Page 109 of The Jack*ss in Class

The understatement was clear in her trembling voice. I glanced around the room, taking stock of the situation. The Donkey Sitters Club had mobilized impressively. Bettie was coordinating with campus security by phone, Alice was monitoring social media. Hannah had organized the whole house of girls to establish a perimeter defense. But this was beyond what they could handle.

This needed the Kingman treatment.

“We need to get you out of here,” I said, reaching a decision. “Somewhere safe, and away from all this.”

“Where?” She looked up at me, confusion mixing with the fear in her eyes. “The reporters are everywhere.”

“Not everywhere.” I pulled out my phone. “My family has dealt with this kind of media storm before. Trust me?”

She hesitated for just a heartbeat, then nodded. Thatsmall gesture of trust hit me harder than a linebacker’s tackle.

“Parker,” I said, “can you pack a bag for her? Clothes for tonight and tomorrow?”

“On it.” She moved with impressive efficiency.

I fired off a quick group text to the family chat.

Me: Need help. Media storm at KAT house. Tempest exposed as best-selling author. Need extraction and damage control.

Dec responded first.

Declan: On our way.

Then Chris.

Chris: PR team on standby. Tell me what you need.

Hayes’s name popped up next.

Hayes: Willa and I can run interference and bring the claws if needed.

Then Everett.

Everett: Pen’s already drafting statements. Say the word.

My chest tightened with gratitude. This is what Kingmans did. We protected our own. And somewhere along the way, Tempest had become one of ours.

“My brother Declan is coming,” I told Tempest. “Hewas voted the meanest player in the league last season. No one will mess with him. We’ll get you to my dad’s place, regroup, figure this out.”

She nodded, some color returning to her cheeks. “Thank you.”

I squeezed her hands. “You don’t have to face this alone. We’ve got you, babe.”

Twenty minutes later, my phone buzzed with another text from Declan.

Declan: Media dodge plan in progress. Four vehicles, three minutes. Back entrance to the KAT house.

I showed the message to Tempest. “The cavalry has arrived.”

Her brow furrowed. “Four vehicles?”

“The Kingman convoy. Trust me, my brothers have done this before.”

Almost exactly three minutes later, four identical black SUVs with tinted windows pulled up in sequence at the back entrance. Declan hopped out of the first one, expression all business.

“Just like we practiced,” he said to me, then nodded at Tempest. “Sorry about the cloak and dagger, but we know this routine works when the media are hounding us. It’s practiced, tried and true.”

Tempest stared at the lineup of vehicles. “This is...”

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