Society Girls: Matisse (21 page)

“I don’t know what else to say. You all know
his parents and Klas found us. We had no time to plan anything, and
Ken did what he had to in order to protect me once again. He hurt
Matisse, and I’m truly sorry for that. He says he chose life over
love, but I can tell you, he has no life without you, Teesy. I know
this is a lot to take in for all of you, but while I am now safe, I
still want to be part of the Society. I may need it even more than
I did when I was in danger. I hope you’ll consider letting me join
you.”

Reina stands and hugs her, before addressing
us. “Are there any questions before you vote?”

“I have one,” I say, getting to my feet.
“When can she start?”

My friends all get to their feet around me,
and voice their approval as well. How could we not welcome her
after what we just heard. And more importantly, how can I not
forgive Kendrick for doing what he did? She told me he was going to
tell me everything that night I helped blindside him, and I believe
her. He had no chance that night, but I’ll listen to him when he
gets back. If he still wants me to.

Kendrick

“I’m in,” Waverly yells into the phone when
I answer it. “I’m a recruit.”

“Congratulations, my friend. Were there any
problems with anyone?” I really don’t want to hear that Matisse
fought against her.

“She was the first one to stand and give her
approval,” she says, knowing exactly what I was asking.

“I’m glad.”

“When are you coming back to her? She needs
you.”

“Just because she accepted you doesn’t mean
she wants me.”

“She asked when you’d be back.”

I want to hope, but I also need to be
realistic. “That doesn’t mean anything. She could just be asking so
she knows when to start avoiding our part of the building.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“If you ever started sugarcoating things for
me, I’d probably die of a heart attack.”

“Just hurry back, Ken. I miss you, and you
need to talk to your girl.”

“She’s no longer mine.”

“That’s bullshit. The two of you belong
together.”

“I have four more hotels to visit before I
can leave.”

“How is that going?”

“The first ones were tough, because they
weren’t expecting the change. Word’s been getting out, so the
managers at the last few locations already knew what I was going to
tell them. They’ll miss their kickbacks from Klas, but I’ve assured
them there will be generous bonuses for keeping the hotels safe and
clear of any illegal behavior.”

“How many presents have you bought me so
far?”

I laugh, because she knows me well. I’ve
been buying her little things when visiting different locations for
years now, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop. I even brought her a
few things back from D.C. “A few.”

“How many have you bought Matisse?”

“We’re not together, Wave. Why would I buy
her things?”

“I’ll take that to mean there’s a lot coming
home for her.” There is. I can’t help it. I see things everywhere
that I think she would like, and I keep buying them.

“I may have had to buy an extra suitcase,” I
admit.

“Good thing you have no luggage restrictions
on the C&C jet.”

“Yes. All of our things will be traveling
back with me as well.”

“Thank you for bringing me my things. I was
worried they’d thrown them out.”

“No. Our rooms were just as we’d left them.
It was obvious they were being cleaned regularly, but everything
was there. They always expected us to come back and marry.”

“Even after we ran?”

“Yes. You know my parents. They thought they
ruled the world, or at least most of Africa. I don’t think they
ever thought I’d completely defy them, or their good friend,
Klas.”

“I wish I’d stayed behind and helped kill
him.”

“No, you don’t. You have enough demons, and
I needed you at the hospital that night.”

“All I did was wait in the hall for
you.”

“You know your presence meant more to me
than that. You were there for me, just like always.”

“I’ll always be here for you.”

“Even when you’re a super-spy?”

“Even then. Just like you’ll be there for
me, even when you’re having sex twenty-four hours a day with your
hot woman.”

“My stamina is pretty awesome, but I need
some breaks in between. I’ll call you then.”

“Ew! Why did you tell me that? Now I’ll be
grossed out every time you call me, wondering if you’d just
been…you know.”

“Oh, I definitely know, and I honestly can’t
wait until you do, too. Sex is amazing, and I’m looking forward to
the day when you get to realize that.”

“Did you hear what you just said?”

I think about it, and yuck. “Okay, yeah.
Forget what I said. You know what I meant, though. I want you to
find someone, and experience life.”

“And sex. You want me to have lots of
sex.”

“I’m going to go throw up now.”

“You started this, and I’ve had to hear
about you sexing up Matisse. We’re not even close to being
even.”

“I don’t talk about Matisse with you like
that.”

“Girls talk to each other, Ken.”

“She talks to you about that?”

“No, because she knows it grosses me out.
She did let a few things slip last time we were all together,
though.”

“Like what? Did she say it was good? Did she
tell everyone I have a large penis?”

“I just did throw up a little in my mouth,
and I’m hanging up now because I hate you a little at the
moment.”

“Sorry,” I tell her with a laugh. “I just
wanted to know what she thought.”

“Ask her when you get back. Bye Ken.”

“Bye, Wave.”

I have lots of things to ask Matisse about
when I get back, but my dick isn’t one of them. She’s been very
vocal about her love for it, so I was just messing with my friend.
I really want her to be comfortable with sex one day. What she was
forced to see as a child and teen scared her, and sex is not
something she should be afraid of. I know she’ll realize that when
the right guy comes along, and although I want absolutely no
details, I was being honest when I said I can’t wait for that to
happen.

* * *

Matisse

My first two sessions with my new doctor
have gone well, the pain in my arm is now only a dull ache, and
because of what I did when I was kidnapped, I’ve automatically
passed a few of my classes early. I’m feeling good about
everything, until I see Stella waiting for me when I walk out of
Tegan’s room with my friends.

“Hey Stell, what’s up?”

“He’s back,” she says, and I don’t need her
to tell me who she’s talking about. “He’s up with Reina right now,
but I thought you should know.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m supposed to ask you if you want him
kept from you. Ainsley’s team can do that you know. They’ll divert
him if he’s going to get off on a floor you’re on, and send you
phone alerts if he’s near.”

“No. I want to see him. We need to
talk.”

“He’s a good man. I wasn’t
in the room while everything was going on with his parents and
that
man
, but I
heard it all, and I’ve watched the video.”

“Can I watch it?” I ask. I’ve been wanting
to ask for the last week, but I didn’t know how.

“Yes. We’ve been waiting to see if you
wanted to.”

“I do. I think I need to see it.”

“I think you do, too. Do you want to do it
now?”

“Yes, please.”

“You can come, too, if Matisse wants you
there,” she tells my friends, who stayed close enough to
eavesdrop.

“Everyone can watch,” I say, knowing it’ll
be easier for them to watch than for me to explain it to them
later.

We follow Stella to her office, and sit on
the stools and couches facing the large screen that drops from the
ceiling. She dims the lights a little as the video starts. I’m not
sure what to expect, but when it’s done, I’m crying. Again. It’s
really becoming a problem, but at least this time, they’re happy
tears.

I just watched Kendrick defend Waverly and
basically do everything in his power to save her once more. That
choked me up a little, but the tears are from what happened next. I
saw him begin to torture a man because he had taken me. Kendrick
completely lost control, and I have no doubt he would’ve hurt him
even more if Reina hadn’t said I was safe.

My heart broke for him when he gave Faith
the okay to kill his parents, even though I know there was no
choice. He left that room to go to me, and now I know why he had
blood on his shirt when he was in my hospital room. I’ve already
forgiven him for what he had to do, but knowing he came to me, that
I was his priority now that Waverly was safe, means more to me than
anything he could’ve said to try and convince me he still loves me.
I know it now, and I need him to know I feel the same way.

“Damn, I didn’t know he had it in him,” Rose
says as Stella turns the lights back up.

“When you love someone, you’ll do anything
to save them,” Stella says.

“Do you think I can go up and see him
now?”

“No. I messaged Reina while the video was
playing, and she said they’ve still got a bunch of things to go
over. He didn’t just lie to you, Matisse. I don’t know what’s going
to happen, and while I’m pretty sure he won’t be fired, Matt and
Reina aren’t happy with him right now.”

“He saved Matt when only Reina believed he
could survive. That will count for a lot,” Nev reminds her.

“Yes, but there have to be consequences for
the danger he put us all in.”

“No. I’m going up there. Tell Reina I’m
coming.”

“She’s expecting you.”

“You said I couldn’t go.”

“We both knew you would anyway. Good
luck.”

I grab my bag and go for the elevators. I
don’t even stop to greet Alex this time as I run down the hall and
into the doors that open for me on approach. I’m out of breath as
Reina, Matt, Aiden, Nate, Theo, and Kendrick turn to me.

“You didn’t need to run, Matisse. No one’s
going anywhere,” Reina tells me.

“I have something to say.”

“I’m sure you do. Go ahead.”

“Stella said there will be consequences for
Kendrick because he put us in danger, but that’s not fair. You’re
letting Waverly join us, with no punishment, so why is it different
for him, just because he’s a man?”

Reina narrows her eyes at
me, and I force myself to stand my ground. “Kendrick’s punishment
has
nothing
to do
with his gender. I try to be as transparent as possible with all of
you, but I cannot let you know everything. I will tell you that
Waverly has her own set of consequences. Whether she chooses to
share them with you or not is up to her. The same goes for our
doctor friend here.”

“Oh.”

“Is there anything else you’d like to say to
any of us right now, or can we get back to business?”

“I’m good. Thanks for listening to me. I’ll
see you all later, I guess.”

“Do you need me to drive you to the tattoo
shop later?” Nate asks, knowing I’m freaking out about driving
myself there later.

“Can you?”

“Of course. I’ll meet you in the lobby, and
you can call me tonight to pick you up.”

“Thanks.”

I walk out before I make an even bigger fool
of myself. I can’t believe I just accused Reina of being sexist.
Kendrick didn’t even look at me, probably because I was making
things worse. I can only hope he’ll be willing to talk to me once
everything with the Society is straightened out for him.

Kendrick

“Well, that’s one less thing you have to
worry about,” Matt tells me with a laugh. “That girl definitely
loves you.”

“I love her, too.”

“I almost killed you, you know.” Aiden tells
me in a calm voice.

What am I supposed to say to that? “Thanks
for sharing, and um, letting me live.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Let’s get back to the matter at hand,”
Reina says, trying to hide her smile. “You know you should’ve told
us sooner, but you’ve helped us liberate close to a thousand women
and children, and you’re making a large contribution to helping us
care for them. I’m a little at a loss about what to do next. You
don’t need money, so docking your pay is a little ridiculous.”

That’s what’s happening to Waverly. She’s
being sent on an official mission, guarding someone, but the one
million dollars she’d normally receive is instead going back into
the Foundation. She doesn’t mind one bit, but I’m not about to tell
Reina that.

“I have an idea,” Nate says suddenly. “He
should have to take all of our babysitting shifts for a month.”

“What?” I ask, horrified.

Nate barely survived his shift with the
babies last week. He was the first one to do it since he drew the
short straw. We all want our friends to have nights out, so we
agreed to this, but none of us are looking forward to watching two
babies at once.

“I like it,” Reina says.

“You can’t be serious.”

“We’ll have to work it around his nights at
the hospital, but I’m sure Audrey and Tegan can come up with a
schedule.”

“That will leave me maybe two nights a week
for other things.”

“That’s a small price to pay for putting us
all in danger, don’t you think.”

Well, when she puts it that way. “Yes.”

“Great. I’m glad that’s all settled and we
can get back to work now. Bye guys.”

“I hate you,” I mutter to Nate as we walk
out. “What happened to the Bro Code?”

“You broke it when you lied to us,” Matt
tells me.

“And Matisse,” Aiden adds.

“She’s not part of the Code, dude,” Theo
says.

“She’s like a sister to me.”

“And Waverly is like a
sister to
me
,” I
remind them.