Page 147 of Brutal Kingdom

“Is the woman suing your son for invasion of privacy and has law enforcement spoken to him about predatory behavior? Sources say this isn’t the first time he’s done something like this.”

My hands clench at my side as the questions become more and more intrusive. Lies. All lies and I hate that my dad has to hear them and refute them. I did this. It’s my fault, so I stand and be a dutiful son. Waiting for my turn. Waiting to say the words that will fix it.

“My son is not a predator. Again, this was a totally consensual relationship.”

“Then why hasn’t the woman been identified or come forward to defend him?”

I step forward, as my dad slides over, giving me a clear path to the microphone. We’ve rehashed what I would say, and this is the moment they’ve all been waiting for.

I clear my throat before speaking, raise my chin, and with a strong clear voice, I say, “Out of respect for my partner and her family, we have agreed to keep her name and identity private. This is a very difficult time for her and they have other areas of concern that we didn’t want publicized. The story that’s circulating is incorrect, so I would like to take a moment to set things straight.”

I pause, looking out over the crowd, making sure I have everyone’s attention. “The video did not capture me engaging in a random hookup with a high school student. The location may have been in a park close to the high school campus, but we are both consenting adults. I did not film or agree to the filming of this interlude, and as my father said, when we find out the identity of the guilty party, we will be pressing charges.”

“Sounds like you’re saying you were being followed by a PI. Was the woman married?”

Another part of my unproven past coming back to bite me in the ass. “She is not married, and yes, I believe I was being followed by a private investigator or a very determined journalist.”

“For what reason?”

I lock eyes with the person who asked the question. “Why do people ever do things like this?”

“Blackmail?”

I let the question hang in the air for a second. “That would be a detail that I am unable to discuss as it falls under the ongoing investigation into the video’s origin.”

“Can we go back to the identity of the woman? How is she so isolated when you’re in front of the cameras? Are you sure she’s not the one responsible for this?”

I close my eyes, silently asking Jordanna for forgiveness for what I’m about to do. I open them, and look over at my dad, gathering the strength I need to finish this. Addressing the crowd, I say, “I can assure you my fiancé is just as devastated as I am about this betrayal.”

“Did you say fiancé?”

“Who is it?”

The questions blend together. “As my father has mentioned, she and her family have been going through an unexpected transition this year, so I will not be divulging her name. It will be up to her if and when she comes forward.”

I look to the left and say, “I’ll take one last question.”

“Any truth to the rumor that your fiancé is Isabelle Lance?”

I take a deep breath. This is it. The question we expected. It’s go time. The final hurdle I have to climb to get back on top.

Someone else says, “Perhaps you didn’t hear my colleague, Mr. McKay, so I’ll repeat the question for him. Is there any truth to the rumor that your fiancé is Isabelle Lance?”

She’s in the wings waiting. Just one word and this whole nightmare can be behind me.

“Son?” I hear my dad prompt. I open my mouth, but I’m unable to speak the words.

My dad steps over and ends the press conference. We depart the podium and I see half the journalists quickly disperse. Probably heading to the garage to catch me off guard. Our lawyer follows behind me, talking a mile a minute on his phone, having to put out the fucking forest fire I just created.

He’s probably saying, of course it’s happening. This was just to maintain the anonymity angle a little longer. I head towards the executive elevator, when the doors to the regular elevator hiss open behind me. Time slows as I watch Jordanna step into the hall, flanked by Tabitha and Kassidy, with Graham bringing up the rear.Shit, this is it.

I follow behind her, knowing this is the moment I’ve really been afraid of. She’s going to out me for all the shit I’ve done to her over the last year and there won’t be any coming back from it. I leave my group and follow her to the small conference room on the left. She steps behind the podium, looking so goddamn beautiful and poised. Like an angel. But I know, I feel it in my bones, she’s about to rain fire and damnation down on me.

“Thank you for giving me a few moments of your time. As a fellow journalist, I know how busy you all are. Of course, it’s on a much grander scale than what we deal with at my tiny college paper.”

They all chuckle.

“I know you’ve just had a huge press conference, but I thought a more intimate setting would be appropriate for this one.”

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