Lessons in SECRET
Page 1
Lessons in
SECRET
Book #4 of Corrigan & Co.
By Crystal Perkins
Copyright © 2015 by Crystal Perkins
Cover Design by Helen Williams
www.allbookedout.com
Ebook Formatting by Jesse Gordon
adarnedgoodbook.com
All trademarks are owned by their respective companies and are denoted by the use of proper capitalization of the company and/or brand. All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This contemporary erotic romance is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. This ebook is licensed for your personal use only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with, especially if you enjoy sexy, emotional, romance novels with alpha males. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
About Lessons in SECRET
Other books by Crystal Perkins
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
And so it begins…
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
About Lessons in SECRET
A woman whose IQ is so high, it can’t be measured
Isabelle Carlton has always hid behind her brain, staying in the background and not going on many missions for the Society—or many dates. When she stumbles upon a high school prostitution ring, she knows that it’s time to finally put herself out there in more ways than one. A sexy history teacher could be just what she needs, in and out of the classroom.
A man who’s running from a past that can’t be ignored
Mason Wells is more than just a high school teacher, but exactly how much more is his biggest secret. Even though he knows Isa isn’t really a student, getting involved with her is wrong. He’s hiding too much, and she’s just too innocent. Despite knowing that it will destroy them both, he can’t stay away from her, even when they’re both put in the crosshairs of a powerful and evil man.
Lessons can be learned, but will their love pass the test when a devastating SECRET is revealed?
Other books by Crystal Perkins
The Griffin Brothers series
Gaming For Love (The Griffin Brothers #1)
Building Our Love (The Griffin Brothers #2)
Creating A Love (The Griffin Brothers #3)
Learning To Love (The Griffin Brothers #4)
Designing The Love (The Griffin Brothers #5)
Working On Love (The Griffin Brothers #6)
Keeping Their Love (The Griffin Brothers #7)
Corrigan & Co. series
Fielding Her SECRET (Corrigan & Co. #1)
Devouring the SECRET (Corrigan & Co. #2)
Rocking a SECRET (Corrigan & Co. #3)
Publicly, The Corrigan & Co. Foundation has been supporting women for years. Secretly, five powerful women led by Jane Corrigan have recruited ten agents, sending them to rescue women and children in need, and take down those who exploit the weak. This secret society of women all have unique skills they’ve brought to the foundation. Additionally, they’ve all had training in weapons, etiquette, martial arts, technology, and languages. Helping out friends and family of their five mentors from time to time is something they were told to expect. What they didn’t plan for is falling in love.
About the Corrigan & Co. Foundation and the Society:
• Mitchell Corrigan created the Corrigan & Co. Foundation for his wife as part of his company ten years ago. He stipulated that the foundation would continue as long as there is a Corrigan woman to oversee it.
• Jane Corrigan, Cyndi Evans, Maggie Griffin, Mallory Daniels, and Helen Wilson are the founders of the secret society within the foundation. They focus on helping women and children, but take on other missions from time to time.
• While they assist government and private organizations on a regular basis, they only take referrals for private missions.
• Each founder has recruited, and mentors, two agents.
• The company was founded in Chicago, but has now moved to Las Vegas, where Mitchell was born. On his deathbed, he asked his grandson to move the company headquarters to help revive the economy in his hometown. There are satellite offices all over the world.
• Jane’s grandson, Matt, who is President and CEO of Corrigan & Co., knows of the society. His friends Nathan and Aiden, who he brought in when they all left the military, know as well. This was a decision by the five women when they needed help on a mission that went bad. They do not know all mission details, but help when they are asked.
For Lisa Dess and Sarah Vela, two girls
who love books as much as I do, and who’ve
supported me from the very beginning!
And also for all the women and men who
fight against human and child trafficking every day.
You’re dedication and hard work is appreciated,
even if you don’t hear it as often as you should!
Prologue
Mason
When I told my friend Luke Griffin what I thought was going on at the private school I teach at, I never expected to be sitting in a conference room at the Corrigan & Co. Foundation. Luke swore me to secrecy and told me about a Society that’s part of the foundation. He said it helps women and children, like the foundation does publicly. Just in a different way. Since a high school prostitution ring covers both women and children, he convinced me to come here for help. He said they’d contact the police if they found anything concrete.
“Thank you for coming in Mason. Luke said you think there’s a prostitution ring at your school,” the woman he introduced as Reina says to me.
“Yes. And I’m pretty sure it’s student run.”
“What clued you in?”
“I teach history and wanted to do something to engage the students a little more. I gave them a chance to write anonymously about something that’s happened in history, what they’d like to have legalized in the future, or what they wouldn’t. I got fifteen papers about why prostitution should be legalized. And four that said it shouldn’t. Those four talked about girls being intimidated and threatened if they didn’t turn tricks.”
“I can see why you might be alarmed.”
“I started paying more attention to what was going on, and I think I know who the leader of all this is. His name it Kurt, and his dad’s one of the wealthiest men in the city.
I’m sure he has no problem finding clients.”
“Since you’re coming to us, I’m going to trust that you’re not involved and confirm that Kurt is indeed the person in charge.”
“How do you know that?”
“We’ve actually had someone undercover for over a month.”
“What? Who?”
“Me, Mr. Wells,” my favorite student says as she walks into the room.
Favorite because I can’t stop fantasizing about her while she sits in my class twirling her pencil as I teach. I’ve been beating myself up for lusting after a student. But apparently she’s not a student.
“Isabelle,” I say, sounding way too relieved for even my own ears.
“You sound relieved to see me.”
“I am. I mean, I…” This is so not going well.
“Oh my God. You want to be the Ezra to her Aria, don’t you?” Luke asks, looking at me with a smirk on his face.
“Shut up, Luke. And how do you even know about them? You don’t teach high school.”
“Olivia loves that show.”
“Can someone please clue me in,” Luke’s mom says. When he told me she was part of all this, I told him I already thought his mom was cool, but now I had even more respect for her.
“Ezra and Aria are characters on a TV show, Pretty Little Liars. He was her teacher, but they’re in a relationship,” Isabelle tells her.
“So basically, Mase wants Isa,” Luke tells her.
I want to die right now. Like seriously die. After I kill Luke, of course.
“I didn’t come here for this. I’m glad you know and are taking care of it. I’ll just be going now.”
I get up and walk out of the room, stopping to lean back against the wall. Imagine my shock when Isabelle walks into the hall after me. “Is it true? Do you want me?”
* * *
Isa
I can’t believe I followed Mr. Wells—Mason—out into the hallway. But I needed to know. Because I want him. I never understood the term “hot for teacher” until I walked into that classroom and saw him. Honestly, I’ve never been “hot” for anyone before, so I’ve been so freaked out every time I walk into History class that it’s a wonder I could answer anything when asked. Thank God for my super brain.
“Do you want me to want you?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“The kind that won’t get me into trouble.”
“I’m 23 and not in high school.”
“The school doesn’t know that.”
“So we won’t do anything there. Or anywhere else where someone could see us. If you do want me, that is.” Who is this bold girl, and where the hell did she come from?
He leans in close, so his mouth is only about an inch from mine. “Your lips make me crazy. Especially when you bite the bottom one while I’m lecturing.”
“Then kiss me.”
His eyes widen, and I think I may have gone too far. I’m not usually so forward, but Tegan and Stella have always told me I need to just go for it. So, now I am.
When his lips meet mine, I silently thank them for making me bold. And then I shut my mind off and just let myself feel. He holds the back of my head as he licks at my lips. I open for him, and his tongue darts inside my mouth.
It’s better than I imagined it would be. For all these years I’ve wondered, and now I know. My first kiss is amazing.
He pulls back sooner than I’d like and I follow him a little with my mouth, capturing his again for a few seconds. He chuckles as he cups my cheek. “I need to go.”
“You didn’t like it?”
He looks at me curiously before answering. “I fucking love your mouth, which is why I need to leave. We’re in your workplace, after all.”
“And we can’t kiss at yours.”
“No, we can’t.”
“If-if you want to see me or something, my friends would help us.”
“I do want that. I’ll call you later, okay?” he asks, holding out his phone so I can enter my number.
“Okay,” I tell him, but I feel some of that confidence I just showed leave me.
I may not have much experience around guys, but even I know a brushoff when I hear one. He said the kiss was good, but would he really tell me if he didn’t like it? Probably not. I should’ve let some of the guys my friends made me flirt with at the bars kiss me. Then at least I’d know what I’m doing.
“Perfect,” he tells me when I hand the phone back to him. “I’ll talk to you soon, Isabelle.”
“You can call me Isa. My friends do.”
He nods and walks away. Once he’s out of view, I thump my head back on the wall. I know better than to crush on the hot guy. It didn’t work for me when I was skipping grades in high school and college, so why would it work for me now? I’m still that same girl. The one with the giant brain, and social skills I’ve been trained to know, but can’t use properly. Who really wants that?
* * *
Mason
It’s ten o’clock and I’m still looking at my phone like it’s a snake about to bite me. I want to call Isa. No, I need to call her. But I know I shouldn’t.
She’s some kind of “secret” secret agent, and I’m, well, I’m me. This would not turn out well. For either of us. I’m nothing if not a masochist, though, which is why I finally tap her name and call her.
“Hello.”
“Hi. It’s, uh, Mason.”
“Oh. Hi.”
She sounds hesitant and surprised that I’m calling. “Did you think I wasn’t going to call?”
“Honestly? Yeah. I mean, ‘I’ll call you later’ is one of the biggest ways to brush someone off, right?”
“I don’t want to brush you off.”
“You don’t?”
I should. “No, I don’t. I told you I loved kissing you. I want to do that again.”
“Me too.”
“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that we can’t show any of this at school.”
“I’m not a teenager, Mason. Mase. I mean, Mr….I mean…what should I call you?”
“At school, it’ll have to be Mr. Wells. Outside of school, you can call me anything you want with that sexy mouth of yours.”
She laughs, and we spend the next hour talking. About everything and nothing. I was attracted to her before, but now I really like her. Even though I know it’s going to turn out really badly. For both of us. They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, but I’ll do everything I can to make sure she doesn’t share my fate.
Chapter 1
Isabelle
The private school I’m “attending” wants to be seen as progressive, so there’s no dress code. My friend and co-worker, Stella, filled my closet with clothes from Topshop, but after a month here, I think I may have her go more upscale. These girls look like they walked off a runway, and while I’m holding my own, my labels aren’t up to par with theirs. My “parents”—who are actually friends of the Society—are supposed to be super wealthy, so I need to fit in.
When the popular and sleazy Kurt approaches me, I realize that maybe my clothes are just what they need to be. After all, when he saw me at a local hotel and tried to recruit me, I was in jeans and a t-shirt. “Isabelle, you’re looking good, but I could help you look better.”
He reaches out to rub the tuxedo collar of my black dress, and I throw up a little in my mouth. Really, I swear I do. “I’m good, but thanks,” I tell him as I start to walk away.
The plan is for me to play hard to get for his little after school club. Which isn’t hard since it would be hard to get me. I just had my first kiss, for God’s sake. I’m not ready to be a sex-for-hire worker yet. Or ever. I knew from my first day with the Society that this kind of mission would probably come up. I even initiated the mission after he approached me, but it doesn’t mean I’m comfortable with it.
“People don’t tell me ‘no’ very often, and the ones who do tend to change their mind pretty quickly. This is your only warning,
beautiful. You will be mine, whether you plan to be or not. It’s inevitable. I’ve let you be this last month, but my patience is starting to wear thin.”
“Is there a problem here?” Mason asks from behind me.
“No, Mr. Wells,” Kurt says with a smirk. “Isabelle and I were just discussing some employment opportunities I thought she’d be interested in.”
“Were you interested, Isabelle?”
“No, I really wasn’t. I need to get to class.”
I practically run from them both. I want to take down Kurt, and kiss Mase, so they’re both dangerous to me at the moment. I text Reina as I walk into my English class and take my seat, letting her know that things are escalating. I tell her I’ll fill her in more after I’m done here for the day.
“Isabelle?”
I turn to see one of the most beautiful girls in the school sitting behind me. She’s got curly brown hair and flawless mocha colored skin. She’s also biting her lip and looking a little nervous. “That’s me.”
“I heard you with Kurt. You can’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Turn him down.”
“Um, yeah, I can do that.”
“He’ll find a way to get you. It’ll be easier on you if you just give in.”
“Did he do something to you?”
“Just tell him yes, okay.”
“No.”
“Well then, I’m sorry in advance. Please remember that I warned you.”
She darts out of the chair, and the classroom, before I can ask her anything else. I’m not sure what she was trying to warn me about, but it can’t be good. I’m glad I have that meeting later. Even if I can’t stop what’s being planned for me, maybe I can try to be prepared.
* * *
Mason
That little bastard is planning something for Isabelle. I know he is. He’s wanted her for his harem since before she started school here a few weeks ago, and he’s not about to give her up just because she says “no.” I know why he’s pushing so hard, too. It’s that damn virginal vibe she throws off.
I know she doesn’t even realize that it’s there, but it is. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t part of what attracted me to her in the first place. There’s not much sexier than a woman who doesn’t even know just how sexy she is. I nearly fell over when she told me to kiss her. I wasn’t expecting it, but I wasn’t complaining either. Especially when my lips were finally on her.