Page (Mitt Romney x OC)

Chapter 12

"Gwen, what-"

"Shut up!" She snarled. Her fists were clenched as she stalked towards me. "I know what you did! This time you can't hide behind that pathetic Senator." She grabbed me by my shirt collar and dragged me closer. "This isn't over," she spat. "You may have some of the evidence but not all of it. You can't prove anything."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked, trying to buy more time and get her talking. She whirled and stalked away a few paces for a moment, and as she did I slipped my phone out of my pocket and started recording.

"Shut up." she hissed and backhanded me. I let out a little cry, startled, and stumbled back. "Did he tell you which way he was going to vote?" Gwen grabbed my hands and pinned them behind my back. I twisted, trying to escape her grip but she didn't let go, pressing me against the bricks.

"Who?" I played dumb, stopped resisting. 

"Romney. He talks to you. Did. He. Tell. You." 

"No! What the fuck?" I snapped. "Gwen, seriously-" 

She just shoved me down and I bit back a groan at the pain flaring from my shoulder where I hit the ground. She started pacing as I sat up against the wall. "I know you heard me at the gala. The only reason-" she whirled. "The only reason you're doing this is because I said Romney would be persuaded."

"I'm doing this because I don't want another goddamn interference in our elections!" I retorted. "I'm not that fucking shallow!" She turned again and I dialed Romney's number as quickly as I could as she turned back to me. I moved quickly, making noise to mask his voice. The recording was still going. 

She grabbed my collar again, eyes furious. "Does he have the computer?" she shouted. I pressed my lips together and looked her dead in the eyes. I won't tell you a damn thing. She shoved me and my head hit the wall.  

"Shit," I hissed, pain racing through my veins. 

"You know what? I'm done! I'm fucking done with you!" Gwen shouted. "Start talking. Everything you know about what you saw on that computer. Now!" 

"Make me!" I taunted. Bad idea. She lifted her shirt and pulled a pistol from her waistband. She aimed it between my eyes. 

"I will shoot you if you don't talk." She said, voice very calm now. "So start." 

"You're fucking crazy." 

"You wanted to play tough. You didn't talk when I was nice, now talk. I have no problems blowing your brains out." She said.

"How did you know I'd be here?" I demanded. 

"Where are you always?" she snorted. "If you're not at your place you're on the Hill or here. Now. I've given you enough time. I've let you stall. Does he have the laptop or not, Asher?" 

I swallowed down my fear and silently begged Romney to do something before she did something and we couldn't expose her and her team. "I'm not saying." 

She gritted her teeth. "This is your life on the line," she hissed. "I can search for the computer, because either you have it or he does. Maybe I should just shoot you where you stand." 

"Fuck you," I spat. Then I saw, over her shoulder, Senator Romney and two men in security uniforms coming towards us. I let out a breath. Thank fuck.  

"Ms. Woods. Put down the gun and step away." His voice carried, cold and professional. I saw him disconnect the call as I pressed myself further against the bricks. She didn't put the gun down, she grabbed me and flung me away from the wall, hand grasping at the back of my neck. Gwen put the barrel of the gun to the back of my head, forcing me to kneel, hands behind my back. Head down. Silence. 

A cop car screamed to a halt before us. I felt the gun press harder into my head and I winced. Stay still. She could still shoot you. The officers move the senator and security out of the way, surrounding Gwen and I. A crowd was starting to form and I looked up through my hair to find Romney staring at us. I gritted my teeth to stop tears, I was frozen to the spot. Don't. Move. 

"Put the gun down!" One officer yelled. I flinched, hard, as someone from the crowd yelled for Gwen to stop. She didn't. I couldn't see her face, hands behind my back, but I imagined she wasn't scared at all. Calmly holding the gun to my head, no disregard for anyone else around her. 

The barrel of the gun left my head as an officer hurtled forward, tasering Gwen. She collapsed, the gun went off as it hit the ground and I clenched my teeth to keep from screaming. The crowd started shouting, someone reached out for me, yelling, asking if she'd shot me. It was all happening so fast, I couldn't register the sound of the shot. It all became white noise. I turned to see the officer putting her in handcuffs. My breathing came in quick, sharp bursts, and a cop came over to help me up, asking me if I was alright. My eyes searched the crowd, my heart racing in my ears. I felt empty. So numb. 

I saw Senator Romney a few feet away. My knees were water and I staggered, my elbow jerking free of the cop's grip and I went crashing to the sidewalk- until I wasn't. Someone grabbed me as I fell, catching me before I could hit the ground. I looked up and saw his bright brown eyes, it all seemed to melt away around us. And for a moment I couldn't register who he was. I blinked and took a shuddering breath, swallowing down my panic and fear. 

"Ash," he whispered. 

You wanted to play tough. 

"Ash." 

Persuaded. 

Where else are you? 

Where am I? 

My eyes slid shut.