Authors: Selene Chardou
DC Affairs
Book I
Selene Chardou
DC Affairs
Book 1
Copyright © 2014 Selene Chardou
All Rights Reserved.
Cover Artist: Melissa Gill (
www.facebook.com/MGbookcovers
)
ISBN: 978-1-3113-0062-1
Publisher: Midnight Engel Press, LLC
License Notes:
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Publisher’s Note:
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without express written permission from the publisher. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, resold (as a “used” e-book), stored or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This book is a work of fiction. People, places, events, and situations are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or historical events, is purely coincidental.
Join Selene. Chardou’s
Mailing List
for early notification of New Books
HERE
!
Table of Contents
Excerpt from
Covet (The Covet Duet)
Dedication
Everyone who I have ever consulted and sought help during this tumultuous time in publishing. You know who you are.
My parents: Mom and dearly departed Dad, who nurtured me on politics, taught me both sides of every debate and helped me see through all of the posturing B.S. As a true-purple Independent, I can honestly say the political system is messed up beyond all recognition but I still love a good story—and scandal—as much as the next person so don’t take this series seriously, regardless what side you sit on the isle (or if you’re smack dead in the middle like me).
All my girls in WDDR.
Others who have definitely helped me along the way and deserve a shout out are Lisa W. at Rock Wat Designs, super blogger Debbie Diprima, Kathryn Perez, Chelsea Camaron, Kim Jones, Jo Wylde, Chantal Fernando, Madeline Sheehan, Christine Zolendz, Ashley Suzanne, Karina Halle, Nicole Jacquelyn, Lisa Paul, Melissa Collins, Syreeta Jennings, Carey Heywood and everyone else who has supported me.
You all rock the Kasbah and don’t ever change.
Bisous! xoxo
DC Affairs Book 1 Playlist
“American Idiot” – Green Day
“Epic” – Faith No More
“How” – The Neighbourhood
“Jars” – Chevelle
“Points of Authority/99 Problems” – Jay-Z/Linkin Park
“Dani California” – Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Holding On For Life” – Broken Bells
“Falling Fast” – Avril Lavigne
“A Sorta Fairytale” – Tori Amos
“Gods & Monsters” – Lana Del Rey
“Paradise Circus” – Massive Attack
“I Go To Sleep” – Sia
“Say It Ain’t So” – Weezer
“Losing My Religion” – R.E.M.
“Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)” – Chevelle
“Addicted” – Saving Abel
Listen to
DC Affairs Book 1 Playlist
on Spotify!
Chapter One
Sigourney
I
could think of many better ways to spend my Friday afternoon but at the moment, my time was taken up at the Coburn Presidential Headquarters. I needed a job in the worst way, and though I’d spent over two thousand dollars on my interview outfit alone, I had a feeling it would pay off. At least, I hoped it would.
I showed up to an empty office in the heart of DC, wearing a designer royal blue shift dress, and matching suit coat. If there were others who worked there, they were conspicuously absent and this didn’t seem like an oversight on my interviewer’s part.
The young woman interviewing me had to be at least thirty-five though she still possessed youth-infused looks, shiny auburn hair and captivating pale green eyes. Her body was athletic though she had rather large breasts carefully hidden under a midnight gray designer power suit and stylish Christian Louboutins’ adorned her feet.
There was nothing about her that spelled cheap or tacky and I hoped to God I conveyed the same image to her.
She smiled ingratiatingly at me though the only reason it wasn’t a full on smirk was due to her passion and less than cynical attitude towards her boss, Governor Peter Coburn.
“Hello, I’m Kylie Miller, campaign manager for the Governor. Usually my assistant, Russell Berkeley, conducts the interviews for the Governor’s aides but since you will have a major job in the Presidential campaign, the Governor insisted I meet with you, personally.”
I smiled back and tried to leave my own snarky feelings out of it. She was a bitch but that was hardly of consequence. As long as she did her job and took me seriously, that’s what mattered.
“Sigourney Stewart,” I responded as we shook hands.
Her palms were warm and dry, her handshake firm before she let go and proceeded to turn her back on me. “We’ll speak in my office and conduct the interview there.”
“Is the Governor on site?” I inquired while I tried to keep up with her long stride. Clearly I wasn’t as practiced walking in four-inch designer heels as the campaign manager. I’d only recently graduated from university, and was much used to running from class to class in Nikes or one of my favorite pair of UGGs.
Kylie stopped walking and I barely managed to stop myself before I ran into her as she whipped around to face me. “Why do you want to know where the Governor is? Are you getting ready to bat your eyelashes and fan-girl the man? For
God’s
sake, Governor Coburn is married,
Miss
Stewart.”
“I know that, Ms. Miller.” My face flushed and I could feel a blush creep up from my neck as I tried to keep my temper in check. “I planned to do no such thing. I only wanted to meet the man. I was born and raised in Maryland, and meeting the Governor is not something that happens to me everyday. I’m sorry if I offended you, it wasn’t my intention.”
She smirked this time before she turned away from me and continued to walk. “The Governor is in Annapolis at the moment but the campaign headquarters will remain here in Washington, D.C. I hope I don’t have to explain to you
why
. This is where all the top political figures are, including President Nyongo-Rice. She has been mum about who she would like to take over for her after she finishes her eight years in 2016 but it’s a given Elaine Riley sees herself as a natural successor, merely because her husband was also President of the United States. This campaign is about continuing with Nyongo-Rice’s policies and not changing a damn thing. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Ms. Miller,” I managed to reply to her canned speech.
“Good.” She opened the door to her office and I followed her inside. She closed the door behind me as I took a seat in front of her desk. There was a seventeen-inch MacBook Pro open and her workspace was generally uncluttered. The office was cold, impersonal, without even the basic necessities there like photos or personal memorabilia.