“Yes.”
“This foundation is not all I oversee,” Reina tells me.
Fifteen minutes, and lots of questions later, I’m a little dazed. “And you want me to be part of the Society?”
“Yes. Ellie would be your mentor.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t sound so excited,” Ellie says with a smirk. “I’m going to be an epic mentor.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” I assure her. “I was just surprised. I’d love for you to mentor me.”
“So that’s a yes?” Reina asks.
“Of course. Yes. When do I start?”
“Not for about a year. In the meantime, I’d like to pay for your last two classes, and offer you an internship here at the Foundation. We can work around your schedule.”
“That would be amazing. I’ll need to keep my job, though, until I work for you.”
“That’s not a problem.”
She says that, but I’m not so sure. “What if I run into someone here who’s seen me there?”
“No one will treat you badly in this building—or anywhere else for that matter—without repercussions. It’s up to you to tell people whatever you want.”
“I feel like this is a dream, and I’m going to wake up to find out it isn’t real.”
“Oh, we’re real, Harlow. Your training isn’t going to be easy, and some days you might wish this was really a dream, but we’re definitely real,” Ellie says.
“I can’t wait.”
Around one year later
“Hey, Alex,” I say, waving at her as I walk down the hall to Reina’s office. After a year of interning here, I’m no longer intimidated by Alex, who has become one of my best friends.
“Good luck, Har,” she yells to me.
I think I may need it. Today is the day I found out how I did on all of the tests I took. They covered everything from etiquette to weapons, with languages, and technology thrown in. It’s the last one that has me worried. I can do a Google search, and even dig a little deeper, but math is not my strong suit, so as a result, programming isn’t either. And hacking? I can’t hack my way out of a paper bag with a knife. I just hope I did well enough on everything else so that my luddite tendencies aren’t so apparent.
“Hi,” I say to Reina and Ellie when I walk in the room.
Ainsley Taylor is also there, which tells me I definitely did fail my technology tests. She’s a certified computer genius, the head of the tech team for the Foundation and the Society, and oh yeah, she’s also married to one of the NFL’s biggest stars. I’d say she’s lucky, but I know she works hard, and I also know she’s an amazing woman. One who deserves everything she has.
“You know why I’m here,” Ainsley says, and I nod.
“I failed.”
“Yep,” Ellie says, and then shrugs when Reina glares at her. “What? You know I don’t sugarcoat.”
“A little encouragement wouldn’t hurt.”
“Oh, well I thought it was a given we were going to help her. I mean, Ainsley’s here.”
“Yes, I am, and yes, Har, I’m going to help you. We’ll get started on Monday. In addition to your regular courses once training begins, you’ll see me three times a week until I’m comfortable with your progress.”
“Will I be able to handle that kind of course load?”
“Yes,” Reina answers with a smile. “You tested very well in research, etiquette, fashion, blending in, and surprisingly, weapons.”
“Tegan, Stella, and Faith have been helping me. Plus, Ellie, of course.”
“It shows. You are passable in learning languages, and hand to hand combat. You’ll attend every class, just like your fellow recruits, but just like them, your assignments and homework will be tailored to what you need to work on.”
“Oh,” I say, understanding how she’s doing things. “Everyone is together in classes, but at different levels.”
“Yes. We want you all to learn together, and help each other, but you all have different strengths, and—well, I won’t say weaknesses, but rather things you need to work on. Plus, you will only be working here, so you’ll have more free time.”
I’m going to miss some of the girls I work with at the club, but keeping my clothes on sounds nice. “Great. I start on Monday?”
“Officially, yes, but I was hoping you’d come downstairs with me for a few minutes.”
“Sure.”
“We’ll ride down with the two of you. There’s something I want to check on,” Reina says.
Ellie links her arm with mine, and to my surprise, Alex gets up and joins us after doing something to her phone. I don’t worry that anyone will come in here while she’s gone, since I now know Ainsley’s team controls the elevators that have no numbers. The regular C&C employees think those are just visitor elevators, and I’ve heard more than one grumble about having to use them if they need to go to the Foundation. If they only knew about the secret floors the Society occupies, I’m sure they’d grumble even more. Or maybe not, because Matt wouldn’t put up with it. He’s a great guy, but he’s fiercely protective of every member of the Society, and especially Reina. Lucky us, and I mean that in a totally serious way. We’re very lucky to have him and his friends in our corner.
The elevator opens on Ainsley’s floor, and I cover my mouth when I see the scene before me. There are “Happy Graduation” banners, balloons, streamers, food, and a giant cake with my name on it. And the people—so many people are here. I turn to Reina, and hug her.
“Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. I didn’t do this alone, though. We’re all so proud of you.”
I hug Ellie and Alex before walking out into the giant control room. The people I’ve worked with while interning here hug me, while nine women with curious looks on their face slowly gather in front of me. A couple were standing together, but I watched most of them walk up by themselves.
“Hi. You’re the other recruits?”
They all nod, and we proceed to introduce ourselves to each other. Most of them are friendly, although one keeps sneering at me. Real classy chick, that one. I walk over to hug the Society and Foundation doctor, Kendrick, and his best friend, Waverly. I’ve helped them out, and while I don’t want to get hurt, I know if I do, they’ll take care of me.
Matt is standing with them, along with Ellie’s husband, Aiden, her best friend Jade’s husband, Nate, and their single friend, Theo. They all make a point of looking me in the eye, because they’ve all seen everything below before. Yeah, they used to come to the club, and yeah, I’ve given them all a lap dance or two. We’ve all pretended it didn’t happen, but it’s more than a little awkward.
“Um, hey, congrats, Harlow,” Matt tells me, looking at my ear now. Or at least I think that’s where he’s looking.
“Thanks, Matt.”
“Yeah, congrats,” Aiden says, looking above my head.
“Good job,” Nate says with a nod, looking me in the eye.
“Yeah, that,” Theo says, looking at the ground.
“Oh my God!” Jade yells, and I cringe. “They’ve been to the club, haven’t they?”
“Yes,” Matt says, looking me in the eye again. “It wasn’t recently, though.”
“It wasn’t,” I agree, before turning to look at Reina, Ellie, and Jade. Another recruit named Kalila is right behind them, listening in, but I don’t have time to wonder about that. “Do you want me to leave?”
“What? No, Harlow. I hired you knowing what you did for a living, and we all know our husbands weren’t sweet little angels before we got together with them,” Reina tells me with a smile.
“I’m a perfect little angel,” Aiden says while Ellie snorts.
“Regardless, no one here is going to make this weird or uncomfortable for you. Are we?” Reina asks, an eyebrow quirked.
Once everyone has agreed that they’re all cool with me, I breathe a sigh of relief. I didn’t want to be sent away, but I also won’t be ashamed of what I’v
e done. I did what I had to, just like I’m doing now. I need the Society. Maybe not today, but one day, I’m going to have to ask for help.
Prologue
Harlow
I walk into the Corrigan & Co building and smile at the receptionists and security guards, before heading for the elevators. After using the retina scan, I walk inside and ascend towards the Foundation. Some days I can’t believe I really work here, as part of a secret organization that hides in plain sight. Me, Harlow Green, college graduate, and former stripper.
Yep, I stripped my way through college, and when I couldn’t find a job right away, I kept taking my clothes off for money. I didn’t see a way out, until I was asked to join this group I’d helped once or twice.
Now, I feel like I’m in a dream. I have new friends—although I still see my old ones—and so much more. An apartment that’s safe, a job that pays even more than stripping, and a purpose in life. I’m going to help so many people, and that makes me feel so much better about the choice I was forced to make five years ago.
I shake myself, because I am not going to dwell on sad things, when it’s a new day here. I walk into the Foundation lobby, stopping at Alex Corrigan’s desk. “You texted me about a package, Alex?”
“Yep, here you go.”
She hands me a small box. There’s no return address, but I know they x-ray all packages, so I’m safe. When I open it, I re-think that. I’m not safe. Not at all.
“Harlow, are you okay?”
“No. I need to see Reina.”
I don’t want to touch the baby rattle inside the box, or the note taped to the top. There’s probably no evidence, but just in case, I lay them down on the counter. I can still see the words from here, and I fight to stay upright.
“What is it?” Reina asks, and I point to the box. She reads the words out loud. “I found you, and now you need to tell me where to find HIM! You can’t hide anymore, bitch! I’m coming for you!”
“You have to help me, Rei.”
“I will. We will. An enemy of one of us, is an enemy to all, but you need to tell us everything.”
“I know.”
I’d always hoped this day would never come, but it has, and now I need to be strong enough to tell my secrets. I’m pretty sure Reina knows some of them, but there are things even computers can’t find. If they could, I’d already be dead.
Bodhi
“Hey man, you here?” I ask my friend Owen Griffin over the phone as I walk through my loft to the front door.
Before he answers, I hear a knock on the door. I open it just as he speaks. “I just parked, be there in a minute.”
The blow comes before I even register there’s someone else standing in front of me. I fly back, and crash into my coffee table, dropping my phone in the process. “Where is she? Where’s that bitch?”
“Who?” I ask, trying to figure out why some random guy is shaking me. And punching me. He looks more biker than gamer, so I don’t know why he’s here.
“You paint her, and put her in those games, so you have to know who she is.”
Oh. He wants her. I know where I saw her last, but that was over a year ago. I don’t know where she is now. I wish I knew, because I miss her, but I don’t.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen her in a long time.”
“How long?”
“Step away from him, and put your hands in the air,” a voice comes from behind him.
I was hoping Owen was still listening, and would bring help. The guy above me smiles, before leaping over me, and throwing himself out of my tenth story window. Owen and the security guard from downstairs run to the window. I get slowly to my feet, and walk over to see the carnage. I don’t want to look, but I need to. This was weird, and I want to know it’s over.
Only it’s not. The guy isn’t splattered on the ground. He’s floating to the ground on some kind of hoverboard. Obviously not the kind that have been blowing up, but something much more high-tech. He reaches the ground, looks up at us, and pulls an imaginary trigger at me with his fingers, and jumps on a motorcycle.
“What the hell was that?” Owen asks me.
“He’s looking for the girl in my art.”
“What girl?”
Of course Owen wouldn’t know. She’s not on my webpage, because I don’t sell the paintings. I made her into the heroine when I was hired to draw the characters for a popular video game, but I don’t think he’s playing fantasy games. Not with two kids, and a hot wife. I motion for him to follow me up the stairs as the security guy calls the police.
He stops short inside my studio. “Holy shit! That’s Harlow!”
“You know her?” I ask, surprised he’d be going to strip clubs. Married men do it sometimes, but I didn’t think Owen would.
“She works for the Corrigan & Co. Foundation.”
“She does?”
“I’m guessing you know her from her former profession.”
“Um, yeah. I haven’t seen her in about a year, but I thought she just moved.”
“Moved clubs?”
He knows the answer already; I can see it in his eyes. “I checked the other clubs.”
“Just how obsessed are you with her?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m ‘obsessed’,” I tell him, rubbing the back of my neck with one hand. “I just…she inspires me. Even though I haven’t seen her for so long, she’s still in my mind.”
“You’re in love with her.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, and it wouldn’t matter, anyway.”
“Chicks dig nerds, you know. I’ve seen it with my brother.”
“Your brother has tattoos, and looks like he stepped off the cover of a magazine.”
“Please don’t ever say anything like that to him. He doesn’t need the ego boost.”
I shrug, and push my glasses back up my nose. “It’s true. Girls like hot computer nerds, not a socially awkward fantasy artist.” At least not the women I’ve met.
“Oh, I think you’d be surprised. But I digress. I need to make a call, and then we’ll have some help to figure out what to do about this guy.”
Harlow
We’ve just gotten settled in Reina’s office when her cell phone rings. She looks down at it with a frown, and tells me she needs to take the call. “Owen? What’s wrong?” She listens for a minute, and when she looks back to me, her eyes are wide. “We’ll be there shortly. Tell them we’re landing on the roof.”
“Should I wait here for you?” I ask, when she hangs up the phone. I want to complain that I need her, but if she’s leaving, Owen must need her more.
“No. You’re going with me. That was Owen Griffin. He’s got some information for us.”
“Oh. Okay,” I say, still not understanding. I know Owen, of course, but I don’t know why he’d have information relating to me.
She makes a call, and looks back to me. “You still need to tell us all what’s going on, but I think we’ll have everyone meet us at the apartments.”
I follow her into the elevator, and up to the roof. I know there are always pilots at the ready in case someone needs a jet, and I guess they’re ready for the helicopters, too. I haven’t been on a helicopter before, but it’s got to be safe, right? I keep telling myself that as I strap myself in, and we take off over the city.
We land on the roof of one of the fancy loft buildings that have been popping up around town. There’s a helipad, because of course there is. Since I live in a building with a helipad, I should be less snarky, but I’m still not used to being around so much obvious wealth. At least I can control my mouth, if not my brain.
No one is there to meet us on the roof, but Reina seems to know where she’s going. That shouldn’t surprise me either. I guess I’m off my game, but with my life in more danger than it was yesterday, I going to give myself a break.
Once we take the elevator down a few floors, I follow her into an open door, where some maintenance guys are boarding up a wide window. The coffee table is also
smashed into pieces. What the hell happened in here?
“What we’re going to see might disturb you a little. I’d be a little disturbed if it was me, so I want to warn you. I need to hear what this man has to say, though, so can you try to stay calm until after I get the info I need?” Reina asks, stopping at the foot of the stairs.
“I guess?” I mean, I don’t even know what it is I’m going to see.
She nods, and we walk up the wide staircase. There are rooms up here, letting me know this isn’t a traditional, open plan loft. There’s a “loft” area in front, but we pass it, and move to an open door on the right. I see the light coming in, even from the hallway, and know there must be a lot of windows in there.
My breath catches when I see the first painting. It’s of me, but not the real me. I’m hovering off the ground, with giant white wings behind me, and a sword in my hand. My hair is flowing around me, and I’m naked. Completely and totally naked.
I walk around the room, ignoring whoever else is inside as I take in the paintings. In all of them, I am some kind of avenging angel. They’re beautiful, and if they didn’t feature me, I’d think about buying one. Since they’re of me, it’s more than a little embarrassing, even for someone who used to take my clothes off for work.
I finally turn to the others in the room, and gasp when I see the man standing next to Owen, rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses. “You? You painted these?”
“You said I could sketch you.”
I did. I told this hot and sexy guy with the glasses that he could sketch me as I danced. He was so nice when he came into the club, and I kind of had a crush on him. “These aren’t sketches.”
“They started out that way.”
He’s looking at the floor now, and I want to walk over and pull his face up. Pull his face up, push his glasses up his nose, and kiss him. Yeah, that’s what I always want to do when I see him. Or I should say, when I saw him. I haven’t seen him since I left the club, and honestly, I’ve missed him.
“They’re beautiful, Bodhi.”
He looks up, and his mouth falls open. “You remember my name?”
Harlow (Society Girls #7) Page 2
