President Daddy: A Dark Daddy Romance

by Hamel, B. B.

  I laugh angrily. “So you’re blackmailing me now?”

  “No,” she says. “I’m trying to help you.”

  “You’re not,” I say. “If you wanted to help me, you wouldn’t be here, trying to force me to talk. You wouldn’t use these pictures against me.” I lean over the table. “This isn’t about me. This is about you.”

  She stares at me. “Maggie, you don’t understand.”

  “You don’t understand,” I snap back. “I’m not in trouble. I don’t need your help. This witch hunt you’re on has to stop. Leave Adam alone.”

  Her expression softens into pity and I want to rip her teeth out.

  “Adam?” she says softly.

  I lean toward her. “Leave the President alone.”

  “You know I can’t do that. Honestly, you have to know.”

  I shake my head and stand. My untouched coffee rattles. “If you had any decency, you wouldn’t print those pictures. You wouldn’t print anything about any of this.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way,” she says, and I believe she means it. “This isn’t how I wanted any of this to go down.”

  I stare for a second longer before shaking my head and walking away.

  I hurry back to my apartment. The whole time, I picture someone following me, taking my picture. I’m practically freaking out by the time I get inside. I lock my door and sit down on the couch before bursting into tears.

  I cry like a baby. I feel like a baby. I hate that this is happening. I hate myself for being so pathetic.

  But what Linda said…

  He’s abandoning me.

  The thought hits me so hard I can barely breathe.

  He knows about Linda’s article. He knows she plans on publishing.

  And he didn’t tell me.

  Instead, he started firing his whole staff, looking for the leak. He’s panicking, or he’s angry, but either way he’s not talking to me. I’m cast aside.

  I’m honestly surprised he didn’t fire me, too.

  I feel broken. I feel like a silly little girl.

  I thought we had something real. Maybe we couldn’t be public yet, maybe not until after he’s out of office. But I thought what we had was real enough to last until then, and much longer.

  I still feel that way about him. That’s the part I hate the most.

  I still love him.

  The thought drives me crazy. I’m so sad and pathetic.

  I’m in love with the President, and I was stupid enough to think he’d love me back.

  Maybe Linda’s right.

  Maybe I am just another victim.

  I wish he’d call. I wish he’d talk to me.

  Instead, all I get is silence, and I can feel myself breaking apart.

  18

  Adam

  More than half my staff gone. The whole world fucking talking about it.

  And I still don’t feel good. I don’t feel safe.

  I don’t feel anything.

  I stare out the window of my bedroom, looking out at the city. I shut my eyes, try to banish all thoughts from my mind, but I can’t help it.

  I keep thinking about her.

  Maggie. Her voice, her lips, her tongue, her skin. Everything about her.

  Her vision for the future, her work ethic. Her brilliant mind.

  I’m supposed to be staying away from her. When the Linda story drops, things are going to be bad for both of us. I can protect her, but only if I have the discipline to stay away from her from now on.

  I hate it. I despise it.

  I miss her like hell.

  Fixing my tie, I head out into the main hallway. Ramirez falls in behind me, the only man left from my original security detail.

  Every day, I wonder when Linda is going to publish that story. Every day I expect it, but nothing happens.

  Charles meets me at the foot of the stairs. “Good morning, sir,” he says.

  “Good morning,” I say.

  He follows along as we head to the Oval Office. He gives me a rundown of meetings, of people I’ll be seeing, decisions that need to be made.

  I’m the leader of the free world, or at least that’s what people say. Really, I’m a prisoner.

  I can’t live the life I want to live. I’m trapped in this job.

  The worst part is, I know she’s so close. I could walk to her office right now, talk to her, touch her, smell her hair, hear her laugh. I could be there in just a few minutes.

  But it’s like we’re a world apart. People move around the halls, smile at me, step away quietly. They act like I’m about to rip them into pieces.

  I guess I’m not surprised. My own staff is afraid of me now that I’ve torn everything apart.

  “Adam?” Charles asks.

  I frown at him. “Sorry, did I miss something?”

  He grunts, shaking his head. “You’re distracted.”

  “I always am.”

  We step into the Oval Office. It’s mercifully empty for once.

  I walk over to my desk, the symbol of my office. I don’t want to get anywhere near it.

  “You’re thinking about her.”

  I look back at him, surprised. “What?”

  “You’re thinking about Maggie. I’ve noticed a change in you.”

  I frown slightly. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Ever since this all happened, you’ve been thinking about her. But you’ve been different. Like you’ve lost the energy for the job.”

  I shake my head. “I still have plenty of energy, Charles.”

  “No, sir, you don’t.” He steps toward me. “Listen, Adam. As a friend. You should go talk to that journalist.”

  I stare at him, clearly surprised. “What?”

  “Go talk to her. Explain to her what you’ve been doing with Maggie. She’ll see… I know she’ll see.”

  “See what?”

  He smiles at me. A rare thing from Charles. “That you’re in love with the girl.”

  I blink, not sure what to say.

  Charles watches me carefully, his smile getting bigger.

  “I don’t know—” I start saying, but he cuts me off.

  “Come on, Adam. Enough bullshit. I thought that girl was going to be bad for you, bad for the country. I thought she was going to confuse you, distract you, keep you from doing good, but…” He shakes his head. “She energized you. Made you stronger. Smarter. Without her…”

  “But love—”

  He laughs again. “Come on. Are you still in denial?”

  I stare at him and slowly shake my head. “No. I’m not.”

  “Good. Go after her.”

  He’s right.

  I know he’s right.

  I’ve been thinking it for a while now.

  No, I’ve been feeling it.

  Maybe I haven’t admitted it to myself. I haven’t let myself see the truth, see what was right in front of me.

  It’s so obvious. I bet everyone knows but me.

  I’m in love with her. I’m in love with Maggie.

  I haven’t felt like this in a long time. Not since my wife and son died. I haven’t been able to let myself. And maybe I didn’t realize what was happening.

  But this is it. This is real.

  I fell in love with Maggie, and now I can’t stop it.

  As if I’d want to.

  “Clear my schedule,” I tell him. “And get that journalist on the line. I want to talk to her.”

  “Very good, sir,” he says, grinning.

  “Face to face. Have her come in if you can.”

  “I will, sir.”

  “And Charles—”

  “Don’t thank me until you have the girl.”

  I laugh, shake my head, and head into the Oval Office, my heart feeling lighter than I’ve felt in a long, long time.

  * * *

  Linda Torres looks at me from overtop her glasses, a slight frown on her face.

  “What are you saying, Mr. President?” she asks.

  “
I’d like to talk to you about Maggie,” I say again.

  “Are you admitting that there’s a relationship between the two of you?”

  I sigh. “Listen, Linda. Can we speak off the record?”

  She hesitates, but nods. She reaches into her bag and turns off a recorder she had in there.

  I’m not surprised. I assumed she was recording everything. I mean, she wouldn’t be a great journalist if she weren’t.

  She raises an eyebrow expectantly.

  I sit back in my chair. I know this is a huge risk. Whatever I say now will affect the future of my presidency.

  More than that. It’ll affect the future of my life.

  Everything I am, everything I love, hinges on this moment. If I do it wrong, if Linda doesn’t react the way I think she will, it can all go to hell. Everything I’ve ever wanted, completely gone.

  “I’m in love with her,” I say.

  She blinks, surprised. “Excuse me?”

  “Maggie. I’m in love with her.” I sigh and smile. “God, that feels good to say. You’re the first person I’ve actually said that to, did you know that?”

  She stares at me like I’ve lost my fucking mind.

  Hell, she’s not wrong. She’s a journalist investigating me for having an inappropriate relationship with a much younger staffer. This could completely destroy me.

  And I’m admitting to it. More than that, I’m admitting that I’m in love with her.

  I bet this has never happened in the history of the country.

  She takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. “I don’t know what to think about that, sir,” she says finally.

  I nod a little. I suddenly feel so fucking tired.

  “I don’t either, honestly,” I admit. “I know we can’t really have a future. Not really, not right now at least. If this got out, it would ruin both of us. She’d get it worse than me. I mean, look at Monica Lewinsky.”

  Linda winces. “Yes, well.”

  “Bill Clinton is a rich and powerful politician still. He makes shitloads running around the world, giving speeches. But Monica Lewinsky is just remembered for all those sordid details. Her life was ruined.”

  Linda looks away. “That’s not what I want.”

  “I know it isn’t,” I say softly. “I honestly believe you have Maggie’s best interests at heart. I’ve looked into you, and you’ve done some really good work.”

  She looks back up at me. “I’ve heard this sort of thing before, you know. From men just like you.”

  “Really?” I’m genuinely surprised. “They’ve told you that they’re in love?”

  She hesitates. “No. Not that. Not exactly that.”

  “I am in love,” I say again. The words feel so good on my tongue that I laugh a little bit. “I really do love her, Linda. It’s stupid and insane, but I do.”

  She’s silent for a moment. “How does she feel?”

  “I don’t know,” I admit. “I think she feels the same, but we haven’t talked about it. We haven’t really been able to.” I clench my jaw for a second, looking away. “I thought… I thought I could forget about her. I thought I could move on.”

  “But here you are,” she says.

  “Here I am. I’m exhausted, stupid, and in love. And I’m at your mercy now.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “I know.” I lean forward on my desk, rubbing at my eyes. “It’s a messed up situation. You don’t know me, you don’t know what my intentions are. But I hope this… I hope you’re willing to see this for what it is.”

  “And what is that?”

  “I’m trying to win the woman I love. I want to be with her, Linda. For real.”

  She just shakes her head again. “I’m sorry. I can’t really believe this.”

  “If you run that story, it’ll never happen. I’ll not only lose whatever political capital I have, effectively ending my presidency, but I’ll lose the woman I love. I’d rather lose my job than Maggie.”

  She stares at me. “Do you really mean that?”

  “Yes,” I say softly.

  “Then go public.”

  I sit there, watching her for a second. “Are you serious?”

  “I’m serious.” She leans forward suddenly, eyes fierce. “If you love that girl, tell the world. Admit to it, be honest. Don’t hide behind your power like so many other men before you have.”

  “What about my privacy?”

  “You don’t get privacy anymore.” She sighs, shakes her head. “If you want me to believe this, go public. Prove it to me. Prove you love her.”

  I slowly sink back into my chair.

  It’s an impossible choice. I know what she’s asking me to do, but worse, I think she knows it, too.

  If I go public, I’ll lose it all. I’ll be a laughingstock. Even if people believe me, and they really might not, I’ll still be that pervy old President that fell in love with a younger woman. They’ll think I’m pathetic.

  They won’t understand. Healthcare reform will be dead and gone.

  “Okay,” I say. “But I have to ask her first.”

  She smiles slightly. “Good. That’s what I was hoping you’d say.”

  She pushes her chair back and slowly stands up. I watch as she turns away and hesitates.

  “Go public, Mr. President. Tell the world how you feel. Because if you don’t…” She trails off and shrugs. “Good luck, sir.”

  “Thank you, Linda.”

  She leaves my office and I sit there, completely wrecked, completely stunned.

  But there’s a sliver of hope.

  Maybe my presidency will be a failure. Maybe I won’t get to achieve any of the things I set out to achieve. I’ll have to settle for lesser measures, half steps on the road to a better country.

  But if I do this, at least I might not lose Maggie. Otherwise, if I just let this story run, it’ll doom her and I’ll never let myself get over it.

  I know what I have to do. The answer is obvious, even if it means giving up something incredibly important.

  I may never get another chance at this. I may never get it back.

  But it doesn’t matter. I’ve made my decision, and I have to follow through.

  19

  Maggie

  I keep waiting for the world to come crashing down around me.

  That article is going to come out sooner or later. Linda Torres is going to ruin Adam’s presidency, and it’s going to be all my fault.

  I hate myself for it. I hate that Adam isn’t speaking to me.

  I’m so angry, I can barely speak. I can barely do my job.

  It’s like I’m in a fog. I come into the office and drift through the day, barely able to focus on anything. Iris tries to talk to me at first, but I barely even acknowledge her.

  I don’t want to get up for lunch. I don’t want to talk on the phone. I just want to sit at my desk and sulk.

  “Maggie?”

  I glance over my shoulder. Roger’s standing there, looking concerned.

  He’s probably about to fire me.

  “What?”

  He winces. “Maggie, someone’s here to see you.”

  I frown. “Who?”

  “The President is waiting in my office for you.”

  I stare at him. I half stand, sit back down. “What?”

  “The President. He wants to see you in my office.”

  I shake my head. “That’s not possible.”

  “He’s really in there. Please, don’t keep him waiting.”

  I stand up slowly and look past Roger, down the hall, and into his office.

  Sure enough, Adam’s in there, sitting at the edge of the desk.

  I take a step closer, glance at Roger. He nods at me.

  “Go ahead,” he says.

  I turn away and walk down the hall. I open the office door and step inside.

  Adam’s sitting there. My Adam, my President, my Daddy. He’s all alone.

  His smile almost hurts.

  I
shut the door behind me.

  “Thanks for coming,” he says softly.

  “Of course, sir.”

  He winces at that. “Maggie, listen—”

  “No, you listen,” I say suddenly, glaring at him. “You abandoned me. You stopped talking to me, started firing everyone. It scared the hell out of me. I didn’t know why you were ignoring me, why you were getting rid of your staff, what was going on. You abandoned me, Adam.”

  I take a step toward him. I can see pain on his face, clear in his eyes.

  “I’m so sorry I made you feel that way,” he says. “I never wanted this to happen.”

  “Then why? Why put me through all of this?”

  “I thought I was doing what was right,” he says softly. “But I was being a coward. I was making the wrong choice.”

  “What choice?” I ask.

  “Linda Torres. I was distancing myself from you. I thought if I could do that, maybe I could protect you when the story came out about us.”

  I blink. “There was nothing you could do,” I say.

  “Actually, you’re wrong.” He cocks his head. “I can tell the world that I’m in love with you.”

  I stand there, very still, for what feels like a long time. His words slowly reverberate along my spine.

  “In… love with me?” I finally manage to say.

  He stands up from the desk, steps closer to me. “I love you, Maggie. I’ve loved you from the start. My only mistake in all this was not telling you sooner.”

  I stare at him, unable to feel my own hands. My heart’s beating so fast, I might throw up, might pass out.

  “Are you okay?” he asks, looking concerned.

  “I love you too,” I blurt out.

  He grins, comes closer. I throw myself at him.

  He grabs me, pulls me against him, and kisses me.

  I know the office can see it. He knows it, too. But clearly, he doesn’t care.

  I love him. I’ve loved him from the start, and he loves me too. I feel like everything I’ve been thinking, been working toward, suddenly clicks into place. Everything I’ve been feeling is real. Everything I’ve been thinking is real.

  I love him, and he loves me.

  We slowly break off the kiss, the best kiss of my life. I look into his eyes.

  “I’m still annoyed with you,” I say softly.