it.
“Do you remember the day that I said I needed to stop by my apartment to pick up some more clothes?” Julia asked, turning on her heel and marching across the hardwood floor to his office. She didn’t waste time getting to the heart of the matter and it was apparent that she hadn’t expected Schultz to answer when she continued straightaway. Her voice had an edge to it, similar to when she was doing business. He could see that she was emotionally distancing herself from the decisions she’d made. He’d listen to her, but damned if she would rationalize her choice to omit him from her life. He followed at a distance and allowed her to feel as if she had the upper hand. The tables would turn soon enough. “I found an envelope filled with pictures that I had taken in college, along with a note demanding one hundred thousand dollars. It was placed on the entry table in the foyer with no signs of forced entry.”
Schultz leaned against the doorjamb, folding his arms across his chest. Julia had claimed part of his desk as her own shortly after they’d all but moved in together and now was no different. She set her laptop case down on the left side of the hard oak, picking up the small box and turning toward him. She held it up and then placed it on the chair that was in between them, as if he’d go right on over to see what was in there. He already knew what it contained and he had no desire to see the pictures again. He willfully stayed where he was until she thinned out her full lips, showing her agitation. Only then did he walk closer and lean his hands on the back of the seat.
“Fine, just listen to me then,” Julia stated, leaning back against his desk and crossing her arms the way he’d done just a minute ago. Her chin tilted in defiance, making him want to kiss her instead of being forced to listen to the irrational reasoning of why she hadn’t trusted him. Schultz was one of the most resourceful people anyone could ever know. He had executive access to the world’s most powerful intelligence network and yet she still chose to go to another man. She stood in front of him as if that didn’t matter. It did. “I was nineteen when my father lost his job. I was in my second year of college, and at the time it didn’t look as if I’d finish because we didn’t have the money. A friend of mine told me about a reputable photographer who was scouting for models. I trusted her and I jumped at the chance, especially seeing as she’d already done a photo shoot with him. The pictures were tasteful and her face was cropped out of every shot for the showing…so I went for it.”
“Julia, I think you’re missing the salient point.” Schultz pushed himself up and then walked around his desk, opening the drawer to where he’d stored the other photographs. He dropped the manila envelope on her side of the desk, the sound echoing throughout his office. “I don’t care that you had pictures taken when you were nineteen years old. I could care less if you were a stripper who’d put herself through college collecting one dollar at a time. In all honesty I have no desire to look at them because the woman I want is standing in front of me. I have you in the flesh, but yet it’s more than apparent that your heart isn’t in it. Lying causes both of us to lose trust in one another.”
“Schultz, this person wants to use me to get to you,” Julia stressed, having already turned around to face him over his desk. She’d spun so fast that her blonde hair fell over her left shoulder, reminding him once again of the day he’d met her. “If Jon had either located him or her, I could have put an end to this and—”
“I just want a clear answer, Julia,” Schultz barked, raising his voice and taking both of them by surprise. He couldn’t remember a time when either one of them had ever exchanged words in anger, but this went beyond that. She didn’t understand that her decisions had caused a fracture in the intimacy they’d established. He curled his fingers into his palms and rested his fists on his desk, trying to choose his words carefully. “Why didn’t you come to me when you needed help?”
Julia parted her glossy pink lips to tell him, but then appeared not to know what she was going to say. Her hands went slightly up in the air, as if to say she didn’t have a reply. He waited, wanting all of this to make sense when all it seemed was that she thought this was nothing more than a brief affair. She’d had him fooled and he fell for the façade hook, line, and sinker. He shook his head, at a loss of words himself. He never would have thought she
would have been the one to cause him so much pain, but what she’d done to them was worse than anything he’d ever experienced. Her silence answered more than she knew and now there wasn’t anything between them for him to fight for. Damn if that didn’t hurt most of all.
“A trusted agent is taking care of things,” Schultz said, controlling the emotions in his voice to the best of his ability. He started to roll down his left sleeve, giving himself something to do so he wouldn’t have to look into her disheartened blue eyes. He refused to feel guilty over a choice she’d made with her actions. He couldn’t stay here with her recognizing how this would play out. He’d rather be out in the field catching the son of a bitch that had forced them into this situation to begin with. “I’ll have one of the agents assigned to you let you know when things are taken care of. You should stay here until then, so feel free to make use of the spare bedroom.”
Schultz started for the door, his sole focus to get away from Julia so that he could clear his head. He was liable to do something foolish if he were to stay…like kiss her and try to forget this situation had ever occurred. One thing would lead to another and they’d end up in bed where a whole bag of regrets would be waiting for them afterward. He’d made it halfway to his destination when he heard her call his name.
“Schultz, you work with the President of the United States,” Julia said desperately, the plea in her voice causing him to come to an abrupt stop. He lowered his hands and rested them on his hips, bending his head back as he told himself that nothing she could say could make this okay. “I might work for the State Department, but my career wasn’t in the spotlight until we started dating. Everything you’ve worked so hard for is going to be gone by Monday morning if I don’t figure out who is behind the blackmail or I break down and pay. Your career will be reduced to a break room joke. You would have used your position to make my problem disappear if I’d come to you at the first…just like you’re doing right now. On top of that, my bad choices are going to be out there for the world to see and they’re going to think that I’m some sort of trash that has slept my way into my career in government and that I don’t deserve you.”
Hot SEALs: A Mission of Love (A Hot SEALs / CSA Case Files Crossover) (Kindle Worlds) Page 2
