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"Right, because you’re standing in the office of someone who started and made successful several technology companies through hard work, and dedication, Ms. Ling," I say rolling my eyes. "You may not agree with our Western ideas of individuality and self-worth, but you sure do know how to copy the good things we come up with and then try to undercut us."
Tina says nothing to me, just stares.
"Women should know when to speak in society, Ms. Hawthorne," she says icily. I can see she’s mad. "Even Senators."
"Or what?" I ask, my nostrils flaring. Who does this bitch think she is?
"Or else the world might start to take notice of their…peculiarities," she says simply, staring me in the eyes.
Is she threatening me? My peculiarities?
"If you mean the fact that I’m as strong as any man and I enjoy sex," I say to her smiling sweetly. "Take a number and get in line, because others have tried to take me down for a long time. You’re not the first, hun."
"But I’ll be the last," she says and turns away. I honestly don’t know how to respond and I decide to hold my tongue.
I watch as she gives Carter a knowing nod and exists the room.
"What the hell was that all about?" I ask Carter as soon as Tina is gone. Once the Mayor of Shanghai is gone, I feel like I can speak candidly.
"I told you, it's nothing," he says looking away.
"That was certainly something."
"You're overacting. It was just a misunderstanding," he shrugs and then turns to me. "And what was that with you two? Like watching two predators circle over each other."
"Just protecting you, Governor," I say, trying to get off the topic.
"I don’t need protecting, Senator," Carter answers back, puffing out his chest. Just looking at his broad shoulders and the way he fills out that suit gets me a little wet.
"Bullshit. It's not a misunderstanding if you saw something with your own two eyes. Give me a break. I never thought you were so gullible."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Did you see the way she was looking at you? Like a tiger eyeing her prey. And don't look surprised. Be honest with me. What's really going on?"
I watch as Carter replaces his tie and straightens it back into place. He now looks completely different from how I found him. It really is as if nothing happened, and I'm taken aback by how striking his frame looks in that tailored suit. Why am I just now noticing this?
"Listen, Tina Ling is just trying to help."
"By taking her shirt off for you?" I
smirk.
"No, with Liam Jeffries."
Now I'm really intrigued. "What's Liam got to do with this?" I ask.
"You know as well as I do that he's gone rogue."
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean that he's making brash and impulsive decisions with no regard to environmental legislature. Sure, he's winning over the hearts and minds of the people, but what about the environmental impact? We need to stop thinking simply about the present. I know that we are talking about 10,000 jobs and I'm not trying to minimize the importance of that, but just think about the environmental impact of those five factories that he's proposing—air and water pollution worse than anything the city of New Kingston has ever known. With those five factories being built in close proximity to New York City—homes and schools—the people of New Kingston will be subjected to unhealthy levels of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Have you ever seen kids get sick because their water was poisoned? Or elderly people with asthma and lung cancer that doesn’t happen from smoking?"
"And so what does Tina Ling have to do with any of this?"
"Bottom line? She agrees with me. She doesn't believe that Liam should be running wild with no regard for the law," Carter says. "And she’s at least offering me some help."
"Because Liam told the papers that you could go fuck yourself?" I ask, unable to help myself.
