Page 10 of Playing His Game

Mo fought to keep from wincing. He might not like Adam very much, but even Mo had to admit he didn’t deserve any scrutiny for last night’s activities.

“Well, we’ve asked you here so Audrey can figure out how to do damage control.”

Another nod from Murphy, who shifted his gaze to Audrey. “Damage control?”

“The narrative of course will depend on the truth—not that we need totellthe truth, of course,” she soothed as if she assumed the truth was damning, “but it will inform our choice of options.”

“Options,” Adam repeated. Mo had to give it to him: the man gave nothing away when he didn’t want to.

“Of course, the aim is to limit speculation and avoid further focus on the internal drama of the club.”

Mo bit back the urge to tell them all that he was not, in fact, part of “the club.” Long experience had taught him that trying to extricate himself from the family business would only annoy his parents more.

“All of which is easier to do once we know the truth of the matter,” Orson cut in. “Cleaning up after Moritz is always easier when he’s honest, even if the truth involves starting fights with men he’s known for ten years?—”

“We’re dating!” Mo blurted before he could think about it.

Silence followed. Everyone stared at him.

Figuring Adam was his most important audience right now, Mo looked at him. Their gazes locked. Adam’s eyes had widened with shock, but anyone might assume he was surprised by Mo’s honesty—even if he did manage to convey something of awhat the fuck.

Mo gave him puppy-dog eyes and hoped the others would assume he was begging for forgiveness because he’d changed the plan, and not pleading desperately for Adam to play along.

“You are?” Orson looked skeptical.

“Yes.” Mo broke eye contact with Adam to meet Orson’s gaze. He couldn’t tell the truthnow. But also… the lie was so muchbetterthan the truth. At least, as far as Mo was concerned. No amount of protesting that the video was just a drunken trip and misunderstanding would satisfy his parents. All they would see was the years of bickering with Adam, and Mo getting drunk and caught on camera outside a bar. Again. One more step closer to the edge of poverty. Dating the Canyons’ golden boy, however—intentionallyassociating himself with one of the family businesses…

Adam shifted in his chair and said, “It’s new.”

Mo bit back the urge to laugh.Sonew.

“How new?” Audrey watched them assessingly.

“Oh.” Mo turned to Adam, meeting his gaze, hoping it looked like they were consulting. “A few weeks?”

Adam nodded. “After I got back in town.”

Mo had no idea why Adam was going along with this, but thank God he could think on his feet.

“Well, that simplifies things,” Audrey said. “We will release a statement confirming your relationship and asking for privacy, the usual.” She made some rapid-fire notes on her tablet. “As for claims about violence…”

Adam stiffened and Mo, driven by instinct he couldn’t name, placed a hand on his arm. “There was—is—no violence here. I was drunk and tripped. Adam caught me.”

“What were you arguing about?”

Mo scoffed. “We weren’t arguing.”

“Well,” Adam said slowly, making eye contact with Mo. “We might have been bickering a bit, babe.”

Shocked by the nickname, Mo’s motormouth stalled. Adam didn’t wait.

“We had a small disagreement about the evening, but as you can see in the video, we settled it.” He smiled slightly and flushed brilliant red, which managed to suggest both that said disagreement ended in the removal of clothes and that Adam was embarrassed to admit it.

“Well, I guess you found a way to settle all those little spats you insisted on getting into for all these years.” Claire gave a small, brittle smile.

Mo could feel her judgment and frustration, like she wished she’d shoved them in a closet together years ago to rid herself of the headache of the bad PR—real or imagined—from their squabbles.

As if that would have worked when Mo was sixteen. Gross.