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“Darci wait.” He caught up to her and touched her elbow. “I’m sorry. You don’t understand how I can work for him, and I get that. But I promise you he isn’t all bad. I’m going to clean this up, but I might need your help.”

Red hair flew as she whirled to face him. “Why the fuck would I want to help him?”

“It sounds crazy, but hear me out. Share my car. I’ll drop you at your office. If I remember right, it’s on the way.”

“Fine. But I’m not agreeing to anything.”

He smiled. “Just listen. That’s all I ask.”

The car ride to Darci’s office was tense. Bradley had to first make a few calls before he could hash out his plan with her. While he was on the phone, he could feel the daggers boring into him as she glared, tapping away at the screen on her own phone.

“Adara, cancel the morning briefing and clear my schedule for the next couple of hours. I’m on my way. Tell the other department heads to clear their mornings, too. I may need them. And get me a list of local organizations that work with victims of domestic violence.”

“You got it boss.”

He thanked Adara and turned his attention back to Darci.

“There’s a benefit Marlie was hosting in two weeks. I wasn’t going to attend because of obligations with the senator. If you can get me six tickets, I can clear those obligations. I heard they are already sold out, but you can pull some strings for me.”

She tapped on her screen again.

“I could do it, but it will cost you a lot of dough. You’re right about it being sold out, but we can always squeeze in a few VIP guests. I don’t know how I feel about Sean Atleigh being a VIP for her benefit, though.”

He sighed. “I know it feels ugly. I do. But I’ll make you a deal. You get me the tickets, price doesn’t matter, and I’ll arrange a meeting with you and Atleigh before the panel.”

“Alone. No handlers.”

“You know I can’t do that. I mean look what happened when he talked to the press.”

“No tickets then.”

He glared. Stubborn girl. “Fine. Fifteen minutes, unsupervised at the benefit or panel. Your choice.”

After an awkward moment of silence, she turned to stare out the window and said, “OK. Deal.”

They said a tense goodbye at her building, and Bradley continued on to his own. The day had started out so well, but it was shaping up to be more stress than he bargained for.

At his office, he stopped at Adara’s desk.

“I need everything you can find covering the senator’s press conference. Give me some uninterrupted time and then I’m going to want meetings with Cassie, Sandra, and Charlie.”

“Yes, boss. And your Dad called and asked for a lunch meeting but I told him you were booked for today and would call him back.”

“Bless you. I’ll be in here banging my head against the wall if you need me.”

The assistant grinned and shooed him away from her desk. “I’ll send everything I find to your printer.”

As soon as he walked into his office, his printer started whirring and spitting out pages. He grabbed the first of the articles that came out and settled in at his desk. A glance at his monitor told him that Adara had found video of the conference and sent that to him as well.

As he was finishing up the first article, Sandra and Charlie busted through his door. He could hear Adara yelling after them not to go in.

“What the fuck is Atleigh thinking?” Charlie asked.

“Clearly he wasn't, Charles,” Sandra said in an icy tone. “So much for gaining favorability with women.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Calm down people.” Bradley had to rein things in before they got out of hand. “And stop running over, Adara.” They both rolled their eyes but nodded obediently when Bradley pinned them with an angry glare. Once they relaxed, he sat back in his chair and continued. “It's our job to fix this so let's get on it.”

Bradley spent the rest of the morning with his team formulating a plan that involved a detailed statement to the press and an appearance at the event Darci would hopefully get him tickets for. Next came the fun part of getting the senator to see the error of his ways.

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