Zeke Armani
"Did you save a nation in your past life because if you did then you must be the luckiest son of a bitch I’ve ever met,” Diane said, walking into his office the next day.
He’d spent the night trying to think of a way to make things right with Blair. He hadn’t come up with anything that felt right, so now he was out of ideas, exhausted, and cranky. He knew he needed to tell her what she want but the thought of remembering everything that happened years ago, the pain of the incident that destroyed him and destroyed his family...
He couldn't, he just couldn't.
“What do you want?”Zeke snapped at his PR adviser. She really needed to learn how to knock and not just waltz into his office.
“Is that any way to speak to the woman about to save your company and possibly even your relationship?” Diane asked, crossing her arms. A cocky smile crossed her lips.
“If you can do that, then I’ll change my tone,” he replied. He wanted another cup of coffee, but coffee always made him think of her..
Diane grinned. “Then change your tone, promise to be nice because have got your saving grace.”
“Spit it out,” he said, not changing his sharp tone.
Diane puts a thumb drive on his desk.
“What's in the thumb drive"He asked, looking at the drive. He didn’t bother to pick it up.
“Well, aren’t you in a grumpy mood,” Diane commented. She sat down on her favorite chair and grinned. “Well the thumb drive contains a video of you obviously pushing the girl away. In video.”
Zeke's breath caught. “How? I thought the club’s security cameras were off. You said Johnny was thorough this time.”
“He was. I’m just better than he is,” she replied casually. “That’s why you hired me.”
He picked up the small silver thumb drive, hope forming for the first time in days. “Where did you get it?”
Diane grinned. “The dock holds some of the most expensive yachts in the world. You don’t think they have their own security cameras?”
Zeke looked up at her with relief.
“I deserve a bonus for this by the way. I had to contact about more than fifty yacht owners, convinced them to let me look at their security footage that wasn’t mysteriously missing, and then go through all of it.” She pointed to the thumb drive. “I didn't sleep last night because I was playing detective, all so I could get you that little one minute and twenty-three seconds of tape.”
“Daine you don't know what you've done, I could kiss you right now"He said, feeling a smile cross his face.
“Please don’t. That’s how we got into this mess,” Diane teased. She sighed laughing..
He held the thumb drive in his palm, knowing that at least his public approval could be gained back by what was on it. “Worth it. How did Johnny not find it?”
“It wasn’t a yacht. It was a little sailboat off to the side that got put in the yacht dock area because they overbooked. I had to look at the dock records to find it. But mostly, it’s because I don’t forget the little guy like he does. Johnny and your ex must not have thought the guy was important.”
“You literally saved me Daine" Name your price"He says..
“I like the way you think,” Diane replied with a laugh. “Just a bonus is enough. And, I want a photo of johnny's face And that ex of yours plastered everywhere as the culprit for this little spontaneous stunt...
"Make sure to show the world who they are so they won't crawl out from the little whole you bury them"Diane says...
“You don't need to tell me that twice, it's a promise” he says..
Zeke nodded. “Press conference is what time?”
“three o ’clock, downstairs,” Dianereplied. “I have a speech written out for you. You’ll say how hurt you are by these accusations and that you would never, ever do this willingly to Blair.” Dianepaused and looked at him. “If you can have Blair there, that would be helpful.”
He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “She’ll do it if you call her,” he said. “She isn’t speaking to me right now.”
“She knows it was fake, right?” Diane asked. “Why is she angry?”
“Because I didn’t tell her it happened in the first place. She found out when everybody else did,” he explained. “She’s not mad about the kiss. She’s mad that I kept it from her. And she’s got every right to be.”
“Oh, dear” Dianeshook her head. “That was stupid.”
“No kidding,” he agreed. The hopeful feeling left his chest. Without Blair in his life, nothing felt worth it. “I was trying to protect her and it backfired.”
“She doesn’t have to be at the press conference,” Diane said gently. “It’s really more about you, anyway. I can make the optics of it work.”
Jackson looked down at the thumb drive sitting on his desk. There was a solution here. He could feel it. There was a way to make this better. It was going to cost him some pride, but Blair was worth anything.
“You're right. She dosen't have to be there, involving her in her current condition is too risky.”Zeke looked up at Diane
"Oh wow" Congratulations Zeke"Daine says with a smile.
Zeke smiles nodding. The thought of him being a father is still to hard for him to grasp. “I love her and I would love for us to settle our difference between ourselves.
Diane sighed. “You really do love her, don’t you?”
“With everything I’ve got,” he replied, his voice firm.
"I'll handle the press conference alone"He says and Diane got up and turned to leave the office.
“Don’t you need this?” Zeke asked, holding out the thumb-drive
“You think that’s the only copy?” Diane scoffed. “I have that sucker uploaded on three cloud devices. I’ve worked too hard to let you screw everything up.”
“Thank you, Diane. Without you I don't think there will be a love story between me and Blair...
“Let’s just hope she forgives you,” she replied. “Or it won’t matter how many copies of the videos I had made.
Any pointers?"Zeke asks suddenly nervous..
"Just the truth"Diane says before she walks out ....