Page 40 of The Midnight Club
“They will try and paint you as a nut-job,” he had said, the previous evening when they were finalizing her plan, “A hysteric. A bitter attention seeker. Forgive me, Ori. I’m giving you both the worst-case scenario here.”
“That’snotthe worst-case scenario,” Maceo had argued, his handsome face lined with concern. “The worst case, my darling, is Tyson coming after you, hurting you. Killing you.”
Alex shook his head. “Will not happen, Maceo, we have the security team in place.”
Maceo did not look happy but Ori put her arms around her lover and kissed him. “I’ll be fine. Once the police and the press have all the information and evidence we have, he won’t be able to touch me.”
“He may think he will have nothing left to lose,” Maceo said, not convinced, but Ori would not be talked down.
“It’s time,” she said firmly, “For AJ. For myself.”
So now, as they edged closer to City Hall, Ori was nervous, but ready. At the reception area, she could see the press and Tyson’s security team gathering. Alex had contacts, however, and they were soon being ushered backstage and into a small dressing room where they would stay until Janek was already speaking.
“I must warn you,” the aide said in a low voice, “that Congressman Janek is in the next room, so keep your voices low.”
Ori thanked the man. He smiled at her. “Really, it’s my pleasure. About time someone brought that asshole down.” He left them alone, promising to come back when the time was right.
Maceo had his arm locked around Oro’s waist. “So proud of you right now,” he murmured, his mouth next to her ear. She turned to meet his gaze and a rush of love swept through her. She could not imagine her life without this glorious man; it barely seemed possible that there was a time when she hadn’t known him. Alex hovered slightly awkwardly on the opposite side of the room.
The aide returned, nodding at them. “It’s time.” As they walked to the press room, the aide ran through what Tyson was talking about. “I’ve primed a journalist to ask a leading question, something to throw him off so that you can start to speak. Mr. Bartoli and Mr. Milland’s men will hold back Janek’s security if it’s required, but my guess is that he won’t want to make extra drama.”
Ori nodded, her heart hammering in her chest. Alex waited outside of the room. As they reached the back of the room, Maceo stayed back so Tyson wouldn’t see him over the crowd. Ori, as petite as she was, easily slid behind a tall press man. The aide nodded to her when she heard a female journalist ask a question.
“Congressman Janek, why the timing of this bill? Isn’t it just a sop to the women who abandoned you in droves during your recent scandal?”
“Not at all,” Tyson said smoothly. “Domestic abuse and women’s rights have long been at the top of my agenda.”
“Really? I had heard different,” the journalist said, her voice hard. Ori drew in a deep breath. Tyson chuckled patronizingly.
“And what had you heard, my dear?”
Ori stepped out from behind the other journalist and started to walk towards Tyson. “She’s heard about the many, many times you raped me, Janek, your own stepdaughter, the first time when I was 13 years old.” She spoke in a clear voice which, to her amazement, didn’t shake.
A gasp went up in the room and Tyson Janek went white when he saw her. Ori walked steadily to the podium and took the mic from Tyson. “For those of you who don’t know, my name is Orianthi Roy and, until my mother’s death, this man was my stepfather. Over the years, until I finally broke free, he subjected me to rape, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. He has, on many occasions, threatened to kill me. I imagine he’s thinking about doing that to me right now, aren’t you, Tyson?”
Tyson’s mouth was flapping open and shut, his shock almost rendering him numb. Out of the corner of Ori’s eye, she could see his security men edging forward but Maceo and Alex were stepping into the room and their security teams were at the ready.
The journalists in the room were silent. Ori dragged a shaky breath into her lungs. “But, believe it or not, that’s not the worst thing this man has done. Not by a long shot. Many of you might know that he had a son, Adam James. AJ ...” She turned her dark eyes onto Tyson’s pale face and saw murder in his eyes. Murder and desperation.
“AJ was my brother,” Ori said, her voice cracking. “My brother—and your son. And you raped him. Continuously. Brutally. From the time he was five years old until the day he committed himself to the mental health facility.”
The room exploded, journalists jumping up and screaming questions. Tyson’s security team rushed the stage and Maceo and Alex’s men tackled them as Maceo darted to get to Ori. Tyson lunged for her, tackling her to the floor before anyone could stop him. His lips at her ear, he growled, “You’re dead, Ori. I swear to God, I will kill you for this.”
Maceo hauled him from Ori, who scrambled away from her stepfather. Maceo punched Tyson hard, the older man dropping like a stone, and it took both Ori and Alex to pull Maceo from him.
“Let’s go,” Alex said urgently and in moments they were back into his town car, racing away from the scene. Alex switched the radio on and they heard the news breaking. Ori, breathless and shaken, looked at Maceo. “Phase One complete,” she said. Maceo half smiled.
“The journalist is meeting us back at the hotel.”
“She did a good job,” Ori said gratefully and looked at Alex. “You chose well.”
Alex smiled at her. “Thanks. Well, we’re in it now, so let’s hope it pays off.”
Tyson Janek kickedhis way back into his hotel room cursing and yelling, his aides and security team cowering under his rage. “Find what hotel she’s in, now! I want a way to get to Ori without her bodyguards being there. That bitch isn’t going to draw another breath when I’m done with her.”
The aides exchanged glances. “Congressman, if anything were to happen to Ms. Roy now, you would be the first suspect.”
Tyson tried to rein in his temper. He knew they were right but,God,on that podium, if he’d had his knife, he would have stabbed Ori to death right there, in front of the world’s media.Fucking, fucking bitch.He never honestly thought she would have the guts to do what she did today.Fuck.This was it; even if he denied the claims, he was never coming back from this. It was over.
