Lessons in SECRET (10 page)

“You were?”

“Well, as ready as I
can be. Let’s just get this over with.”

With a deep breath, I
open the door and we walk inside. There’s no one in the living
room, but neither one of us move toward the bedroom. If this guy
wants us, he can find us. We take off our bags, but that’s it.

“Hey, you’re
supposed to be naked and getting it on,” Nate says, coming out of
the bedroom.

“Nate!” I yell as I
run to him.

“Hey, Double G,” he
says as he hugs me tight. “Happy to see me, huh?”

“Definitely.”

“What if I still want
my show? I mean, I
did
pay for it.”

“You’re such a pig.
You
and
your stupid
friends,” Ellie tells him.

“It’s so nice of
you to always sugarcoat things, Brass. And Aiden’s not stupid, he’s
just confused.”

She flips him off.
“Like you are with Jade, huh? And now I know why you hired us—you
want to see if I really have a brass pair under my skirt, don’t
you?”

“No. I trained you,
so I know you’re all girl. But you’re still the toughest chick I
know.”

“I’m tough,” I
tell him.

“Yeah you are. And no
one would ever see it coming. Which is perfect.”

“Why thank you.”

“Now that that’s
all settled, what should we do for the next couple of hours?”

“We’re supposed to
do “anything” you want so you’ll tell all your friends. I
always forget you’re a star.”

“I’m just a guy,
not a star.”

But he is. Before he
joined the military, Nate was the top underground fighter in the
country. In fact, the UFC still calls him regularly trying to get him
to join. But he won’t. Since Selene got fired, he’s taught all of
us, but he won’t fight anyone outside of when he helps us. People
still know his name, though. I’ve been with him when he’s been
stopped for autographs.

“Okay, just a guy,
tell me why you won’t go out with my best friend.”

Ellie just went there.
One of us might just end up leaving here a little bloody. Is it bad
that I’m glad it won’t be me?

“I don’t
go
out
with anyone. I fuck women. That’s all.”

“Then fuck Jade.”

“No. She’s…she’s…”

“Not pretty enough?
Not sexy enough? What?”

“She’s perfect!
There I said it. Are you happy? Jade is fucking gorgeous, and strong,
and everything I would want if I could let myself want a woman the
way she deserves to be wanted. I can’t just fuck her.”

“You’re all she
wants.”

“I’m the last
person she should want. I’d hurt her. In more ways than one.” He
runs his hand over his short black hair before walking back towards
the bedroom. “Do whatever you want out here. I just need to be
alone.”

Once the door is
closed, Ellie takes out her phone. “Call Nate,” she says and then
hangs up.

“You know that won’t
end well.”

“The both deserve
happiness.”

“So do you and
Aiden.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve
given up hope that he’ll ever help make that happen.”

“Just don’t give up
on him, Ellie. There’s still hope as long as you don’t do that.”

“I’ll try, Wise
One. I’ll try,” she says as she rests her head on my shoulder.

We put on the TV, but
spend most of our two hours talking. Although I’m closest in age to
her and Jade, we don’t hang out much. They’re not as wild as
Stella and Tegan were, but they do go out several nights a week. I’m
always invited to go out with them—and everyone else—but I tend
to stay in. Audrey and I are close because we’re both Maggie’s
girls, but we don’t hang out too much, either.

I just feel different
than all of them. Because I am. No one ever makes me feel that way,
even though I know it’s true. That’s why I would lay my life down
for any one of them. And not even give it a second thought.

When our time’s up,
Nate comes out of the bedroom to hug us goodbye. “Sorry, I was an
ass ladies. I love you both, you know.”

“We know,” I tell
him.

“She called you?”
Ellie asks.

“Yeah. She shouldn’t
have, but thanks.”

“Just make sure to
tell Kurt we left you happy,” she says.

“As happy as I can
be, you mean.”

“Yeah, that.”

I kiss him on the cheek
and then we walk out. When we meet up with Kurt, he tells us he
already got a text saying that we exceeded expectations. He also
tells us we’ve earned a spot at his party next week. He says we’ll
get all the details later. We part at valet again. This party gives
me a bad feeling that I can’t shake. I hope I can handle whatever
it is that’s going to happen there.

* * *

Mason

“No. You can’t go
to his party. I’ve heard about these parties.”

Isa asked me to come
over after her latest escapade. She hasn’t told me if she did
anything, but she’s been in good spirits, so I’m guessing she
didn’t. I don’t think she could get out of something at the
party, though.

“How? When you came
to us, you acted like you just had suspicions, but now you seem to
know everything.”

“I-I knew when I came
to you, okay? I didn’t want to say how much I knew because I was
afraid your boss would think I was involved. But you’ve seen how
Grace is with me.”

“You should go now.”

“What? I’m trying
to be honest with you, and you’re kicking me out?”

“Is this you being
honest? Completely honest?”

“Yes. It is. I
shouldn’t have hid that I knew about it, but I did. Now I’m
telling you what I should’ve told you then.”

“I can handle that
you knew if that’s all you’ve kept from me. That’s it, right?”

“Yes. I swear.”

That just sealed my
fate in Hell. Fucking sealed it. But a guy’s gotta do what he’s
gotta do. And I like breathing.

“I love you,
Mas-Jake. Jake. I love you, Jake. I’ve never said those words to
anyone in a romantic way before. They mean something to me.”

“They mean everything
to me when you say them, Isa.” I won’t say that I’ve never said
them before, because I have. I’ve never meant them before, though.
“I love you so much it hurts. Always know that.”

“Why are you saying
it like that? Like we’re doomed? This is why I’m worried.”

We
are
doomed. “I’m sorry. I just keep thinking that you’re going to
realize I’m not the guy you want.”

“Well, I gave you my
heart
and
body. I
don’t know what else I can do to show you.”

“Nothing. You’re
perfect, Isa. So damn perfect. I just know I don’t deserve you.”

“Well, you’ve got
me. So don’t screw this up. As for the party, I have to go. This
may be my chance to find out who’s giving Kurt his orders.”

“Did he tell you
about the party?”

“No. Just that Ellie
and I are invited to it.”

“I don’t know much
about Ellie, but she seems like she could handle it.”

“And you think I
can’t?”

“I don’t want you
to have to.”

“Just tell me what
you know.”

This I can do for her.
And if what I tell her helps bring it all down, then that’s what
has to happen. “Kurt’s boss opens up his home every month for a
special party. The men who attend all have bank accounts large enough
to bid. In the seven figures, if necessary.”

“Bid?”

“Yes. The men wait in
the guesthouse at the mansion. The girls all hang out in the Great
Room downstairs in the main house. In only lingerie and heels. The
men start bidding on who they want. They have ten minutes to bid for
each girl, and the highest bidder wins. The man goes up a back
staircase to a designated room, and the girl meets him there. He gets
that girl for the night. The
entire
night. ”

“Wow.”

“Now you know why I
don’t want you there. You can’t just knock someone out for a few
hours and escape.”

“I have to do it.”

“I know,” I say,
running my hands over my face. “I don’t have to like it, though.”

“Will you spend the
night before with me?”

“Yes, Isa. Of course
I will.”

She climbs on my lap
and starts kissing my neck. “Stay with me this weekend, too. All
weekend.”

“All weekend, huh?
You’re not going to get sick of me?”

“Never.”

I’ve already got that
reserved place in Hell, so of course I stay. I kiss her and show her
my love. I make love to her and say the words we both need me to tell
her. I watch movies with her and hold onto her as we eat. The end is
coming, and my life is about to be over, even if I’m still
breathing after this week.

Isa

I’d be lying if I
said I wasn’t worried about the party tonight. Reina and Ainsley
have been trying to figure out a way to get Ellie and me out of the
mansion we’re going to, but they’ve been unsuccessful so far. I’m
surprised when the knock at my door turns out to be Maggie Griffin.

“Maggie, hi.”

“Hi, Isa. May I come
in?”

“Of course.”

“I wanted to see how
you’re doing. I haven’t been doing too much mentoring on this
mission. I’m sorry about that.”

“You’re busy. I
understand.”

“Not too busy for
you. I need you to know that you can call me, and I’ll do
everything I can to help you. Always.”

“I
do
know that.”

“Yet you haven’t
called.”

“Alex just got
married, and Olivia’s having the baby soon.”

“Which are both happy
events that I don’t have much to do with.” I raise an eyebrow at
her. “Okay, I’m
very
involved with my children and grandchildren, but you’re
part of my family, too. So tell me all about Mason Wells.”

“You’re my family
too, and I should me more involved with everyone. I promise to call
more. As for Mase, he’s wonderful. I still can’t believe he wants
to be with me.”

“Why wouldn’t he?
You’re beautiful inside and out as well as being smarter than him.
You’re quite the catch, and it’s time you started realizing that.
I know your parents are difficult, and we’ve been guilty of keeping
you closer than the other girls as well. But you’re one of the
strongest, and best we’ve got. Never forget that.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s the truth,
Isa. There’s no need to thank me for pointing out the truth.”

“I-I…never mind.”

“Tell me. You can
tell me anything.”

I realize that I need
to tell her. I want to tell someone, and she’s the one who
recruited me. “I sometimes—lots of times, actually—feel like
I’m less than the others.”

“In what way?”

“I’m quieter. And I
don’t go out. Or dress up. I don’t like attention.”

“Do you know how many
famous people are introverts?”

“I know Einstein was.
But I’m like him.”

“Yes, you are. You’re
brilliant. There’s no doubt about that. But I’m talking about
Julia Roberts, Emma Watson, Diane Sawyer, Eleanor Roosevelt, and
Audrey Hepburn. Women who have had a big impact on the world. Just
like you. You may be quiet, and like to blend in, but you are also
brave and your light shines even when you try to hide it. Your
friends love and admire you for more than your brain, and so do I.”

I’m crying and she
reaches out to hold me. “I needed that more than you know. Thank
you for believing in me.”

“I always have, and I
always will. You can be sure of that.”

We talk for another
half hour, but then it’s time for Ellie and me to get ready for
tonight. We’re doing it here, though, since Kurt and his minions
should be too busy setting everything up to worry about where we are
beforehand. Maggie and I head up to Stella’s apartment. Helen and
Ellie are already there, but they tell us they’ve just arrived.
Stella takes us up to her dressing room to show us the lingerie she
bought for us.

Ellie’s going to be
wearing a corset—of course—and a teeny tiny pair of boy shorts
that show most of her ass. She’ll also be in thigh high shiny
books. They’re definitely going for the dominatrix look as Stella
brings out a studded collar and bracelets for her to add to the rest
of her all black outfit. They do her hair in big curls, and she’s
made up to look like a Barbie doll come to life. A sexed-up Barbie,
but no less of a doll.

Then it’s my turn. I
see what Stella got me, but I shake my head. “No. I don’t want to
look innocent tonight. I’m quiet, but I’m strong.”

She smiles and her eyes
light up. “I know you are, Isa. And I was hoping you’d say that
so I got a second outfit for you.”

The lingerie she pulls
out is hot pink with black accents, and definitely not innocent. It’s
a lace and satin push up bra with all kinds of black and pink straps
crossing above and below it. The bottoms are a thong with a sheer
black skirt over the top which covers almost nothing. There are
matching black stockings with lace at the top, and she got me hot
pink heels that I could kill someone with if I had to. When I put it
all on, everyone just stares for a minute. Ellie is the first to
recover.

“Damn girl. You’re
definitely getting the highest bid, and your hair and make-up aren’t
even done yet.”

I smile and thank her.
Stella does my hair in curls as well, but puts some up on top of my
head. The make-up is thicker than I’ve ever worn it, but it fits
with the look. Stella sprays us both all over with glitter spray, and
then Ellie and I slip coats on. We get into our separate cars, and
head to the party. I hope we’re really ready for whatever it will
bring.

My first impression
when I’m allowed past the guard gate at the mansion is that this
ring is making more money that we thought. Because this place is
huge. Like Bruce Wayne big. I leave my car with the private valet and
walk to the door, Ellie a few steps ahead of me.