Page 41 of Lessons in Power
The president was in surgery. There was no way of knowing if he’d make it out alive. Whoever was calling Ivy right now, she needed to pick up.
After a split second of hesitation, Ivy did as I said.
“Georgia. How is he?” Ivy turned and walked out of the room before I could get a sense of Georgia’s reply. After a long moment, I turned back to Bodie.
“Take another drink,” he advised.
“Very funny.” I took a gulp of my hot chocolate instead. “Do they have any idea who shot the president?” I hadn’t wanted to ask Ivy, but now that it was just Bodie and me, I couldn’t keep the question back.
Bodie didn’t respond, but his eyes betrayed the answer.Ivyhad an idea, one that—if it weren’t for me—she’d be following up on right now.
“Does she think this has something to do with Senza Nome?” I asked. “The group that targeted Walker Nolan, the group Daniela Nicolae works for—does Ivy think they’re involved?”
Before Bodie could answer—or tell me to stop asking questions—Ivy walked back into the room.
“The president is out of surgery,” she said, her voice strangled. “There was a lot of damage. They don’t know if …” She shook her head, shaking off an unwanted rush of emotion the way a dog shakes water off its fur.
“Go,” I said, meeting Ivy’s eyes and nodding toward the door. “Whatever Georgia needs, whatever she called to ask you to do—just go.”
Ivy hesitated. She didn’t want to leave, but we both knew she couldn’t stay here, holding my hand, when the stakes were this high.
“Bodie can keep you company,” Ivy said after a moment. “I’ll drive myself.”
Ivy wasn’t known for her driving prowess—and given that we were talking about anassassination attempt, I didn’t want her out there alone.
“Don’t be stupid, Ivy. Take Bodie with you.”
She bristled. “Tessie, I’m not leaving you alone after what you’ve been through today.”
I didn’t tell Ivy my name wasTess, notTessie.I didn’t tell her I could take care of myself.
“I’ll call Vivvie,” I countered instead. “She was born to slumber party. We’ll be fine.”
Ivy was quiet for a second, maybe two, as she turned that possibility over in her head. “I love you,” she said. “More than anything. You know that, right?”
“Sure.” I didn’t want those words to affect me the way they did. I didn’t want them to mean that much. I didn’t want them to hurt.
“I mean it, Tessie. If it came down to the rest of the world or you, I would pick you every single time.”
Tears I’d kept at bay all day stung my eyes. “Be careful,” I told her, my voice fierce.
She ran her hand over my hair one last time, then turned and walked to the door, her heels clicking a steady beat against the marble floor. “I always am.”
CHAPTER 29
“I would ask if you’re okay, but at this point, that seems a little passé.” Vivvie gave me a very small smile. Seconds ticked by, and she just couldn’t help herself. “Are you okay?” she blurted out.
“Yeah,” I said. “I’m okay.”
Vivvie peered at me. “Does that mean that you’re actually okay, or that you’re stoically projecting that you will be okay at some undefined point in the future?”
I bit back a smile. Vivvie was Vivvie, no matter the circumstances. “Probably the second one,” I admitted.
“You do stoic well,” Vivvie told me. “Does Stoic Tess want to talk about it or not want to talk about it?” After a second or two, she answered her own question. “Not talk about it,” she said, translating the expression on my face. “I can do that.” She paused. “Just to clarify, doesitinclude the attack on the president? Or just …”
She didn’t say John Thomas’s name.
“Ivy’s out there right now, doing who knows what,” I said. Not thinking—and not talking—about the attack on the president wasn’t an option. I could only suppress so much. “She got a call from the First Lady,” I continued.
