Inheriting a SECRET (Corrigan & Co. Book 7) (6 page)

I get out of the car
and head up the steps of the small plane, as my many bags are loaded
up. I’m still not completely comfortable with Brayden, but I’ve
spent the last two days with him and his mother going over the list
of things I need to feel safe. Brayden agreed to everything, but his
mother didn’t. Well, not at first. Once she thought I would
walk—which I couldn’t, but she didn’t need to know that—she
gave in.

“Darcy, there you
are.”

“Yes, Your Highness,
here I am. Where else would I possibly be?”

Her smile slips, but
only slightly. She is, after all, a queen. “Please have a seat
wherever you’d like.”

I look around and take
in my options. My first instinct is to move to the back of the plane
with the staff, but I know I can’t. It’s my second choice that
scares me a little, but I go with it. Brayden looks up in
surprise—and more than a little annoyance—as I settle onto the
couch with him. Feeling stupid for sitting next to him, I start to
stand up, when he places his hand on my arm.

“Don’t go.”

“You don’t seem to
want me next to you.”

“I want you too much.
That’s part of the problem.”

“I’m having the
same problem.”

“Maybe we should just
give in.”

“Maybe.”

I let him take my hand
as we smile at each other. I know getting involved with him is a
horrible idea, but I’m more drawn to him than I have ever been to
anyone else. When he leans into me, I ignore my brain and move
towards him as well. Our lips are less than an inch away when we’re
interrupted.

“That’s my seat,”
Noah says with more than a little anger in his voice.

“Find another one,”
Brayden tells him, never taking his eyes from mine.

“Really? So that’s
how it is? You don’t have enough chicks to choose from?”

“Watch it, Noah.”

“I’ve been watching
‘it’—you—for years now. You use the girls who want to fuck a
prince, and then cast them aside.”

“Are you fucking
kidding me? You’re going to say that in front of the girl I’m
trying to kiss? Whose side are you on?”

“Mine.”

I see the hurt mixing
with the anger in Noah’s eyes, and it nearly does me in. I
won’t
come between him and his best friend. “I’ll move.”

“What? No.”

“Yes. He’s your
best friend, Brayden. It’s just one plane ride.”

“I get a rain check,
though, right?”

“Maybe.”

“Thank you.”

I smile in response,
and stand up. Noah is glaring at me, but I ignore him. I understand
that he’s worried—and protective of his friend. I won’t engage
him. At least not right now.

I choose an empty
window seat and spend the short flight responding to emails from my
team back at the Corrigan & Co. Foundation. They’re working on
a few projects with local women and have been doing a great job while
I’ve been gone. I never thought I’d be someone’s boss, but it’s
not as scary as I thought. Probably because we’re doing important
things—helping women who really want to help themselves, but
haven’t been given the chance they needed to make it happen. I’m
proud to be part of an organization that works to empower and teach,
rather than just trying to put a temporary band aid on the problem.

I’m given five
minutes when we land to touch up my hair and makeup. Once the plane
door opens, I can hear the cheering. I panic for a moment, but then
Brayden has his hand in mine again, and I feel a little better. He
starts whispering ridiculous things in my ear, and I can’t help but
smile.

“In your dreams,
Crown.”

“Crown?”

“I thought you’d
appreciate it more than ‘Donkey.’”

“Well, when you put
it that way, Crown it is. And yes, I do dream about those things with
you.”

I bite my lip to try
and hide my smile. My pulse is racing, because I’ve dreamed of
them, too. Not all of them, because yes, a few are outside of my
comfort zone, but most of them have filled my nights over the last
few days. I’m not quite ready to admit that to him, with his
threats still front and center in my brain, despite what the rest of
my body craves.

“It’s time,” one
of the monarchy’s press people tells us.

Brayden squeezes my
hand and smiles, before pulling me along to the door. As the prince,
he walks out first, but he never lets go of me as I exit behind him.
We stand at the top of the stairs and smile for several photos, and
then we gracefully descend to the waiting luxury car below. Once
we’re inside, I exhale.

“That wasn’t so
bad, was it?”

“It was okay,” I
tell him truthfully.

“You’ll get used to
it.”

“Maybe she won’t,”
Noah says as he climbs in, forcing me to scoot all the way to the
opposite door.

“Cut the attitude,
Noah. It’s getting old.”

“Seriously? This is a
fake
engagement. You
both need to remember that.”

I try to diffuse the
situation even though I really just want to punch him. “We
remember, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun while it
lasts.”

“Fun?”

“Yes, fun, Noah. I’m
sure you have some on occasion.”

“Not like he does.
You know he’s still been fucking around.”

“I haven’t touched
another woman since we met, and why are you even saying anything?”

“She should know what
she’s getting into.”

“I’m well aware of
everything, Noah.
Everything
.”

“And this
conversation is over,” Brayden says, looking like the prince he is.

Noah clenches his jaw,
biting back the reply I know is on the tip of his tongue. He really
needs to get it together. I know he’s been Brayden’s best friend
for years, but I’m no threat to him, and I have to let him know
that. I get my chance once we’re inside the palace walls. Brayden
says he has to check on something, so we’re left alone.

“I’m not trying to
take him from you, Noah. I would never do that.”

“He’s going to hurt
you.”

“No he’s not. I
know what this is, and what it isn’t.”

“He can’t keep it
in his pants.”

“I’m not a naïve
teenager. I’ll be fine. I appreciate your concern, and I promise to
try and stay out of your way.”

“You don’t need to
do that. We should be…friends. If you want, I mean,” he says,
shrugging his shoulder.

“I’d like that.”

Without thinking, I
launch myself into his arms and hug him tight. After a second, he
wraps his arms around me as well. We stay that way for almost a
minute.

“Well, this is…umm…a
surprise,” Brayden says.

Shit. “We decided to
call a truce.”

“And hug?”

“Why not?” I ask,
trying to be casual, even as my heart is racing.

He looks at Noah, who
shrugs again. It must be a “thing” with him, the shrugging. “She
jumped into my arms.”

“I did. I just want
everyone to get along.”

“O-kay. Still a
little weird, but I’d rather have the two of you playing nice.”

“We will,” I assure
him.

“Great. Now, can I
show you the surprise I have for you?”

“You have a surprise
for me?”

“I do.”

“Oh. Is it a pony?”

“A pony? You want a
pony?”

“Yes. No. I don’t
know. My best friend bought one for his girlfriend, and she loves
hers.”

“We have polo ponies,
and I guess you can have one, but I got you something better.”

“Take me to this
‘better than a pony’ present,” I tell him, grabbing his hand.
“Bye, Noah.”

“Bye Darcy,” he
says with a chuckle.

* * *

Brayden

I told Darcy that her
surprise was better than a pony, and I think it is. I’m a little
worried now, though, because maybe she’d rather have the pony. I’m
just giving her a little bit of her normal life. That’s not
exciting, so I may have to resort to an animal. Maybe something more
exotic than a pony, though.

“You’re being
awfully quiet.”

“I’m just all of a
sudden worried that my gift won’t be enough.”

“I probably shouldn’t
tell you this, but I’m a sucker for any gifts. The prize in a
Cracker Jack box makes me happy.”

“So I could’ve just
gotten you a box of popcorn?”

“With a prize in it?
Totally.”

“You’re serious.”

“I am. There were
several years of my life when I had almost nothing, so I appreciate
everything I get now. Big or small, everything has meaning to me.”

I can’t help but kiss
her, so I don’t even try to stop myself. I pull her to me in the
middle of the hallway and kiss her softly. I want her to feel
treasured, because she just humbled me. I went into this thinking she
was some heartless thief, but I know now that she’s not. I don’t
know why she did what she did all those years ago, but it wasn’t
for a cheap thrill, or riches. I still have to get the jewels, but
I’ll do everything I can to do it without harming her in any way.

We kiss for several
minutes, with just our lips. I finally pull back and smile at her.
“You’re amazing, Darcy.”

“On occasion.”

“I have a feeling
it’s more often than that.”

“You’ll just have
to find out for yourself, I guess.”

“Will you let me?”
I ask as I continue leading her down the hall.

“I’ll give you my
answer after I see what you got me.”

“I thought you love
everything you get.”

“I do, but there’s
varying degrees of love. You know, I may hug you, or I may be
inclined to kiss you.”

“Is there a third
option?”

“Like what?” she
asks, trying to look innocent, but failing.

“Oh, I don’t know.
Something involving other body parts,” I tell her with a wink,
stopping at the door I can’t wait for her to enter.

“Is this it? Can I go
in?” she asks, ignoring my third option explanation.

“Yes,” I tell her,
laughing as she claps her hands.

She opens the door, and
I hold my breath, waiting for her reaction. It doesn’t take long.

“Oh my God. You-you
did this for me?” she asks, looking from the room I had transformed
into the ultimate gamer’s paradise, and then back to me.

“Well, I don’t know
anyone else who would use it.”

“It’s perfect. But
why?”

“You’re tolerating
all the clothes and public appearances. I wanted you to have some
place that you can come to and just be ‘Darcy.’ I didn’t know
which gaming system was your favorite, so I just got them all.”

She turns and grabs me,
pulling me into the room, and then pushing me against the nearest
wall as she kisses me like her life depends on it. Option number two
is definitely working for me, and I think we may be well on our way
to number three as she pushes my suit jacket off of my shoulders. I
start to unzip her dress, but she pulls away.

“Not that. At least
not yet.”

“You just let me know
when you’re ready, Cat. I’ll be waiting,” I tell her as I rub
my thumbs over her hips. I don’t want to stop touching her yet,
especially since she’s still got her hands on my shoulders.

“Will you play with
me after dinner?”

“I’ll play with you
whenever you want.”

She playfully swats my
arm. “I meant play some games with me.”

“Isn’t that what I
just said?”

She reaches out to hit
me again, but I dodge her. “A
video
game, Crown.”

“I suck at video
games, but I’ll play with you.”

“I can help you get
better. As long as you wear something comfortable.”

“I can’t play in a
suit?”

“You can, but I
really do want to see you in something casual.”

“For you, I will
happily throw on some basketball shorts and a t-shirt.”

“I can’t wait. Now
can I see my room, so I can unpack before dinner?”

“Right through that
door, and we have maids who will unpack for you.”

“Why would I have
someone else do something I can do myself?”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Exactly.”

“I’m going to leave
before you keep saying things that make me not want to stop kissing
you.”

She leans up and kisses
me softly. “Thanks again. I mean it. I appreciate this room so
much.”

“I’m glad. See you
at dinner.”

We kiss one more time,
and then I leave her to unpack. Things are going better than I
planned. At least in regards to starting something with Darcy—which
I know isn’t the smartest idea. I don’t want to use what’s
happening between us to get information from her, but I can’t pass
up the chance to have her in my bed. Even if it means she’s going
to hate me later. It’s not like we’re really getting married. I
still feel a little sick to my stomach, though. Having a conscience
can really be a bitch.

Brayden

I thought my mother was
going to have a coronary when I showed up at dinner in my casual
clothes. She held her tongue though, because she agreed to Darcy’s
condition that we be less formal when not in public. For mother, less
formal means no diamonds—she’s still in heels, and a designer
dress. That’s comfort for her. Even in this private room in her
quarters.

There are a few extra
women at the table, and I know they’re Darcy’s co-workers. Not
just because I’ve never seen them before, but also because they’re
glaring at me hard enough to fell a lesser man. I get it—I don’t
like what I did to Darcy, either. At the time, it felt like the right
thing to do, but now I know better. I’m not trying to catch any
bees, but I do need to catch a thief, and I’m not just pretending
to be sweet. I truly like Darcy, which means I need to convince her
to willingly help me.

“Darcy,” the sexy
nerd sitting across from me exclaims as the object of my thoughts
enters the room.

“Ainsley, it’s so
good to see you. Faith? Ellie? Audrey? I didn’t know all of you
would be here.” She had to know, but it’s cute that she’s
pretending not to.