Secret Keeper

by Harlan, Christopher

  I’ve left my phone in my bag, silenced, but all I keep wondering is whether or not Dylan wrote me back. I need to see him, but he probably thinks that I gave up on us—that I ran back to my other life and it was just some fling.

  I follow Chandler around like a puppy. This place is so crowded that I’m starting to feel claustrophobic. This party room was meant for maybe fifty people at most, but there has to be at least twice that many. It feels like the hallways of a high school—densely packed, lots of movement, and noise all around. I keep seeing old faces that I know from other social events over the years, mixed with random people who are all here to celebrate my ‘fiancé’s’ success.

  I play my role. I smile when I’m supposed to smile, pose for a picture when it’s required of me, and generally do my best to look like everything I’m not—happy, satisfied with my life, thrilled for Chandler’s success.

  And the Oscar goes to. . .

  “You’re doing wonderful, keep smiling.” There was a time that the sound of him whispering in my ear like that would have made me swoon. That seems like an eternity ago, even though it could really be measured in months. Now it just makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and I feel sick to my stomach.

  “I need to step out for a second,” I tell him.

  “You’re not thinking of going back on our deal, are you?”

  “I’m just going to the bathroom. I don’t feel great.”

  “Be quick.”

  I step out into the hallway to catch my breath. It feels like I’m having a panic attack. My heart is racing and my breaths are getting shallow. There are people coming and going, but at least out here I have some room to breathe. I take a few deep breaths and start walking towards the bathroom.

  I stop outside as the hallways clear out. I put my back against the wall and cover my face with my hands. I really want nothing else except to get the hell out of this place, but he’d never let me. He needs me to be his trophy, and I’ll do whatever I need to do to protect my sister.

  I cover my face and take a deep breath, willing myself not to cry.

  I hear footsteps, but I don’t even care what I look like right now. I keep breathing deeply, trying to get my heart rate down. And then I hear it.

  “I’m taking you out of here.”

  I know his voice, but it can’t be. Can it? I look up, directly into the safety of the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.

  “Oh my God. Dylan.”

  “That’s right, it’s me.”

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “You invited me, remember?”

  “I what?”

  “You invited me. Your text said you’d be here, and I know as well as anyone that you don’t want to be here, so you invited me to rescue you. And that’s what I’m here to do.”

  I just stare at him. I missed those eyes, looking deeply into my eyes, making me feel better, chasing away all of the demons. “Is that what I did?”

  “That’s what I read. Was I wrong?”

  I look right into those blue eyes and smile for the first time in a week. “No. You’re not wrong at all.”

  “Come here.”

  He grabs me by the hand and pulls me into the coat closet a few feet away. I don’t ask any questions or resist him at all, I just let him take me where he wants me. We slip inside before anyone can see us, and he closes the door behind us so that we’re surrounded by darkness.

  His body smashes into mine so hard that my back ends up against the wall. I feel his cock pressing into me, and I reach down and grab onto it. His body is keeping mine from moving, and he leans in and puts his mouth right to my ear.

  “Did you really think that I was done fucking you, Penelope?”

  I’m instantly aroused. Every nerve ending in my body is alive knowing that all he wants to do is be inside me. He’s clawing at my dress like a wild animal, pulling it up past my hips as I spread my legs. He puts himself in between them, and I can feel his hardness up against me.

  “Dylan.”

  He grabs onto my ass and squeezes so hard that I cry out. “Say my name again!”

  “Dylan.”

  He buries his mouth in my neck, sucking hard and driving me insane. He runs his face up my neck, giving me goosebumps all over. I’m so wet that I can feel it. As his lips work their way up to my face, I turn into him and our mouths meet. He feels amazing, and everything that I was feeling a few minutes ago is a million miles away. There’s no party, no ex fiancé, no drama—there’s only the feeling of his skin against mine.

  “I need to be inside of you right now. Right fucking now.”

  He slips my panties off. They’re so wet that they’re hard to slip off, but he pulls them down with all of his strength. They rip off and I step out of them. Then I go to work on his belt. In a few seconds his pants are down, and his tremendous cock is pointed at me, begging to be inside of me. I grip him and pull him into me, and he slides inside like he was always meant to be there.

  “Fuck, Dylan!”

  “Shhh.” He puts his finger to my mouth and I suck his finger hard. “I need to keep you quiet before someone hears us. Gotta keep that mouth occupied.”

  I suck harder than I’ve ever sucked before. I feel him inside of me, thrusting so hard that it’s shaking my entire body. He’s fucking me so hard that I know I’m going to come soon. I can feel it building, slowly at first, but as he thrusts into me it grows and grows until my body is ready to explode.

  “Fuck, Dylan, I’m going to come.”

  “Then come for me. Right now. Come on my cock.”

  My body is on fire as I start to convulse harder than I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. I clench around him, digging my nails into his back so much that I may have cut him. I come so hard that I forget where I am.

  He pulls out and I drop to my knees to take him into my mouth. It doesn’t take long for him to finish. I swallow all of him as he explodes in my mouth. And then it’s all over as fast as it began.

  As I pull my dress down, and he puts his pants back on, reality starts to set in.

  “Jesus, Dylan, I can’t believe that you actually came here.”

  “Of course I came here.”

  “I didn’t think you’d want to see me again after I blew you off.”

  “Are you joking? You think I’d ever not want to see you? You’re all I’ve been thinking of.”

  “I didn’t mean to walk away from you like that. I was just. . .”

  “You don’t need to explain. I need to explain. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  “But I can’t. He’ll know. My sister. . .”

  “Remember what I told you? That I’d never let that happen. Do you trust me?”

  I don’t even have to think about the answer to that one. “Of course I do, Dylan. I trust you completely.”

  “Then come with me. We need to get out of this awful place. How does coffee sound?”

  “Only if it’s Cuban,” I tell him. He smiles.

  “I think I can arrange that. I know a guy.”

  37

  Dylan

  I can’t believe we just did what we did.

  I can’t believe that she followed me. I can’t believe any of it.

  I stole her away from that place, from those people, from him—the man who doesn’t deserve her. I stole her away from all of that, and she came willingly, even though it might cost her everything—it might cost both of us everything. That means everything to me, and now it’s my job to protect her in any way I can.

  We grab a cab to a hotel I know pretty well—the owner used to live in the building, and let’s just say that I saved his ass on more than one occasion. I shoot him a text in the cab and he gives us the night for free. After I check in under an assumed name, we head upstairs and get settled in the room.

  I throw myself on the bed, letting my body relax for the first time tonight. She follows me.

  “Tell me another story,” she asks.

  “Another st
ory?”

  “One from the building. One from anytime, it doesn’t matter. Something that will take my mind off of things.”

  “What do you need to keep your mind off of?”

  She smiles. “Well if I told you that then I wouldn’t be doing a good job of keeping it off my mind, would I now?”

  “Fair point. I just didn’t know if something else had happened since I saw you last.”

  “Nothing original. I’m still being held hostage so he’ll take care of my sister.”

  “I know you want to be distracted, and I understand that completely, but can I ask you a question? I promise I’ll tell you a story after that.”

  “Sure.”

  “What’s wrong with your sister?”

  She takes a deep breath, like she doesn’t really want to remember, but as soon as she starts talking about her sister she lights up just a little bit. I can tell that family is important to her—we have that in common.

  “When we were kids, she got hit by a car. Some guy who wasn’t paying attention and didn’t see her little body walk into the street to grab the ball that we’d been playing with, my uncle had given it to us earlier that day. I thought she’d died when I saw her laying there on the street. Thank God there were people around who called the police and an ambulance while I sat there holding onto her. She lived, but she had pretty major brain damage. She can’t really do much for herself anymore and she needs around the clock care.”

  “Jesus, that’s terrible. How old was she at the time?”

  “Eight. She was just eight”

  I pull her close and squeeze as hard as I can. “I’m so sorry you had to deal with that. I can’t imagine.”

  “Can’t imagine?” she says, pulling her head away and looking up at me. “You had it way worse than I did. Both of your parents died in an accident.”

  “That’s true, but they were just gone one day. I know that sounds crazy, but the more time that passes, the harder it is to remember them. It’s like they were there one day and gone the next. I was lucky enough to be raised by amazing grandparents, and most of my memories of childhood are with them. You had to live with what happened to your sister every day. You still do. I can’t imagine that.”

  “It’s gotten easier, just like everything does with the passing of time. I’m just terrified of what’s going to happen to her.”

  “I’m guessing your parents can’t afford private care for her on their own?”

  “They tried once, but couldn’t keep up with how much it cost them. It was crippling our family, so we went through a bunch of different places. They tried the state-run facilities, but they were a disaster. We tried places that were covered by my father’s healthcare from his job. We even tried having an in-home nurse, but none of those were the best options. Then, when I started dating Chandler, he offered to help as soon as I told him about her. I tried to say no, but he insisted. He had her set up at the new place within a week. That’s what his kind of money can do. He could move mountains. I was so impressed with that—and everything else he did for me—that I blinded myself to what he was really like. I was a fool.”

  “No, you’re not a fool. You were just in love, and he was good at hiding his real nature. At least now you know the truth of who he is.”

  “He’s made that perfectly clear. He never cared for me or my family. My sister was just a way to get me to fall in love with him. And now it’s a way for him to keep me as his trophy wife.”

  “Remember when I told you not to worry?”

  “I remember. Easier said than done, though.”

  “I know it is, but I need you to give me something that you probably don’t have a lot right now—and that’s trust. I need you to trust me.”

  “My faith is all used up at the moment, Dylan, I’m sorry. It’s nothing personal.”

  “Not faith,” I say, correcting her. “Trust. There’s a difference. Faith isn’t based on anything but a belief. Trust is based on actions.”

  “That’s a hard one for me too, Dylan. I’m not saying this to start an argument, but you did lie to me basically the entire time we were together. You never told me you were working for my ex.”

  “I wasn’t. Not really. He hadn’t hired me yet. . .”

  “You were. Just because he wasn’t paying you, doesn’t mean you weren’t working for him. I’m not even going to ask you what else he told you to do.”

  “I’ll tell you one day.”

  “But as far as the part with me, you should have said something.”

  I separate from her for a minute so that I can look her in the face. It’s time I explained myself and took ownership of my actions. “First thing’s first—I’m sorry. I fucked up, big time, and there’s no excuse for me lying to you. But if I can at least explain what I was thinking so that you know I’m a different man than Chandler.”

  “I already know that.”

  “I still want to explain myself. You’ve been lied to and deceived too much, and you don’t deserve any of it, so let me at least tell you where I was coming from. Do you remember that first day we met?”

  “You know I do.”

  “That was the first time I’d really seen you—but the next time I saw you was with him.”

  “I don’t remember that.”

  “You wouldn’t. I was standing at the desk in the front, doing my thing, running around here and there, but I saw you right away. You walked through the doors in that red coat of yours, and the second I saw you, I was right back to that feeling I had when I talked to you the day you moved in. Then something happened.”

  “What?”

  “Chandler walked in behind you. I remember my heart sunk as I watched him put his arm around your waist. You looked up at him and he kissed you.”

  “Oh, Dylan, I didn’t know...”

  “I know. And you weren’t doing anything wrong. You were walking into your new building with your fiancé, happy as could be that you were starting a new chapter in your life. I understand that.”

  “Little did I know.”

  “You had no way of knowing who he really was,” I tell her. “But my point is, that for the briefest of moments, I felt what it was like to lose you—to have that spark we had in that first meeting, and then to realize that you weren’t mine at all—you were his. I can remember that feeling like it was yesterday, and when fate brought us back together again, I was going to do whatever I had to do to prevent that feeling from happening again, even if that meant keeping the truth of the situation from you. I know that was wrong, and I can’t ever apologize to you enough—but my lie isn’t like Chandler’s lies—I’m not using you, or trying to trick you, or anything else. I just want you so badly that I’m willing to do anything to keep you with me. That’s the truth. I’m so sor. . .”

  She cuts me off with a kiss—a passionate one. Part of me was expecting a slap, but I’d much rather the warmth of her lips. They warm my entire body, and more than anything, it signifies to me that we’re going to be okay.

  “I forgive you,” she says. “And don’t ever think that I think of you and him in the same way. I know the difference.”

  “Thank you. I know the world around us seems to be crumbling a little, but I’m happy to be here with you.”

  “Me too. This is all that matters. We’ll figure the rest out.” She snuggles up against me and it feels incredible. “Now tell me a story. You promised a story.”

  “I did. And I’m a man of my word, but instead of a story, how about I tell you a secret?”

  “Wait, I thought that you weren’t supposed to tell any of your secrets.”

  “I’m not—at least not when it comes to other people I’ve worked for in the building, but this isn’t about them, it’s about me. I can tell my own secrets whenever I want.”

  “Then tell me.”

  “I’m going to find us a way out of this mess. And after that, I’m going to do something that Chandler was never able to do with all of his money, power, and influence.�
��

  “And what’s that?”

  “I’m going to give you the life that you deserve, Penelope. That’s what I’m going to do.”

  38

  Dylan

  Money where mouth is? Check.

  Secret business meeting with Jorge? Check.

  Taking Chandler down so he doesn’t ruin Penelope’s life? That’s a little harder, but like any good chess player, I’m putting the pieces where I need them to be for a later attack.

  It’s my most powerful piece that I really need, and I’m on my way to lunch with him now.

  This time it’s not some fancy place that costs two hundred dollars per plate and has decor more ornate than the palace of Versailles. This time we diner it. Graham must feel like he’s slumming it.

  I get there first, and when he walks in I can’t believe my eyes. I wave him over and look him up and down. “Holy shit, man.”

  “Take it all in,” he jokes.

  “A tee shirt and jeans? Is this the powerful Graham Morgan?”

  “Always. Now sit your butt down, we have things to discuss.”

  “You’re right, starting with your outfit.”

  “I’m a normal person, Dylan. I put my jeans on one leg at a time, just like you.”

  “Right, just like me,” I smile. “And how much did those jeans cost?”

  “What does that matter?”

  “Exactly. I knew it. They cost a month’s rent, don’t they?”

  “Do you want to talk about my jeans or do you want to discuss the mess you’re in?”

  Can’t we do both? “The mess, obviously.”

  “Good. What happened at that party?”

  Fuck, Graham hears about everything. “How did you know?”

  “Because, in Chandler’s warped mind, I’m somehow responsible for all of this because I recommended you to him. He thinks you betrayed him and now he’s blaming me. He’s scared, Dylan. Scared and angry.”

  “I need your sage-like advice right now. I need to know what to do.”