I wander through the Museum, looking at the paintings and admiring the statues. Even though I rarely take selfies, I take one in front of the famous clock. I’ve always loved it, and there was no one around who looked interested in taking a picture for me. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. I snag a seat at the casual café downstairs, and then visit my second museum gift shop of the day.
There’s not much I want, since most of it has the art from the museum on it, and not their cool logo or the clock. I decide on a journal with their logo, and take it to the cashier. It’s so subtle that I might have missed it, but he switches my journal for one that’s below the register. I know in that moment that Joel made his call, meaning Matt’s gifts are going to start including messages to me.
I make my way into the nearest restroom, and lock myself in a stall before taking out the journal. The page tucked inside contains my message. It looks like jibberish, but I know it’s in code. I pull the tenth word out of every sentence to form what was left for me. Ten is my favorite number, and Matt knows that.
No one can reach G, A, or J. The 5 were to attend a ball in London, which is where J was last seen. 4 will go, with a 5th guest. Attend if you can, but be careful. Keep up your act. It may be the only thing keeping you safe, and I know it’s not real. I love you, M
I tear up the paper, and flush it down the toilet. I need to go to London, and keep kissing boys who aren’t the right one, all so we can try to flush out the people who took the other Corrigan women. I have no doubt that they were taken, and I can’t shake the feeling that I’m missing something important. I feel like I should know who took them, who arranged for all of the mentors to be in London. It’s just out of my grasp, and I can’t dwell on it right now. It’ll come to me, or I’ll figure it out later. Right now, I have a ruse to keep up.
I walk to the nearest Metro station and make my way to the Champs Elysees. Any soon to be divorcee in Paris would spend her husband’s money on this famous street, and I do just that—or at least I pretend to. I buy clothes, shoes, purses, and everything else that strikes my fancy, but I pay with my own credit card. All of it will be shipped to me, because I’m not feeling safe enough to have my hands full while I’m still being followed. They think they’re hiding, but I see them. And I let them see me.
In the café near the Arc de Triomphe, I kiss the cute bartender when he asks me how my dessert tastes. I hear the cell phones going off, but I ignore them. I don’t ignore the man outside the Metro station in Montmarte who looks interested. He kisses like an eager twelve year-old, but I pretend I’m into it as more pictures are taken. The handsome man outside Notre Dame kisses better, but doesn’t even make my pulse speed up a little. I finish off my Paris kissing adventure in the Gare du Nord train station. I grab a boy who can’t be older than twenty, and kiss him in front of his friends before boarding my train for London. I can only imagine what the Corrigan PR people are dealing with, but the need to stay alive trumps any guilt I’m feeling about the extra work I’m giving them. I’ll apologize later.
Chapter 16
Matt
I have less than 24 hours before my plane leaves for London, and I’m not wasting a second of it. Kendrick and Waverly weren’t totally on board with my plan, but they resigned themselves to it. I’m running full out on the treadmill while doing curls with five pound weights. They thought I was nuts, but now they’re looking at me like they can’t believe what they’re seeing.
“Special Forces, people. This is nothing.”
“Show off,” Waverly says.
“Man with the most important mission of his life,” I counter.
“I understand, and that is the only reason I’m letting you out of here,” Kendrick tells me.
“You think you could stop me?”
“No, but I would try.”
“Appreciate that, Kenny,” I tell him with a laugh.
“I’m glad you can laugh right now,” Camari says as she walks in.
“How bad is it?”
“A nuclear bomb would probably cause less damage to Corrigan than Reina is doing.”
“I’m ready to make a statement.”
“Great. I’ll type something up,” The raven haired beauty tells me.
“Nope. This is going to be all me.”
“That’s not a good idea. You should let me at least look at what you have written down.”
“I don’t have anything written down. I’ll be speaking from the heart.”
“I’m not going to win if I fight you on this, am I?”
“Nope.”
“Is this afternoon good enough for you?”
“Yes. Thanks, Camari. You’re doing a great job.”
“I’m sorry about Reina,” Kendrick tells me.
“Me too,” I say, playing along.
I finish my workout and call Stella and Tegan once I’m alone in my room. What I’m going to do is necessary, both for the company and for Reina. I need them to know it’s not real so they don’t kill me. I can only hope that the woman I love will realize it on her own. If she thinks it’s real, I may lose her forever this time.
Two hours later, I’m showered, shaved, and dressed in the suit Stella brought me. “Are you ready?” she asks.
“No.”
“You already gave her divorce papers. You would’ve been making this same statement back then,” Tegan reminds me.
“I still thought I couldn’t have her back then. Now I know I have a chance to really be with her, and what I say today will forever change that.”
“She’ll understand later,” Stella assures me. “You’re doing this for her, too.”
“I’m hoping she’ll understand today.”
“I have to admit that a world where the two of you aren’t fighting is hard to wrap my head around.”
“Don’t worry, Teeg, I don’t think we’ll ever stop fighting. It just won’t be so nasty, and we’ll get to make up every night.”
They both hug me, and then it’s time to go upstairs. We’re presenting a united front for the world, but I know they have my back for real as well. Miles meets us at the elevator, and then we’re outside in the parking lot. I’ve never seen so many members of the press in one spot before and that’s saying something. Camari asks me once again if I’m sure, and I tell her I am. I climb the steps and address the crowd.
“Thank you all for coming this afternoon. I will be making a statement and taking no questions. I know you’ve been told that already, but I want to make sure we’re all clear on this. After today, I ask for you to let me deal with all of this privately.
“My wife has very obviously chosen to live a new life without me. While I love her, and wanted her to come back to me at first, I now realize that I can’t stomach even being in the same room with her again. We have had no contact since she left the country, and despite what some of my competitors would like you to believe, I am no fool. I haven’t been hiding because I’m emotionally hurt. I was physically injured because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time during a botched kidnapping last month.” To prove my point, I open a couple of shirt buttons, and show them one of my scars.
“My brother, Miles, has been doing an amazing job of running the company in my absence, and he will continue to be in charge for a few more weeks as I sort out my divorce from Reina. It will take a few weeks for me to finally be free from her, but I no longer consider her to be a Corrigan. My sister-in-law Alex, along with Stella and Tegan here are officially in charge of The Corrigan Foundation. They have done a wonderful job in her absence, and I have no doubt that they will continue to do so.
“On a final note, I have a message for my wife if she’s not too busy screwing everything that walks. You can keep the wedding jewelry since I know you love it so much. I’ve cleaned out your office already, and replaced all of the furniture in there. Our apartment is next. I want no memory of our life together for the past year, because I’m ready to start my life for real now. I hope you can do the same.�
�
I step away from the microphone, jog down the steps, and power walk back into the building as my friends surround me. No one speaks until we are in the elevator, heading up to the Foundation.
“Damn, that was awesome Matt,” Stella tells me. “You made yourself look like a badass while still telling Reina you’re here for her.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “You picked up on it, so she will too.”
“No doubt. It was perfect,” Tegan says.
Miles looks up from his phone. “I’ve already gotten thirty texts from guys who wanted to cancel their contracts saying they want to retract those demands.”
I nod. “Now we can concentrate on what’s really important.”
“I wish we could go with you,” Stella tells me once again.
“I know, but you can’t. You’ll be giving me support and backup from here. My part will be easy.”
“Getting all eight of them out alive is easy to you?” Tegan asks.
“Just another day at the office.”
“He’s not kidding. The three of us rescued people in the double digits all the time by ourselves,” Nate tells her.
“And it’s not just him. You all know Reina won’t go down without a fight, and Alex has been slowly training since she came to work here. She’s not mission ready, but she can fight and handle a gun. The Society mentors aren’t in top shape, but they can shoot.”
“So can my mom,” Miles says.
“See, piece of cake,” I tell them.
I know it won’t really be easy, and so do they. We’re all going to pretend, because none of us can afford to show our fear. We don’t know who has the three women, or who in this building might be working for them. We have to put on as much of a show here as Reina’s putting on in Europe. Everyone’s lives depends on us keeping up the act. Miles and I can’t afford to lose the women we love, and the Society cannot fall. I feel like Atlas, with the weight of the world on my shoulders. Good thing I’ve been working out again.
* * *
Reina
Dark sunglasses, casual clothes, and staying at a small hotel really works when trying to stay anonymous. I know the press are looking for me after Matt’s press conference. The one where he publicly tossed me aside, while still letting me know he’s all in with me from now on. I’m still not sure I can trust us both enough to be with him for real once this is over, but knowing that he wants it now, makes me lean more towards that than against it.
London is one cool city. I still feel the history here, but it’s more youthful and fun. My hotel is near the Tate Modern, and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. I walk to the Tate first, and peruse the galleries of modern art. I’m surrounded by art every day at Corrigan, but seeing it in a museum is somehow different, and more intense. I love almost everything I see, and I want to come back here again.
In the gift shop, I buy a pen that’s made to look like a paint brush, and receive the t-shirt that’s waiting for me. It’s a multicolored skeleton of the top half of a body on a white background. It’s another thing I had been looking at, and the fact that he keeps picking things I want really shows me that those damn emails were true. He’s always paid attention to me, even when he pretended that he didn’t.
I have lunch in the café at the museum before walking a few blocks over to the theatre. There’s some kind of field trip going on, so the shop is packed. I’ll check it on my way out. I buy a soda and a cookie, and grab my seat cushion before heading into the open air venue. The seats are benches and I settle in to watch the show. It’s no less amazing than I expected, and I’m enchanted by the realization that I’m in England, and watching a traditional production of a Shakespeare play while sitting in a replica of his Globe.
I’m still riding the wave of awe as I buy pretty much one of everything in the gift shop. Of course there’s another gift for me when I pay. It’s a tote bag featuring Shakespeare’s insults. I had one in my pile already, so it’s switched out, just like at the Orsay. I know there’s no note in there, but I still feel like Matt’s telling me he loves me again. His love is what’s keeping me alive right now, and I’m pretty sure that no matter what else happens between us, there will be lots of kissing.
Keeping up my carefree ruse, I walk down to the London Bridge Station, and take the Tube to Baker St. I have someone take a picture of me kissing the Sherlock Holmes statue—I have to keep up my rep after all—but skip the long line for the museum at 221B Baker St. I hop on a train back to Westminster Abbey, and walk to Buckingham Palace.
I smile as I walk past the gates. I’ve been inside more than once, only never through the front door. I usually helicopter in, or go through one of the not so secret tunnels that connect it to other parts of the city. Seeing it from out here is different. That’s the only word for it. Even walking down the street that’s closed to traffic was surreal. I’m a tourist today. No one recognizes me, and for the first time in a long time, I can just blend in and look. I can experience what all of the people around me are experiencing without trying to solve a problem. It’s freeing, even while I know I’m not free. At least not while my shadows are still behind me.
I don’t rush back to my hotel after my sightseeing. After a day of anonymity, I’m not looking forward to putting myself on display again. I know I have to, especially after what Matt told the world while I was sleeping last night. He said he’s divorcing me because of my behavior, and if everyone is going to believe that I don’t care, I need to continue that behavior.
In between my sightseeing, I also did some shopping so I have the perfect dress for tonight. It’s a short black mini dress covered by a sheer layer that goes to my ankles. There are some colorful modern flowers on it, but it’s really not covering much. I leave my hair down, my ring from Matt on, and add some strappy heels to finish it all off. Time to find some boys.
I take a cab to the club I’ve picked, and since I’m not incognito anymore, I walk right past the lines. Inside, I decide on the third of the four floors just because I can. It’s packed, but I have a drink in my hand in less than a minute thanks to the boy who gets my first kiss of the night. I throw back the shot of vodka, and move on. The dance floor is crowded, but I gyrate my way into it anyway. I dance and kiss for a couple of hours, stopping to get drinks from the bar from time to time. I’m offered drinks on the dance floor, but I’m not going to take a drink I haven’t seen get made, even if I am supposed to be a party girl now.
I spin around, making myself seem a little unsteady on my feet, and run smack into Wayne. He’s the bandmate of Stella’s boyfriend, Kace, and a pretty good guy underneath all of his swagger. I throw my arms around him, and move in for a kiss. He pulls back before I can make contact.
“What’s going on, Reina? This isn’t you.”
“It is now, Wayne. My loving husband is divorcing me, or haven’t you heard?”
“I’ve heard. And again I’ll say it, this isn’t you.”
“You don’t know me,” I say, turning away from him.
“I know you well enough,” he whispers in my ear, pulling me back against him. “Whatever’s going on, I’m in.”
I make myself sway, and he catches me, pulling me up into his arms. I knew he would. He’s going to play along. I close my eyes slowly, and then we’re moving. I hear the photographers outside the club, but I keep my eyes closed as Wayne cusses them out. He sets me into the backseat of a private car, and then we’re moving.
I feign sleep through our entire drive. I trust Wayne, but I don’t know who’s driving us. I hear us pass through some private gates, and then I’m being carried inside before being placed on a couch.
“You can open your eyes now.”
“Thank you,” I tell him.
“What the bloody hell is going on?” Jenysis says as she walks into the room. She’s the cousin of Darcy’s fiancé, Prince Brayden of Cyndryann.
“Reina needed help.”
“You needed to be saved from table dancing and snogging?” she asks
me.
“Honestly, yes.”
“Well then, good on you for once Wayne. Why’d you bring her here, though?”
“I’m always good, Jeny. And I thought you might want to help her, too. You love her secret spy stuff.”
“Are you two together now?”
“No,” Jenysis says at the same time Wayne says “kind of.”
“Okay, then. I do have something you might be able to help me with,” I tell her.
“Sure. I do think what you do is wicked fab.”
“We’ll have more to talk about later, but for now, I need to get into a ball that’s being held tomorrow night.”
“Oh. I have a date, so I can’t take you, but I bet my friend, Calum would.”
“Date? Who the fuck do you have a date with?” Wayne asks her.
“None of your business.”
“Seriously? What about last night?”
“What about it? You went on the pull tonight, and you’re getting all shirty with me?”
“I wasn’t looking for a fuck. You had that stuffy dinner, so I just went out for a couple of drinks. I didn’t even look at anyone else.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh. Why do I even bother?”
“I’m sorry to interrupt your lovers quarrel, but I need to know more about this Calum.”
“I’m out. Have fun on your date.”
Wayne storms out while Jenysis looks like she might cry. “I went a little barmy, didn’t I?”
“You’re preaching to the choir, sweetie. That’s been me for years.”
“I’m really gutted over you and Matt.”
“Don’t be. I trust you, so I’ll tell you this—not everything is as it seems. Now, about Calum.”
“Oh yeah, sorry. He’s a bloke I went to school with. He’s positively minted, and every Posh girl in London is trying to land him. I told him I’d try and find him someone who wouldn’t think a date was a marriage proposal.”
Loving My SECRET (Corrigan & Co. Book 10) Page 17