Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
The trembling woman wrapped an arm around her in return. “See, folks, Madison is a genuinely lovely person who deserves the very best in life.”
A smattering of applause erupted, as if the crowd wasn’t sure if they were supposed to clap. Madison waved them away and leaned in to speak into the mic. “And Genie is one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet.”
After a final smile, Genie broke away to pace the stage. “The Pershings’ speech writer crafted some incredibly polished remarks for me to read to you all. I rehearsed them…but now that I’m with you, my remarks need to come truly from the heart.” She turned to Winston. “So I hope you’ll indulge me for a moment. Would that be okay with you, folks?”
At the audience’s enthusiastic applause, Montrose and Winston both backed away with wary scowls.
Genie had tied their hands brilliantly. The woman was definitely up to something. Did it have anything to do with Matt’s boss and friends being here?
With adrenaline rushing, Madison watched Genie smile and approach the edge of the stage, closer to the audience and place her hand over her heart. “Thank you, truly. You see, I have a story to tell. Those boys who were mischievous teenagers—and let me tell you, they were always up for a prank—grew up to be entitled men. Given the best education and growing up in a system where the rules didn’t apply…my boy changed. One day, he loved Transformers and dreamed of being a doctor so he could help people. The next, he only cared about drugs and sex and ways to make an obscene amount of money despite the scheme being illegal. He knew he had friends in high places who would ensure he never went to jail.”
Winston forced pity onto his face and barged forward, grabbing the microphone. “You’ll have to forgive her. She’s still grieving, and sometimes her meds—”
“Meds have nothing to do with it,” shouted a hauntingly familiar voice that had Madison whirling in a shocked haze.
Matt.
From the back of the stage, he sauntered forward, Stetson square on his head, looking big and determined. He stared straight at her, his eyes burning. Ethan and Nash flanked him.
Madison gasped. Her heart lurched.
Matt was here. He had come. And he grinned like he had every intention of blowing up the Pershings’ house of cards.
Oh, my god. “What—”
He pressed a finger to his lips. Trust, he mouthed.
She swallowed and tried to process everything. Did she dare trust him? Obviously, he was up to something, but Winston had brought all four of his Russian badass bodyguards today and hired some local police. Did Matt know that?
Her glance skittered around the outdoor venue like a pinball. Jack, Deke, Hunter, and One-Mile each stood over the supine form of one of Winston’s goons. They’d each taken one down without a scuffle or a sound. When? How? Beat them? Drugged them? Applied some kind of Jedi pressure-point-to-the-neck trick? Madison had no idea. She didn’t know anything—except that her mind was blown.
The local police lined the perimeter, staring at one another as if trying to decide what they should do and if any laws had been broken. The press watched, almost frozen, seemingly aware this event had gone far off script, but they kept their cameras rolling.
“He knows nothing,” Winston insisted into the mic. “He’s Madison’s lover with an axe to grind. And grief shredded poor Genie’s grip on reality. She’s fabricating tall tales in order to cope. Don’t believe their lies.”
Together, Matt, Ethan, and Nash formed a protective circle around Genie, towering over the senator while warning Montrose away with a glare. Matt plucked the mic back and settled it into Genie’s hands.
“I’m not insane, and I’m not on any meds,” Genie assured everyone. “Despite how often my husband and the senator suggested that I needed something to alter my mood, as if grieving the death of my only son is somehow unnatural. But back to my story…”
What more did Genie intend to spill? She and Matt exchanged a glance. Then he stepped up and squeezed the woman’s hand. “It’s a story you’ll want to hear before you vote.”
“He’s right. It wasn’t an accident that killed my son. It was Todd Pershing.”
The audience gasped collectively.
Madison’s heart leapt to her throat. Holy shit… Genie wasn’t just telling secrets; she was going scorched earth.
“I can prove that, by the way, thanks to Madison, who accidentally witnessed my son’s murder and had the presence of mind to film it. Actually, I’ve cobbled together proof of a lot of crimes, like a human smuggling operation across the border to import sex slaves for entitled, powerful people in this town. When Brent balked to Todd about the terrible things they were doing to other human beings and tried to end their business arrangement, the bastard cut him down—literally. There was no car accident, just Todd with a knife and a determination to stop Brent from talking.”