Page 27 of The Tempo of Truth
I heard Jeremiah rapidly typing my instructions.There was a pause before he warned, “We’re going to have to define your relationship eventually.A ‘close relationship’ when he looks just like your son and leaves a hotel with you, while he’s covered head-to-toe in noticeable bite marks and scratches isn’t going to cut it, Boss.”
I kicked my feet in aggravation and silently berated myself for losing control and mauling Ky like a wild beast.I knew he didn’t have a shirt to wear, so any of the marks I left behind were going to be visible to anyone with eyes.
I heaved a resigned sigh and told him, “Have our media make a statement letting any interested parties know that I fell in love with Kyser Kent when I was fourteen.I moved to Europe for college because he was playing football in Spain.We’ve been in and out of each other’s lives since we were kids, and now that I’m back home to manage the family business, I’m looking forward to the chance to reconnect with my first love since we’re finally in the same place.That’s a definitive answer and should make all the gossip mongers salivate.”
Jeremiah cleared his throat.“That’s incredibly personal.Are you sure you want to put that much of yourself out for public purview?”I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was against it.
Neither of my uncles ever offered more information than they had to.
“I keep saying if I’m going to do this job, I need to do it my way.If they have the truth in front of them, maybe it’ll stop them from trying to fabricate an even more ridiculous story.Besides, I’m not ashamed of how I feel or what I’ve done.”There was no way I was getting shoved back into the box of shame that Colette Halliday tried to bury me in.
Jeremiah hung up after assuring me he would handle the news going out for the next day.
I nearly cried in relief when I crawled under the covers and finally got to close my eyes and go to sleep.
Sadly, my rest was limited because right when dawn was creeping into the sky, my phone rang again.I wanted to ignore it, but when I saw Lev’s number on the screen, my curiosity got the better of me.Pushing back exhaustion, I answered the call with a sleepy, “Hello.”
Any lingering drowsiness disappeared the instant Lev’s heavily accented voice barked, “Halliday, you have to do something.Ky’s been arrested.”
Ky
“I didn’t do what they’re accusing me of.”
I glanced at the silver-haired man sitting across from me and the lawyer, who looked puzzled as to why he’d been called to an inner-city jail at the crack of dawn.I wasn’t sure what strings Win Halliday pulled to see me before the police had a chance to process me into the system.I’d barely settled into a holding cell when Winnie’s uncle showed up, and I got hauled off to an interrogation room for this little meeting.
Win crossed his arms over his broad chest and leaned back in the very uncomfortable metal chairs the police provided.“I know you didn’t.”
I paused, looking at my raw knuckles and still-injured fingers.“Why are you so sure that I’m innocent?”
Win lifted his eyebrows and stared at me like I was a foolish child.“Oh, I don’t think you’re innocent, Ky.Not by a long shot.But I know that you’ve never beaten a man within an inch of his life, even in those illegal matches you’ve been participating in.If you were looking to get revenge for your friend who got stabbed, you wouldn’t go about it in such a public way.Not with a tiny pair of eyes now watching your every move.I know there is no chance you want Winnie to have to explain to your son why people are calling his dad a murderer.”
My head drooped as I stared at the handcuffs locked around my wrists.“Ididplan on paying him back for getting jumped.But I was thinking about a return ambush and maybe busting the guy’s fingers or breaking his jaw.I never had any intention of stabbing anyone or letting the beef lead to something as serious as murder.I keep telling the cops I cut across the park on my way back to the gym from the hotel uptown.A group of guys came out of nowhere and acted like they wanted to rob me.A few punches were thrown, but all of it was really half-assed.It was more like they were acting out a scene from a movie than starting an actual brawl.When they heard sirens, everyone scattered, and I was left in the park with a seriously injured body and a bloody knife at my feet.The guy was so messed up; I didn’t even recognize him until the cops showed me a picture for identification.Because I recently had an encounter with the dead guy, they put me in cuffs and dragged me to the station before I could explain I had nothing to do with the fight or the body.I was set up.”
Win stared at me while the lawyer told me, “If it’s a setup, it’s a damn good one.They’ve got a knife with your prints all over it and ten witnesses saying you have a history of violence with the victim.Charges are imminent.”
I wanted to rub a hand across my face in frustration, but the clang of metal whenever I moved forced me to stay still.“If it is the knife they used to stab my buddy Mino that day at the basketball court, of course, my fingerprints are on it.I tried to grab it a bunch of times.I even got a hold of the handle at one point before they hit me with the baseball bat and dislocated my shoulder.”I shook my head.“I don’t get who benefits from me going through the motions of defending myself against a garbage murder charge.The influencer who started this might get fifteenmoreminutes of fame, but last I heard, she booked a small part in a movie and is getting ready to head to Canada for filming.Plus, any of the guys I’ve beaten while fighting for Lev would come at me directly.I’d be the one full of holes and dumped in a park if they wanted me out of the way.None of this makes any sense.”It gave me déjà vu from the time I was pulled into the coach’s office and asked if I was gambling.I was once again being punished for someone else’s sins.
Win gave me a scathing look.“You’re smarter than that.The reason your ass is on the line is the same reason I’m sitting here.”
I sighed.“Winnie.”
“Yes, Winnie.”Win leaned forward and pinned me to the uncomfortable seat with his sharp gaze.“The spot next to her is widely desired and very hard to reach.It’s got a lot of people very upset that you appeared in a place so few can dream of touching with seemingly no effort.Adding in the knowledge that you’re the father of her child, making it impossible for anyone to oust you from your lofty position fully, and you can more than likely consider this the opening salvo from the upper echelon.They want you out of the way and getting you locked up for murder is a cut-and-dry way to make that happen.You took something coveted, and there are a lot of people who don’t think you deserve to have it.”
I glanced at Win and couldn’t hold back a wry grin.“Idon’tdeserve it.”
“Winnie disagrees.The only reason I’m here instead of her is because she wanted to be home when Lowe woke up, since she missed putting him to bed the night before.If she weren’t such a good mom, she would’ve been sitting across from you withherlawyer, probably still wearing her pajamas.If I let you get railroaded into prison, she may never speak to me again.She’s always been unreasonable where you’re concerned.”
I clenched my hands into tight fists and felt my heart race.I helped her out when we were kids because of an ulterior motive.I wasn’t sure how my selfish actions back then led to Winnie stepping in to save me whenever I couldn’t see a way out of whatever corner I was backed into.
She was truly my guardian angel.
The lawyer finally butted in, sounding like he had many more important things to do than keeping me out of jail.“My investigator found footage from the park last night.A couple of tourists filmed part of the fight, and a helicopter tour company just happened to be overhead for the majority of the altercation.They record everything for security reasons.We have proof you didn’t instigate the confrontation, and evidence that you never stabbed the influencer’s ex.My advice for you is to keep yourself away from anything and anyone that can be used against you and Ms.Halliday.Stay away from those illegal fights and anything else that deals with large amounts of money changing hands.You may not be the target, but youarethe most effective weapon to use against Ms.Halliday.”He had me sign some papers assuring me I could walk out of jail in under an hour, then pushed the metal chair back with a screech on the concrete floor.The lawyer exchanged a look with Win, then excused himself, leaving me alone with Winnie’s uncle.
I feared and respected Win.Always had.These days, I was mostly ashamed of how badly I squandered the opportunities he handed me on a silver platter.It was hard to look him in the eye knowing I amounted to so little after all this time.
“Winnie has a long road ahead of her.She’s going to have a fight on her hands the more she moves to change Halliday Inc.’s image and portfolio.The risks she wants to jump into headfirst make the status quo nervous.People who have a lot of money and endless connections are truly terrifying when they’re uneasy and looking to keep things within their control.She needs someone who not only supports her big ideas but can also protect her from the arrows flung her way.Even though she’s a Halliday, she isn’t bulletproof.Neither is Lowe.”Win leaned closer, his forearms resting on the metal table.I wondered if this was the first time he’d ever had to bail someone out of jail before.He seemed mostly indifferent to the less-than-luxurious accommodations.“If you can’t figure out how to fight for your family and how to shield them against the various threats that they’ll be facing from this point forward, I’d rather you disappear for good.I can get you back on a professional team tomorrow, Ky.I can give you enough money to build your own club if that’s what you want.”
If he had offered me the same thing yesterday, I might’ve jumped at the chance.Getting the opportunity to play again was all I’d wanted since getting kicked out of the league.I’d never been resigned to letting my biggest dream slip through my fingers.After taking Winnie to that hotel room and willingly taking part in her silly charade, the thought of walking away from everything I had in the city was soul-wrenching.It wasn’t just the idea of losing Winnie again.I couldn’t stand the thought of disappointing Lowe, even though he didn’t know I was his father yet.
