Unbound: The Pentagon Group, Book 2 (17 page)

I was still nursing the searing pain of Matt’s betrayal. However, I would never want to hurt Matt. I never wanted to have him hurt more than I was hurting. Matt had only allowed me less than five days to be out of this relationship, and I needed more time to forgive. He conceived of a way to woo me back, and his proposal had caused a catastrophe.

I got up from the desk chair and walked over to the door. I closed it and went back to the desk to read the contents of the envelope. I felt a nubby, protrusion and deduced there was a flash drive. This mess started with a flash drive and seemed to be ending with one too. Upon tearing open the thick yellow envelope, ignoring the piece of paper with the dollar value placed on the Pentagon shares, I pulled out the flash drive and inserted it into the desk top. I muted the volume, not needing to hear the sounds of our pleasure because Brady had sufficiently described what turned him on most. I knew I was breaking every moral and professional code by viewing it at work, but I needed to know what I was dealing with.

It was all there in black and white. My facial expressions of ecstasy as Matt went down on me after shifting my panties to the side. My eyes rolling in the back of my head as Matt pumped into me, opening them only to watch him please me. My legs on his torso and high heeled feet on his shoulders, and white knuckled grip on the edge of the desk as I took in all his deep drives. I didn’t know if this was a shortened, edited version of the entire encounter, but I watched it from beginning to end.

The scene was captured from above, possibly from the corner of the ceiling. How I didn’t notice it when I looked around the room, at that point didn’t matter. I noted my face was the only one visible. Even with it being slightly grainy without color, it was obvious I was the star of the show. I reviewed the video twice to confirm I was the only one discernible. Once I confirmed Matt could not be identified, I made the call which would change the course of our lives.

When I woke up in the morning, I remembered I’d stayed over at Carson and Turner’s apartment. Matt was disappointed I wouldn’t sleep over at his place, or allowed him take me to Carson and Turner’s place after work last evening, or to pick me up in the morning. In general, he wasn’t happy about my avoiding him. I couldn’t physically bring myself to see him before the prenuptial meeting.

I had a choice to make before the signing of the prenuptial contract. My decision wouldn’t be helped by seeing Matt while trying to decide to marry him and go against Brady’s threats, or keep his fortune thereby rejecting his proposal and keeping the Pentagon shares. I barely slept last night. My body throbbed, but mostly my heart ached with the pain of regret and indecision.

I walked out of the guest room fully dressed for the meeting. In the kitchen, I found Carson preparing me a plate of egg and toast. “Morning, beautiful.” He greeted, dressed in a simple black t-shirt and dark jeans. His body was simply a work of art and every ripple of his muscles showed in his clothing. “How’d you sleep?”

“I guess the question should’ve been, “Did you sleep?” I smirked.

“It’s all settled. You’re going to sign, marry a doctor, and live happily ever after with your billions of dollars. Why couldn’t he have been a gay man?” Carson sighed and seemed to genuinely lament the fact Matt was a very heterosexual male. I shook my head and stuck out my tongue.

“I’d trade places with you any day. I’d marry a very successful lawyer who bails out all my loved ones, especially me.” I exhaled noisily with a groan.

“Speaking of lawyer, he’ll be ready soon. Apparently everything is ready at the firm, but there are a couple of things Turner wanted to tighten up to ensure you’re completely satisfied with the results.” Carson offered in explanation.

I nodded and started eating. He handed me a mug of coffee and placed the creamer and sugar beside it for me to prepare. Adding just sugar, I stirred the coffee and admitted, “I’m scared.” I thought of all the scenarios which would forever change me.

“Sweetie . . .” He sighed and took my free hand in his. “You’ll be fine. You two have decided how this relationship will proceed from here on out. You won’t need to do anything, but show up with a dress and say your vows, which was your choice, by the way.” He said with a hint of disappointment in his voice, reminding me of the ‘no family or friends at the wedding’ clause. It meant Carson and Turner couldn’t be witness to the spectacle.

“I’m sparing myself and others from this farce.” I reminded him.

“Those of us who adore you won’t be there for support. And you love him, so it isn’t a farce, really.” He chided.

Turner arrived in the kitchen and stood beside me. He looked as dapper as ever in his lightweight suit and tie. His sandy brown hair styled neatly. He was clean shaven and smelled so crisp and summery. I inhaled deeply as I mustered a smile upon seeing his image. His presence was the reality of what I was about to do this morning.

“Ready?” He inquired with a smile, which was a combination of grim and hope. I nodded. We both kissed Carson chastely, and took off to Kevin Zipperer’s midtown law office.

As we commuted by cab to the meeting, I felt caged in the slow moving vehicle. The traffic was horrendous, and I’d wished we’d taken the ‘T’. Turner was too refined for such things. He belonged in a town car driven by a driver at his beck and call. He was extremely gracious; typical of a Southern man. However, there was an air of self-righteousness, which came naturally from his upbringing.

Turner placed his hand over my fist, which I’d rubbed on my lap. “You keep rubbing up against that dress, you’re liable to start a fire, darlin’.” He said casually. I bought the capped sleeved, wrap dress on sale at a store in Downtown Crossing. I purchased a new pair of underwear. I put on the same sandals I wore to work the day before.

“Maybe then I can get out of this mess.”

“You’re going to marry him because you love him. And even my fiancé wants him, but for his money. Don’t you want to marry him?”

“Hmm. I just want to get this meeting over with and move on with . . . things.” He nodded.

The cabbie pulled over and parked in front of the high rise building. Turner and I reached for our respective wallets. Turner shooed me away and paid the fare, leaving a tip.

We rushed to the elevator and up to the offices. The receptionist, Tara, from the last meeting greeted us with a kind smile. She stood and walked us to a different conference room. My heartbeat quickened, knowing I would see Matt in a matter of seconds. I summoned the courage necessary to interact with him.

Once he saw me, Matt rushed to my side and hugged me. If I hadn’t prepared myself for business, I would’ve melted right into his arms. He kissed me softly on the lips as he held my head in his hand.

When I didn’t respond in kind he pulled back and looked me right in the eyes. “Are you okay?” I nodded and pulled away. I walked over to sit beside Turner. Matt looked befuddled. He stood in place and watched me while I sat. I didn’t look Zipper in the eyes or greet him, which was cold and calculating of me. However, I made myself clear where the Pentagon men stood in my life. Zipper called the meeting to order.

“It seems we managed to complete the prenuptial agreement between Dr. Mathias Keene and Perla Mercurio in record time.” He shuffled three sets of equal sized packets of papers. Attorney Noble has reviewed the documents and has approved them for Perla’s signature. Before me are three copies of the same document.” He touched each pile as he explained.

“We will sign each and be filed for safekeeping by each party’s representative, the third copy will be filed with a trustee handling the business and financial affairs of Dr. Keene until completion of the ceremony. All will revert back to Dr. Keene upon which time the agreement has been completed and all will return to normal.” Zipper handed the first packet to Turner. The packet was riddled with plastic signature flags indicating where each of us would sign, and Turner and Zipper witness.

When Turner offered me his pen, I stopped him.

“Gentlemen, I’ve come to a decision.” Matt looked at me with a raised, perplexed eyebrow. “I’ve decided I’m not going to sign the prenup.” I stated evenly, relieved my voice didn’t quiver with the panic I instantly felt.

“What? Perla, you have to sign the agreement in order for us to get married and everything reverts back to me.”

“I’ve decided to keep the shares of Pentagon.” An audible gasp came from Turner and a clearing of Zipper’s throat filled the air. “I don’t want or need the rest of your fortune. You can keep everything else, but I’m keeping the twenty percent ownership of the stocks.” I said to Matt. My eyes failed to meet his, but stayed at his soft lips.

“What?” Matt asked incredulously, anger behind his question. Turner looked at me in equal surprise.

“I’m keeping the stocks. I think it’s the least I should have for the troubles Pentagon made in my life.” I said coldly.

“Perla? Darlin’? This comes as a big surprise and shock to all of us, maybe you need more time to decide this. A few days of decision making time wasn’t enough for you.” Turner reasoned. I shook my head ‘no’, and pulled my hand away from Turner’s reassuring touch.

“No. I’m quite certain what I want. I’d been thinking this through and I feel as the former, beneficiary of Liberty Inn, I won’t have a chance to receive my future gift. Pentagon now owns it, and Matt made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.” I didn’t set my gaze on either Matt or Zipper’s faces, but I could tell they were in immense shock and anger.

The quiet was broken when Matt started laughing. I finally looked at him. Turner reclined and watched Matt laugh. Zipper rubbed his chin. “This is a joke. Perla, you got me good. If you’d like for me to sign first, I will. Then you can sign. Hand me those papers, Zip.” Matt was in denial. Zipper made to receive the papers, which Turner pushed forward.

“I’m not signing anything. My mind is made up. I’m not marrying you in thirty days or ever. I don’t want your fortune. I just want Pentagon. When we got our marriage license, you said something to the effect ‘sometimes we have the means to get ahead in line, and we must take it’. I’m jumping the line by taking the shares. Thank you for the settlement in penalty for ruining my marriage, for seducing me in order to steal my key, stealing business information in order to take away Liberty, and impinging on my future rights to property.” I said coldly. With each string of reasons for keeping the shares, my backbone hardened to granite.

Matt tried to contain his anger with me. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me?” He laughed, but behind his laughter was disgust and derision. “You’re not supposed to keep any of this. You’re supposed to marry me and we live happily ever after. And now you come here and tell me you’re keeping my shares.”

“The shares are no longer yours. They’re mine. You gave me a very legal document expressing your gift to me I get to keep the shares unless we marry. I chose not to marry you. They’re mine. If you try to battle me for the shares, I will sue you for them. And in that event, I will sue you for the rest of your fortune, and maybe even include those of your medical practice as a penalty.” Matt made a motion to leap from his chair toward me. I didn’t flinch or recoil. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. He was angry and humiliated. I’d been in the same position days ago. I felt like a mountain, resolute and strong where I sat planted in my seat. Zipper held him back with a strong arm at Matt’s chest, keeping him from moving any closer.

I turned to Turner, “I expect them to provide documentation necessary to make me the designee of the Pentagon shares by no later than the end of the business day today.” I said firmly. I stood from the chair. I gave him a kiss on the cheek. Turner didn’t stand as was his custom. “I’ll talk to you and Carson later, Turner.”

“Where the fuck are you going?” Matt yelled out. He’d never spoken so cruelly to me. I knew it was deserved in context of my rejection.

“To work for now . . . until I get those shares, I still have to go to my menial job.” I walked toward the door.

“Oh, Attorney Zipperer.” I turned around to make eye contact with Zipper. When he looked me in the eyes, I sternly said, “I would like to know the time and the place of your next Pentagon board meeting? I need to talk to the rest of the men. You have my number, and I want contact information of each of the Pentagon men.” I gave a curt nod and he returned it.

I left Turner seated and stunned. Matt stood fuming. Zipper was confounded with my turnabout. I never thought that I, poor, little Perla Mercurio could ever bring a man to his knees.

*****

I was naïve to think Matt would remain in the conference room as I walked away from him with his business. He caught up to me at the elevators, after I’d pressed the button.

“I can’t believe you’re actually doing this.” Matt said as he approached me. His voice quivered, deeper than his normal register. The elevator arrived and I thought I would have a chance to escape. He rushed toward me and grabbed me by the arm before I could take a step into the lift. The elevator was filled with people. Matt pulled me away, and my hopes to run away were dashed by the closing stainless steel doors.

“There is nothing to talk about. You gave me options, and I chose the best one for me.” I said. My heart beat surged in my chest.

“You’re choosing my fortune instead of me? What about the other night?” He asked in distress. His eyes searching mine for some glimmer of the truth. I gave him a steely glare.

“We each got what we wanted. Think of it as a ‘goodbye’ fuck.” He winced, releasing the grip he had on my arm. The bitch in me took over. I knew I’d thrown a verbal punch below the belt where it hurt the most. My indifference was the only way I could keep myself from changing my mind and signing the prenup. There was too much at risk. Our reputations and dignity were at stake and I had to be the one to protect us both. And I refused to be the one to tell him his good friend was stabbing him in the back without further evidence as to why Brady turned against Matt.

“So it was some sort of pity fuck?” He asked, backing away from me. I held back the cringe bubbling at the surface. I refused to let his words corrode my defenses. Despite wanting to reach out to him and feel his touch one last time, I remained still in my spot.

“Matt. It would’ve been better if you’d left me alone. I didn’t ask for you to give me anything, and you shouldn’t have thought less of me as to think I would just drop everything and marry you because you gave me your money. I thought long and hard about this. I will never be able to forget about what you and the other men did to me. I deserve restitution, and you gave it to me. I’m moving on, and so should you.” My words must have stung because he took a step backwards. He walked away and stopped.

I pressed the elevator, praying it would arrive before he thought to return to my side. “You can take it all. Without you, it means nothing.” He said assuredly. “It was all for nothing.” He trailed off. As I held my breath, I watched him walk away. My heart broke at his resignation. For a split second, I wondered if I’d made the right decision.

The elevator chime awoke me from the spell he cast with his parting words. I entered the elevator and walked away from the dreams of the last few months. However, a nagging feeling entered me once I entered the lift, the nightmare may have just started.