Chapter 12

Renata was having an intense meeting with Jacques and Gabe. They had a lot to cover, Jacques' recording of the meeting between the power players, Logan's latest cryptic note, and Renata's meeting with George Russell. Renata also had to fill them in on her trip to Portugal, and the paperwork she had retrieved from her father was the most important of all. Things were suddenly looking treacherous in all directions. Lee had sent her a message, urging her to exercise the utmost caution. She was in a position to take down some of the most powerful and corrupt men in a generation, and they weren't going to go quietly. Gabe was battling with the urge to somehow take her out of the equation, to send her off into hiding somewhere, even though he knew he would never be able to pull it off. This was Renata's battle before anyone else's, and she had a right to take it to the end.

Renata said, "The men in this meeting stopped just barely short of admitting everything that they've done. It's like there's just one tiny piece missing."

Gabe said, "The tape wouldn't have been admissible in court anyway."

Jacques smiled cynically. "There are a lot of ways to put it to good use besides being used in court."

Renata agreed, "Jacques is right. And I think my father's papers need to be examined a lot more closely, side by side with our copies of the ledger and the other numbers we've gathered. There's a connection that we're not quite getting."

Jacques said, "Let me take a closer look at it all. I'll run some comparisons and see what clicks. And there's still something more that I have to figure out about Elaine Howard's connection."

Renata nodded. "That sounds good. What's bugging you about Elaine?"

"It's really just a feeling. That there's something I'm missing. It might not be anything important, but I'm going to figure it out."

Gabe said, "This meeting you had with Russell is off too. I think he might be the most important player in this whole mess. He's got his fingers in everything, and I don't think he'd stop at anything to get what he wants. There's a strong possibility that he's the mastermind of it all."

Renata looked skeptical. "George? He's just a loudmouthed boor. Sure, he has money and power, but he's not that brainy."

"Don't be fooled by him. He's a lot more than you think he is, including just plain dangerous. It's best to stay out of his way. Renata, you have to watch your step more than ever. We're at the point where you're on really shaky ground. If anyone suspects you, you're in real danger. I know you have plans for getting away when the time comes, but you've got to assume that everyone you've been looking into is a real threat to you." Gabe was really agitated.

"I understand what you're saying, Gabe, I really do, but we're not making any moves until after the convention at the earliest, and I don't think anything is going to happen until we do. They don't know that they're being investigated; they don't know anything about us. I'm keeping my guard up, but there's nothing specific right now to worry about, except for whoever's leaving the damn notes." Renata was still disturbed about that.

Jacques said thoughtfully, "You know, there have been three of them now, and they've all basically said the same thing. It's looking more and more like it's just one of those kooks trying to intimidate a candidate he doesn't like."

Gabe said, "I think so too. He hasn't escalated at all."

Renata shook her head. "Something about it just really bugs me."

Jacques gathered all the paperwork he needed and rose to go. "I'm going to get out of here and lock myself into a quiet place to examine all this. I'll let you know if I find something significant."

Renata walked to the window and stood staring out at the city. Gabe watched her for a moment and then followed her, putting his hands lightly on her shoulders. She was stiff, and he gently pulled her back against his chest, his arms around her. The instant heat that coursed through her shocked her yet again. But, slowly, she relaxed against him and let out a sigh as some of the tension escaped her.

"What are you doing, Gabe?" she asked softly.

"I'm not doing anything. But you're getting into a riskier spot every day. I don't like it. Do you know what could happen if they get suspicious of you? I wish you'd get out of the city, go to the farm."

Renata made a dismissive gesture. "You know that's not possible. The convention is less than a week away. I have to get Logan through it. This is exactly what I set out to do, and I'm not going to do anything that jeopardizes it."

Gabe swore softly and then turned her to face him. "When this is over, you and I are going to have a long talk. Once it's all over, you're never going to be in a position like this again. You're never going to be in danger again."

Renata raised an eyebrow. "Is that right? Are you suggesting that you're going to have something to do with that?"

"You're damn right I am. There's something between us, no matter how much you want to deny it. And once you've put Logan Wakefield in prison, we're both going to find out exactly what it is."

For just a second, Renata let herself imagine it. "Gabe, I—"

But his mouth was on hers in a split second, and there was an electrifying jolt between them. Renata felt like her whole body had turned to jelly as his lips found hers, his tongue slipping in to explore her sweet, hot mouth. She trembled with the intensity of his kiss and found her arms around him as she melted against him. She was swept with a desire that she'd never experienced before, and she yearned for him with her whole being. When he finally drew back from her, they were both breathing hard and Renata's eyes were shocked and dark with passion. For one overwhelming instant, she was ready to run with him and let all of it go. Then reality set back in and she forced herself to step away.

"I can't do this," she said in barely more than a whisper.

"But you will. When this is over, you will."

There were sudden tears in her eyes. "Oh, Gabe. I hope you're right."

He tilted her chin up with a strong hand and gave her a short, hard kiss. "You have my word."

When Renata left, she needed to walk for a while. She headed toward home and did her best to clear her mind. Her body still felt the thrill of Gabe's touch, and she was suddenly desperately sick of the whole task she had set for herself. She'd been strong from the beginning, her plan clear and righteous. She only wanted justice, for her family and all the other people who'd been hurt. Now she wondered if she had taken on something that was too much for her. She had a right to a normal, happy life with someone she loved, not someone she despised. She walked a long stretch of blocks before she was able to defeat the doubts she was having and recapture the vision she had of setting things right. She would simply have to wait for the time to come when she could have a normal life. She just hoped that someday that time would really be hers.

***

The first day of the convention finally arrived, and the meetings went on all day, with festivities at night. Renata was more and more exhausted as Logan grew more and more excited. She thought the final day would never come, but she finally found herself dressing for the most important evening of all. It seemed a little surreal, knowing that her husband was about to accept the nomination of his party for President of the United States. When they finally stood on the stage, she felt like she was watching it all from someplace outside of her body. The cheers shook the auditorium, the noise deafening as the announcement was made.

Somehow, Renata got through the night's celebrations. When they got to the deluxe hotel suite, she thought she had never in her life been so tired. Logan was still going strong, high on the flattery he had received through the night, even throughout the entire four days of the convention. Once the door was closed behind their bodyguards, he turned to her, ready to continue his celebration in his favorite way. He poured himself a whiskey and poured a glass of champagne for her.

"No, thank you, I've had enough," Renata said.

Her husband turned to her, his eyes gleaming, and said, "It's time for us to have our own celebration. Look what we've done. I am officially a candidate for President of the United States. And you've been with me every step of the way. I know you've been moody, but all that uncertainty is over now. We can relax and enjoy it. Come here; you know what I need after a night like this."

Renata gave him a long, cool stare. "Nothing has changed, Logan. What do you think, that you can erase your fling with the news bitch? That you can erase all the words that have passed between us? That you can forget that I held a knife to your throat? You think it all goes away, just because you won?"

He gave her a predatory grin. "You're fiery and passionate; you always have been, and I've always loved it. You were pissed when you grabbed that knife. You were pissed when I fucked Elaine. I understand that, but it doesn't change anything for us. We're a team; we work great together. No matter what you say, I know what your body says when I touch you, when I fuck you. Your body loves it. You can't deny it."

Renata stared at him and couldn't keep from picturing Gabe standing at the pond, fishing. She felt a moment of absolute darkness and wondered if she had sold her soul to the devil. She was afraid that some of what he said was true. She had driven him down the path she wanted him to follow and, in return, he made her body respond to his touch even when she did everything she could to keep it from happening. She stood absolutely still, staring at the handsome, sensual face of the man she despised, the man who could bring her to a screaming orgasm, seemingly at will. And, suddenly, she was on the attack.

Logan was startled when she launched herself at him, but a moment later, he laughed in triumph and ripped her dress from the vee between her breasts all the way to the floor. She was ripping his clothes off at the same time, and in seconds, they were both naked. Renata went after him with teeth, nails, and tongue, and he responded by mauling her breasts in his hands while he thrust his tongue deep into her mouth and rocked his hips at her. His cock was rock hard, and her pussy was dripping wet as she ground her pelvis against him. She bit his tongue, making him jerk his head back. But he laughed as he fastened his mouth on one swollen nipple, suckling and biting at it.

Renata grabbed his cock and dug in her nails. That was enough to make him protest, but when she cupped his balls in her hand and tightened her fingers around him, he groaned in mingled pain and pleasure. He smacked her ass hard, and she let out a little groan of her own. Logan pulled free of her hands and turned her so he could keep slapping her ass, leaving stark, red handprints on her creamy cheeks. Renata bit his shoulder, hard, and he smacked her harder yet, as she squirmed and struggled in his grip. When he thrust his hand between her legs and rubbed her swollen, hot pussy with his fingers, she gave a strangled cry of savage, unwilling pleasure. She arched her back, and he jammed three fingers up into her, fucking her savagely with his hand.

Time seemed to stand still as Renata ground herself against her husband's hand and reached once more for his cock. He pushed her down to her knees, and she sucked him into her mouth as deeply as she could, sucking and biting. Each time she dug her teeth into him, he yanked on her hair, pulling her back but then urging her on. When she finally bit a little too deeply, he pulled her to her feet and pushed her backward until she fell back on the bed. He went after her breasts with his mouth, biting and sucking at her while he spread her legs and then lowered his head to her center. Logan sucked her hard, swollen clit into his mouth, laving it with his tongue while he fucked her with his fingers. Renata cried out as she felt the orgasm building and building. He jerked away from her just before she came.

"Oh, no, baby, not yet. You've been a bad, bad girl, and you are going to be punished."

Against her will, Renata felt the thrill at his words. He turned her over on her belly, and just a moment later, she heard him snap the belt that he had doubled. He dangled the leather over her pink buttocks, and then she heard the swish and the snap of the belt as it cracked across her ass. The pain took a second to register, but before she could gather herself, the belt snapped again. He laid a series of stripes across her ass and then carefully cracked the belt across the tender spot at the top of her thighs. Renata cried out and fisted the sheets in her hands. And, at the same time, her juices ran, and her pussy throbbed with exquisite pleasure.

Logan laid on a few more strokes, and then he couldn't wait any longer. He grasped her hips and pulled her up to her knees, pressing his cock against her dripping pussy. Renata gasped when he slid it down, back and forth over her clit. There was nothing in her world but the sensation, the mix of pain and pleasure. She thought she might be ready to die soon, the feeling was so overwhelming. When her husband finally rammed himself into her, she bit into the bed sheets to keep from screaming. He pumped into her in a frenetic rhythm, their bodies slapping together, slicked with sweat, faster and faster. Renata's pleasure grew, fueled by the pain, and when he finally drove her into an orgasm, she let the scream go, jerking in spasms of pleasure. Logan lasted for a few more thrusts, and then he threw back his head in a bellow of triumph as he emptied himself inside her, jerking with the intensity of his climax.

Renata gasped for breath, and a moment later, Logan dropped onto her, panting with the aftermath of his own orgasm. Renata pushed at him, and he rolled a little to the side to take some of his weight off her. When his breathing slowed enough that he could speak, he said, "Jesus, baby, that was the best ever. What a fucking night!"

Renata pushed at him again and said, "Get off me. I need something to drink."

He moved over enough to let her up and watched her as she poured a generous amount of whiskey in a glass.

"Pour one for me too, baby."

Without a word, she poured another one and handed it to him. He took a gulp of the whiskey and then said, "See, baby? This is why we're such a good team. We're a perfect match."

Renata stared at him impassively, and the thought crossed her mind that if he went to prison for any less than life, she would prefer to kill him herself, disemboweling him with the hunting knife just as she had dreamed so many times. She wondered if she had gone so far down the darkness of the road she was following that she would never be able to be anything close to a normal person again. She tossed back the whiskey, longing to shut off her brain. When she stood under the steaming water of the shower, she finally let herself go, weeping like a child until the tears were drained from her and she was too exhausted for her thoughts to continue.