Chief of Staff. Josephus backed out of the r

with the weight of global power. Price took off his

low, exhausted rumble. He gestured to the cr

y, she reached up and unbuttoned the top of the cashmere coat. She

ised knees. But that wasn't what she wanted him to see. S

a thick, jagged mass of scar

dilated. His

k of a sniper rifle. Eloise had shoved him down,

clear and cold in the quiet room. "They say the PTSD from this bullet

of his own survival. "Eloise. I owe you my life. You kn

d and signed by you. Tonight. I want absolute, unchallengeable autonomy over my personal t

That's a family matter. The White House cannot legally inte

d to marry Bradyn Chandler, my mental health will rapidly deteriorate. I might become so unstable that I call a press conference. I might start talking about th

ession hardening into a mask of pure, calculating ruthlessness.

t pounded against her ribs, but her eyes remained dead and unyiel

broke. The ruthless politician faded, replaced b

out a sheet of heavy cardstock bearing the Pr

s the only sound in the room. Eloise's locked muscle

ersonal seal into the hot wax at the bottom of the page, folded

it. The pape

ched down and unlocked the bottom drawer of his desk. He pulled

e ope

bore the Presidential Seal on one side and a Latin inscription on the

dential priority. Presenting it is equivalent to my direct, unchallengeable order. It doesn't just mobilize the Secret Service; it grants you dir

. The physical weight of the coin anchored he

n on his intercom. "A

n a tailored suit stepped in. His eyes were col

to her estate. You will ensure her physical and financial autonomy is

es, Mr. President." He turned to Elois

, wrapping it around her shoulders. She didn't look back at the