Page 37 of The Last Affair
“He had some kind of tech failure this morning, so I called Major and Chaz. They’ve been working all day to track the IP address and get us the name of the owner.” He was trying to keep the cool he was known for, trying to let this play out the way it needed to so he could get to the desired result. It was hard. He wanted to punch somebody, but he didn’t know who, and then he wanted to scold himself for making the same mistake over and over again and not listening to anyone who’d tried to warn him about the way he dealt with the press. His jaw hurt from clenching it so tight each time he thought about how insane this situation was. The woman mentioned in the blackmailing emails and who he suspected was narrating that video—which he now knew had been viewed over a million times—was a liar. He’d definitely dated her. There were pictures of them in the video that could prove it, but he’d never slept with her—a fact she wasn’t thrilled about in the end. He wasn’t the father of her child.
“We found the IP address, and Chaz has his people working on getting us the name and location now,” Major said.
“So all we can do is wait? This thing is spreading like a virus. You’re gonna have to make a statement. Tell them about the blackmail attempt and that the paternity thing is all a lie. Dad’s already called the lawyers, so they’re standing by ready to go after whoever’s behind this.” When it came to family scandals, RJ was just like their father. He went into action immediately, doing any and everything he could to protect his family first, the company second.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Maurice said, dragging his hands down his face. And of all times for it to happen, why now? Why when he’d finally realized the player lifestyle he’d adopted because he didn’t think he deserved real love and happiness was a total mistake? When he’d just found Des.
Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pressure in his chest at the thought of how she’d react when she got wind of this. How long before she saw the video and came storming down to his office to curse him out?
“Okay, let’s just all calm down. We’re actively working on the situation. As soon as we get a name and an address, we’ll be able to get the ball rolling toward prosecution. And this will all blow over just like the other failed attacks against us,” Major interjected.
Opening his eyes and sitting up straighter in his chair, Maurice nodded. He believed every word Major had said, but those weren’t his only worries. “I gotta tell Des.”
“You mean you haven’t told her about this yet?” The stunned tone in RJ’s voice caught his attention, and he looked over to where his older brother stood. “I thought that was some kind of code for you people in love, that you had to tell each other everything.”
“I never said anything about being in love,” Maurice countered, but his temples throbbed as if to reject the words. He stood from his chair and started to pace, something he never did.
Major shook his head. “Did you think you had to? You haven’t been like this with a woman since India.”
RJ slipped both hands into the front pockets of his pants, his brows lifting. Chaz was still in the corner of the office with his back turned to them while he talked on the phone.
“If you’re not in love with her, why risk sleeping with someone so close to all of us with the intent of walking away from her like you do every other woman? What’s going to happen when this is over? How are the two of you going to continue to work here?” RJ asked way too many questions.
“Des isn’t every other woman, and how we deal with our relationship is our business.” After this, he prayed they’d still have a relationship. Hadn’t he been trying his best to show her he wasn’t like her ex? He’d told himself a million times that he’d never hurt her, not the way he knew that guy Gordon had. Now, because of him and his reputation, she was part of a paternity-suit scandal gone viral.
“It is your business, but you’re our brother,” Major told him. “What happens to you happens to us. That’s why we’re all sitting here now.”
“Got it!” Chaz yelled, clapping his phone in the palm of his hand. “IP address is out of Virginia and belongs to a Travis Milhouse. I called the detective who helped us out with that ex-employee who helped steal designs, and he’s doing a search on the name right now.”
“See, we’re going to get to the bottom of this,” Major said.
Maurice walked back behind his desk. He didn’t sit in the chair but placed his hands on the back of it, squeezing as he continued trying to hold in his rage.
RJ moved from where he was standing close to the door and stopped beside the chair Major sat in. “Good. Now, it’s time for damage control.”
“I’ll make a statement.” Maurice nodded. “A written one for now, and we’ll get it out to all outlets. A presser can come later.”
“I think we should probably do the presser sooner, Maurice,” RJ said. “We have to get ahead of this. Think about our stocks. The customers. The overseas buyers. Riley’s wedding.”
Maurice pushed his chair back and stood, rubbing his hands down the back of his head as impatience rushed through his body.
“I’ve already got my team working on getting the video taken down from all social-media venues. It might take a few hours, but they’re good, and they can get onto the Dark Web, too, if need be. It’ll be gone by tomorrow,” Chaz said. “And as far as a press conference, what if you make the written statement now, and tomorrow morning we do one without you.” When nobody spoke immediately, Chaz looked around the room. “A united front, remember. What better look of unity is there than the brothers standing in for him, even the brother that’s coming from the outside.”
Maurice was liking Chaz more and more every day. “It’s a good angle.”
“Yeah, it is,” RJ said.
“Then, we’ll make it happen. Your assistant knows how to get the press conference rolling. I’ll go out and talk to her.”
When Chaz was gone, Major clapped a hand on Maurice’s shoulder. “It’s going to work out, man. Just go home, talk to Desta, and chill for tonight. We’ll handle this.”
Hearing Major say her name again had him glancing at his watch. Cursing because it was almost six, he pulled his chair back and sat down. “I gotta type this statement up.”
“Good. We’ll get out of here so you can take care of that,” his twin said. Maurice was already pulling up a blank document on his computer, preparing to compose a statement to the world about how he’d been a reckless playboy who’d set himself up for this type of false paternity claim and how he’d regret his decisions forever because of the pain and embarrassment he was sure this video had caused his family.
Desta.
Had she seen it?
