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pass behind them. How long have they been here? Thinking about them watching her speak to the group gripped her with a mixture of pride in the way she’d held everyone’s attention and anxiety about how they might view the real Meri.
    She’d known from the beginning they’d assumed her name was Mary simply by the way they’d pronounced it. She hadn’t bothered to correct them because if nothing else, her sweet southern mama had drilled manners deep into her very being. It’s not nice to tell others they are incompetent, even if they are Merilee. And it’s good to be smarter than the people around, but you start calling attention to it and they’ll turn mean as snakes in the time it takes you to blink . It had been wonderful advice, but this was one of the few times she’d actually considered she was going to seriously regret listening to her mama.
    Answering most of the reporters’ questions had been easy because the vast majority of them had been anticipated, so she and the others easily rattled off their previously prepared answers. But when the skinny guy with the cheap toupee she’d seen Kelly talking to earlier held up his hand, Meri felt a quick sweep of fear at the knowing smirk on his face. “Ms. Lanham, our readers have been asking about your recent break-up with Senator Stevens. Can you tell us what happened between the two of you? And whether or not it was the result of a particular social affiliation?” Her mind was reeling and she knew her deer in the headlights look gave away her surprise. Recent? Is he kidding? We broke up almost a year ago ! Social affiliation? He knows about my membership at the club?
    Once her brain finally re-engaged, she gave him the smile every southern woman knows how to wield ruthlessly…the one that said, I’m going to kill you with kindness as I mow you down at the ankles with words you’ll spend days trying to unravel. “Well, it’s unfortunate you seem to have been given some awfully old news. You are asking about something that happened almost a year ago and is not even remotely connected to the reason we’re here. I’d hate to waste everyone’s time with something no one cares anything about. If you’ll call my office I’ll be happy to speak with you about your concerns.” Okay, happy was a total lie and everyone knew it, but she wasn’t going to play his game with cameras rolling all around her. Just as the jackass started to open his mouth again, she saw his eyes widen as they shifted to her left. It didn’t take her long to figure out why. Ash and Dex had positioned themselves at the side of the makeshift stage. Their mirrored stances making their intent clear, and if she hadn’t known better, she would have jumped to the same conclusion she was sure everyone else had, they were a part of her personal protection team. In fact she had often used security services when she was traveling and had hoped to talk with Micah and Jax about providing those services in the future, but she’d hesitated fearing club gossip would eventually catch up with her. Well, doesn’t look like that particular excuse is necessary now…damn and double damn.

Chapter Three
     
    Dex had gone on alert when he’d spotted Kelly Mason standing off to the side watching Meri with narrowed eyes. The woman was a straight up bitch in his opinion, and her body language fairly well shouted her disdain for Merilee Lanham. The instant the scrawny prick Dex had seen the demon-woman talking to earlier got to his feet, the hair on the back of his neck stood up as if a wave if static electricity had rolled over him. He growled, “Let’s go” under his breath and started moving forward knowing Ash was right behind him. Dex was grateful he and Ash had already moved closer to the small makeshift stage during the first part of the question and answer portion of the program. They hadn’t anticipated trouble, they had simply not wanted Ms. Lanham to slip away before they had a chance to speak