Page 124 of Power
“Yes, it is.”
“Are you ready?”
I clear my throat and remove my glasses. “I am.” I stand and shrug into my jacket, quickly making sure my tie is straight. There’s a little nervous tingling in my fingertips as I tuck the speech into my pocket. My mouth is dry and my stomach twists with anticipation.
We walk through the corridors, my security detail following closely behind. As we approach the briefing room, Liam claps a hand to my back. There’s a strong sense of comfort knowing he has my back.
Alisha opens the door to the briefing room and steps aside.
Alison walks toward me. “Copy of the speech on the podium, Mr. President,” she whispers before standing against the wall with Liam, Alisha, Elizabeth and Gavin.
“Good morning,” I start as I glance down at the speech waiting for me on the podium. I swallow the clump of dryness in my throat and look out to the eager press, waiting on every word I’m about to say so they can fling their questions at me.
With a thumping heart, I turn the paper over, completely disregarding the phenomenal speech they’ve written. There’s a look of confusion on the reporters faces. “Bennett Adams can’t be trusted.” I look around the room and lower my chin for a second. “Those are the words splashed everywhere along with The President and His Whore.” I despise that headline; it makes me sick to my stomach. Not one reporter has written a single thing, they’re all waiting for me to speak. “Yes, I hired Reece Maxwell for her services.” There’s a collective gasp in the room. “I found the perfect woman for me. She challenged me at every turn, she supported and loved me unconditionally.” I try to retain eye contact, but I’m struggling to do that. “That perfect woman...” I lift my hand to place on my chest. “...gave me her heart. I’d walk into a room with a thousand people and only see her. When I’d take her in my arms, she’d wrap hers around my waist and lean her head on my chest trying to snuggle close to me.” I can’t bring myself to look at anyone, instead I keep my eyes focused on the lip of the podium. “We could talk for hours about everything and nothing.” I smile at my vivid memories. “It would drive me crazy when she’d brush her hair off her shoulder, because I’d get a small waft of the coconut in her shampoo, and she knew how much I loved coconuts.” I rub my lips together remember our intimate moments. “At four-thirty-two in the afternoon, eight days after inauguration, my beloved wife, Kathryn, was pronounced dead,” my voice cracks as I attempt to hold in the emotions. It feels like hours pass as I compose myself. “There was a hole in my chest when Kathryn passed away that I thought could never be filled again.” I take a deep breath and lower my eyes for a second.
“I never wanted to feel that pain again. I’d rather be alone than have to endure that horrible hurt and suffering. I didn’t think I’d be able to fix my heart if it broke another time. So, I opted to protect myself by paying for the company of Reece Maxwell. She was supposed to be uncomplicated, and it was going to guard me against ever being in a position where I could have my heart destroyed.
“Something extraordinary happened when I was with her. My heart began to beat again.” I smirk at my corny—though genuine—words. “Reece Maxwell has done nothing wrong. She has survived an astonishingly terrible childhood. She was forced to live a life no child should ever have to. But, instead of becoming another devastating statistic, she chose to not be a burden on society and did what she had to for herself and for her daughter. I have no remorse for paying Miss Maxwell for her company. In fact, the only regret I have is not fighting for her when the news broke.”
I lift my hands to grip the edge of the podium as I stare out to all the press. “I was elected to serve the American public and I took an oath to faithfully execute the Office of the President. The last ten or so days, I’ve been nowhere near my best, and for that I apologize.”
A lump of emotion gathers in my throat. “I’ve loved two women in my life. The first was torn away from me just as our lives were beginning. The second has been told she doesn’t deserve to be loved because she’s an escort.” I swallow back the saliva pooling in my mouth. “Reece may be an escort, but she’s also an amazing and loving mother.” I feel a small smile tugging at my lips. “I have been absolutely honored to have met Reece’s daughter, Emily, and what I witnessed was an amazingly well-adjusted, funny, bright little girl who’s adored by her mother and now, by me too,” I pause to wet my lips and take a breath.
“I can’t apologize for loving Reece, nor will I.” I drop my hands and take a small step back. “Thank you, everyone. Enjoy the rest of your day.” I walk off the stage, not giving anyone a chance to ask questions, although the room has erupted, with every reporter on their feet shouting at me.
“I seem to have read a different speech from Elizabeth and Gavin,” Liam says tartly as we walk through the corridors back to my office.
“Their speech was phenomenal,” I say as I look over to him. “But the public deserved the truth, and not an overcomplicated political speech.”
Liam closes my office door behind him and sighs. “This speech will either make, or break your presidency.”
“What do you think?”
“Of the speech, or the presidency?”
“Whatever you have an opinion about.” I sit on the sofa and invite Liam to join me.
“This is the first time you’ve ever made a speech where the public doesn’t need to Google the meaning of words.”
“It was simple.”
“It was heartfelt,” he corrects. “And I think that’s given you a chance at reelection, because the public could relate to you, even if it’s only for those minutes. They saw a man who’s hurting because he’s lost the only two women he’s loved.”
A small smile tugs at the corners of my lips. “I sounded like a marshmallow, but I don’t regret it.”
“You were vulnerable, and there’s nothing wrong with that.” Liam stands and claps his hands together. “Next time Elizabeth gives you a speech and you ignore it, I’ll fucking wrestle you off the podium.”
I snicker as I shake my head. “Get out, and go do some work.” I flick my hand dismissively, though still smiling. I stay seated as Liam exits the office. Staring out of the glass doors toward the garden, I can’t help but miss both Kathryn and Reece. My cell vibrating in my suit jacket pocket startles me out of my cumbersome mindset. “Yes,” I answer.
“Mr. President, it’s May from Hope River.”
“Hello, ma’am, how can I help you?”
“You’ve got a helicopter at your disposal, don’t you?”
“Well, technically if it’s...”
“It’s a yes or no question, Mr. President.”
