Playing in SECRET (Corrigan & Co. Book 9) (13 page)

“Joel? You’re not
seriously jealous of Joel. He’s like ten.”

“He’s twenty-five.
I looked it up when you walked in,” I tell her with a growl.

“I like my men a
little older.”

“Good. I need to kiss
you. Just one kiss. Please.”

“What about Jeanne?”

“She misses you, too.
I’ve already told Misha we want her gone tomorrow.”

She bridges the small
gap between us, and kisses me softly. It’s too sweet, and too
short, but I’ll take it. I’ll take anything Audrey is willing to
give me. “Tomorrow. We really do need to talk.”

“Call me when you’re
ready. I’ll be waiting.”

She nods, and then
walks back into the party. I look at the way her grey dress molds to
her perfect hourglass shape, and my mouth waters. She’s covered,
but I know what’s underneath. I’ve
tasted
every inch of that skin, and I can’t wait to do it again. Tomorrow
can’t come soon enough.

* * *

Audrey

Last night was
exhausting. I love talking to people, but I just wanted to go home
and take off the high heels and the tight dress, before slipping into
a nice, warm bath. I’ve been super tired lately, but I think it’s
just stress. I’m getting a check-up with the Society doctor today,
just in case. The nurses drew some blood and had me pee in a cup this
morning, and now I’m back for my results.

“Hi, Audrey,”
Kendrick says as he walks into the exam room. He’s our new doctor
and looks like an African prince. The women who work for Corrigan &
Co. practically swoon when he walks into the employee cafeteria. He’s
nice, but a little too formal for my tastes.

“Did you get my test
results back?”

“Yes. It’s not
stress, Audrey.”

“No? Is something
wrong?”

“That depends on how
you look at it, I guess.”

“Kendrick, you know
I’m a scientist, but I don’t need a clinical analysis right now.
You just need to spit it out.”

“You’re pregnant,
Audrey.”

“Excuse me?”

“I found it odd as
well, seeing as you’re all on the super contraceptive you created.
Well, all of you except for Tegan, but she wants to get pregnant
soon.”

“I’m getting ready
to test something new, so I’m not on it,” I tell him, my voice
shaking a little. “We used condoms.”

“As you said, Audrey,
you’re a scientist. You know condoms aren’t 100% guaranteed
protection. Do you want me to test you for STDs as well, just in
case?”

“No. He said he was
clean, and I believe him. I still made him wear a condom, which seems
stupid now.” I could’ve felt Blake without one, and yeah, I may
not have survived, but what a way to go.

“It’s always good
to be protected, even if the protection fails.”

“Kendrick, my dear,
you really need to loosen up.”

“I hear that a lot.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“Medicine is very
serious. Reina Corrigan brought me here because I’m the best, and
she needs me to take care of all of you. I don’t want to let her
down.”

“You won’t. You’re
too much of a perfectionist for that to happen. Just try to have a
little fun. We’ll all take you out if you want. Unless I need to be
resting or something.”

“I’d like to be
taken out, I think, as long as the women are there. I saw what the
men did to Brayden when he went out with them, and he was a king.”

“He survived.”

“Yes, well, I prefer
to do more than just survive. Enough about that, you asked about
resting. I don’t think that will be necessary. You will, of course,
need to be removed from the mission rotation, but you can still be
active locally while supporting your friends. I’m going to
prescribe you some prenatal vitamins, and have you come in weekly
instead of monthly, just so we can monitor you more closely. Women
much older than you have babies every day, but yours will still be
considered a high-risk pregnancy. I want you to call me if you feel
anything out of the ordinary, or if you just have a question.”

“You’ll be my
doctor for the pregnancy?”

“Yes, unless you
would like someone else. Maybe someone less formal. Or a female.”

“Kenny, this is the
Society you’re working for. I wouldn’t be here if I had a problem
with a doctor of any gender—or species. I’ll see you next week.”

“Species? The alien
rumor is true?”

“If I told you, you
wouldn’t have plausible deniability,” I tell him with a straight
face and watch his eyes widen before I burst out laughing. “Don’t
believe everything you hear about us.”

He hands me my
prescription and then walks out. I change back into my dress, and
look at myself on the mirror. The teal green fabric crosses over the
top, highlighting my breasts, and waist before flowing loose past my
knees. I pull the loose fabric tight, and look at all of me, trying
to see if there’s a change. I know it’s early, but now that I
know a little human is growing inside of me, I can’t wait to see
how my body will change.

My life is going to
change, and not just with the Society. I have to tell Blake—and
Jeanne. I don’t know how either will react. Whatever happens, I’m
keeping my child. I just really hope that Blake will want to be with
me, and that Jeanne will be excited. I can deal with the opposite of
each happening, but I want my happy ending. It’s long overdue, and
I know I deserve it.

Audrey

I hear a commotion as I
get off the elevator after filling my prescription in the pharmacy
downstairs. It sounds like it’s coming from the reception area of
the Foundation, and I pull out my gun as I hurry down the hall. Faith
joins me, and we share a nod.

“Where is that home
wrecking bitch?” I hear Misha say as I round the corner. I put my
gun away, and sigh.

“Are you referring to
me?”

She turns to sneer at
me. “Who else is my fiancé sleeping with?”

“He’s not your
fiancé, Mom.” Jeanne looks like she wants the floor to just suck
her up, and I don’t blame her.

“And I’m not
sleeping with him.”

“That’s not what
people will think when they see this picture.”

She holds up her phone,
showing me a shot of Blake and me right before we kissed from last
night. Our eyes are half closed, and honestly, I want a copy of the
picture for myself. Our conversation, and the kiss, only lasted a few
minutes, so I don’t know how someone managed to catch it just in
time. And then it dawns on me. “You paid someone to follow him.”

“Of course I did. He
has some sick fascination with you, and I’m not going to let it
ruin our relationship.”

“From what I
understand, there is no relationship to ruin. You were asked to move
out today, I believe.”

“She was,” Jeanne
says.

“Shut up, Jeanne.
You’re supposed to be helping me get your dad back.”

“I tried that
already.”

“No, you fucked it up
already. Now, I’m going to fix it.”

“What’s going on
Jeanne?” I ask, as the other Society women join us in the lobby.

“Don’t answer her.”

“She’s the one who
paid for the kidnappers. It wasn’t my dad’s money I used. I got
it from her and put it in my account.”

“Shut. Up!”

I ignore Misha, and
walk to Jeanne. “Did you want your parents back together?”

“I thought I did, but
I don’t. I’m sorry, Audrey. My dad misses you so much. I miss
you, too. I know we only had a few days together, but you’re the
mom I’d choose if I could.”

“What did you say,
you little bitch?”

I start to step in
front of her, but then Reina’s in front of both of us. “You need
to leave now, while you can still walk out on your own.”

“I’ll leave after
you give me a contract to sign. I want to be the face of this
foundation. I’ve wanted it for years, but you wouldn’t give it to
me, because of
her
.
Funny how now you’ll have to give it to me, in order to protect her
image.”

“We don’t have one
‘face’ of the Foundation. We feature several women every year,
both models and everyday people.”

“So change it,” she
says with a shrug.

“No.”

“I
will
release this picture. Everyone saw Blake and I together last night,
and they saw her with that baseball player. Blake is a guy, so no one
will give him a hard time. She’ll be raked over the coals, though,
and you know it.”

“Can I see that?”
Ainsley asks, and then touches her own phone to Misha’s. “Oops,
it looks like it’s gone.”

She looks down at her
phone, and then back at Ainsley. “I don’t know what you did, but
I have it in my email.”

“Do you?”

She clicks and scrolls
for almost a minute, and then makes a call. “Hi. I can’t seem to
find the picture you sent me…sure, I’ll wait…what do you mean
it’s gone…you didn’t save it on your phone…that’s gone,
too…how? I don’t know either.”

“It’s so annoying
when pictures just disappear like that,” Ainsley says, tapping her
chin with her phone.

“Who are you people?”
Misha asks, backing up towards the door and looking scared. As she
should.

“No one you want to
mess with,” Reina tells her. “You should pack your things and get
out of town. I don’t care where you go, but if you try to smear
Audrey’s name in any way, we will come for you.”

“Come on Jeanne,
let’s go.”

“I don’t want to go
with you.”

“I can’t leave you
here with them.”

“Jeanne is perfectly
safe. No one here would hurt her,” I say, and move to put my hands
on her shoulders.

“Whatever. Just leave
me alone.”

She practically runs
into the elevator Ainsley has waiting for her as Jeanne’s shoulders
shake beneath my hands. I turn her towards me and hug her tight as
she sobs into my chest. “I’m sorry, Jeanne.”

“Why? Because my
Mom’s a bitch? You’ve known that for years.”

“Yes, but I’d hoped
she wouldn’t be that way with you.”

“I’m basically you,
just younger. Too nerdy for her.”

“Well, look at Audrey
now. Do you know how many women would love to be her?” Faith asks.

“Let’s get back to
work ladies. Let us know if you need anything, Aud,” Reina says.

“I’ll email you the
pic. I figured you might want a copy, so I saved it on my phone,”
Ainsley tells me.

“Thanks,” I tell
her with a smile.

“I’m going to call
all of my designer friends, as well as Anna Wintour, and get Misha
fired. No one messes with you on my watch, Aud.”

“You don’t have to
do that, Stella.”

“
Can
you do that? Really?” Jeanne asks.

“I can, but I won’t
if it upsets you.”

“No. I mean, I love
my mom, but she needs to be punished. I still don’t get to use any
electronics because of what I did, but now you know my mom was in on
it, too.”

“It sounds like she
was more the mastermind of it all. You know you need to tell your
dad, right?” I ask.

“It was her idea. I
planned on telling him today when she left. I should have said
something sooner, but she convinced me we’d be a happy family. Then
she moved in and I realized she just wanted my dad and her career,
not me. It’s never about me.”

“Maybe not with her,
but your dad will always put you first.”

“So did you.”

“That wasn’t
entirely unselfish on my part.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll explain after
you call your dad. You can use the phone in my office.”

“I could use your
cell phone.”

“I think you’re a
great kid, but I don’t entirely trust you. I’m sorry to say it,
but that’s the way it is. My cell phone has some sensitive
information on it.”

“I understand,” she
says with a sigh. “Doesn’t your office have sensitive
information?”

“The one in my lab
does,” I tell her with a smile, “but we’re going into my public
office. The one people come to for PR stuff regarding the Corrigan &
Co. Foundation.”

“Oh,” she tells me,
looking disappointed.

“I’ll take you to
my lab. One day, not today, but maybe soon.”

“Okay. I promise you
can trust me.”

I just smile at her. I
know she’s sorry for what she did, but she put all of us in danger
with her little stunts. Misha may have been pulling the strings, but
Jeanne is old enough to know better. She’s learning her lesson, but
I can’t trust our secrets with her yet. My friends and I rely on
each other for protection, and I won’t betray their trust in me.

* * *

Blake

“Looking great
everyone, why don’t you take a quick break,” I tell the students
as they finish with the current scene.

My phone has just lit
up with a call from the Corrigan & Company Foundation, and I need
to answer it. “Dree?”

“No, Dad, it’s me.”

“Oh hey, baby. Are
you visiting Audrey?”

“Kind of.”

“Who drove you
there?” I ask, thinking that should’ve been my first question
once my lust-addled brain realized I wasn’t talking to Audrey.

“Mom.”

Fuck. There is no way
any scenario involving Misha and the Foundation is going to turn out
to be a good situation. I try to sound calm as I ask my next
question. “Why was your mother there?”

“She was trying to
blackmail Reina into hiring her by using a picture of you and Audrey
when you were about to kiss last night.”

Motherfucking bitch.
“Is Audrey okay?”

“Oh yeah. Ainsley
pulled the picture from Mom’s phone and somehow also deleted it
from her email and the guy who took the picture’s email and
computer, too. I need her to teach me that.”

“No you don’t. Are
you sure Audrey’s okay?”

“Yes, but…um…there’s
something else I need to tell you.”

What now? I mean, come
on. “I’m listening.”