“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?
He cursed again, slamming his hands down on his desk. It was RJ who came to stand beside him this time. “Look at me,” he said. When Maurice didn’t, his brother clasped his shoulder and gripped it until he did.
“You’re better than this. I know it, and you do, too. Don’t you ever think I was saying you weren’t. You’re my brother, and I’ve got your back no matter what. You understand?”
Staring into RJ’s intent dark brown eyes was something Maurice had been doing all his life. He’d looked up to both his brothers and his father, and he’d never wanted to disappoint any of them. Tonight, he was afraid he had, again.
“Now, handle your business here, and then go home like Major said. We’ll do the rest.”
“I’d never walk away from my child, RJ. No matter what other mistakes I’ve made in my life, I’d never do something like that.”
“I know, man. You didn’t have to tell me that.”
Maurice shook his head. “I had to say it.”
And he needed to say it to Desta, too. So the moment RJ left his office, Maurice typed his statement. He read it over three times before emailing it to his assistant, who Chaz was discussing next steps with. From there he went straight to the elevator and down to his car. He was running really late now, and he needed to get home to see Desta.
Forty minutes later Maurice was still sitting in his car, stuck in traffic. He’d started calling Desta immediately after leaving the office, but she hadn’t answered. It was ten minutes to seven now, and he’d sent her four text messages as well, but still no response. Slamming his hands on the steering wheel he cursed. To say he was having a bad day was an understatement.
Finally he was a block away from his house. He was just about to turn the corner when he saw flashing lights from police cars and fire trucks.
“What the hell?” His speed had slowed because traffic was backed up here due to the accident up ahead.
While he waited, he tried calling Desta again. Still no answer. His phone was loaded with text messages and missed calls, but none of them were from her. Another ten minutes passed before he was able to edge his car closer to the street he needed to turn down, but before he could do so he glanced
