Lessons in SECRET

by Crystal Perkins

  “Excuse me,” I say. “The natives are getting a little restless.”

  They pull away from each other with smiles on their face. I wish I could kiss Isa like that in public. But I can’t, and probably never will. The thought of being without her is like a knife slicing through my heart, but I try to ignore the pain. I knew what the outcome was when I went into this, and it’s too late to stop it now.

  “Walk with me,” Stella says as she jumps off the stage.

  I realize she’s talking to me, and I look up at Isa. “Umm, no thanks.”

  “It wasn’t a request, Globe Guy.”

  “Globe Guy?”

  “You do teach history and geography, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then there you go. You’re a Double G. The perfect pair.”

  “Stella,” Isa says to her, coming up next to us. She doesn’t look happy, and it’s kind of hot to think she may be jealous.

  “I need to have a talk with your teacher, Isa. I promise to leave him in one piece when I’m done. Keep an eye on Kace for me, okay? These kids are a little nuts.”

  “Then stay and watch out for him yourself. And leave my…teacher…alone.”

  “I just want to talk.”

  Isa gives in, which I’m not sure is a good thing or not. “Fine. But one piece. I mean it.”

  “Pinky swear.”

  She holds her pinky out and Isa links hers with it. They both smile as Stella grabs my arm. I let her hold onto me as we walk into the hall. I start to head into my office, but she steers me into my empty classroom instead. Once we’re in the door, she locks it and pushes me into my desk.

  “What the hell?”

  “I promised her I’d leave you in one piece, but know this. You hurt Isa, and I will leave you alive. But just enough to feel the pain I’ve inflicted on you.”

  “I don’t know what—“

  “I work with her, asshole, so you can drop the act.”

  Shit. “I don’t want to hurt her.”

  “You’re not doing a whole lot to reassure me here.”

  “I can’t predict the future.”

  “Again, not reassuring.”

  “Can you tell me your future?”

  “The exact details, no. But I can tell you it begins and ends with that guy signing autographs in the cafeteria.”

  “It’s that easy for you?”

  “Easy? Fuck no. We’ve been to Hell and back. But we’ve got each other, and that means we can survive whatever happens to us.”

  “What about other women?”

  “You mean like the chick who jumped on the table?” I nod. “No. I don’t worry. I know he loves me, and that means he won’t cheat on me.”

  “Cheating isn’t the only way to hurt someone.”

  “No, it’s not. And now you’ve got me worried again.”

  She should be, but I’m not stupid enough to tell her that outright. I do place some value on my life. “Isa’s too good for me.”

  “She’s too good for everyone. With her super brain, big heart, and a face that belongs on the walls of a museum, no one can compare to her. But she’s chosen you. Now the only question is, are you going to rise to the challenge or not?”

  I want to lie. Hell, I’m a master at lying, but I know Isa’s going to need her friends. So I tell Stella the truth. “Not.”

  She closes her eyes, and exhales. “I was afraid of that. You need to walk away now. Scratch that, you need to run. Go to another city, find another job, I don’t give two fucks. Just go away.”

  “I can’t do that, Stella.”

  “Then be prepared for the fallout. I’m not Isa’s only friend. And I can tell you that everyone who knows her is fiercely protective of her. We’re not going to stand by while some dumbass prick who she gave her most precious gift to shreds her heart. There’ll be Hell to pay when everything goes down. And what I said about leaving you alive? Our friends may not be that accommodating.”

  “I’m aware of how my actions will come back to bite me in the ass.” I accepted that a long time ago. “But for the record, I’m humbled by what she gave me. No other gift has ever come close to making me feel what she did—does. I love her, Stella, but this would never work. We would never work.”

  “Tell her today, Mason, and I’ll keep the assassins at bay.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m doing this for her, and not you.”

  “I know.”

  * * *

  Isa

  I didn’t have time to talk to Mase after he went off with Stella, and I can’t do it now, either. I have to leave right after school to start getting ready for my date. When Kurt told me the time, I was surprised. I guess I just assumed that these things would happen at night, not around early bird dinner time. I’m nervous, but with a little help from my friends, I know I’ll be okay.

  Tegan’s doing my hair when Stella gets to my “parents’” house. We figured it was best if I left from here in case anyone was watching me. Tegan’s been posing as the housekeeper for a week, which I’m guessing is part of her punishment for telling tales about her bestie last month. All has been forgiven, and they’re as close as ever now, so I don’t ask her to leave when I confront Stella.

  “What did you say to Mason today at the school?”

  She doesn’t hesitate to answer. “I told him I’d fuck him up really bad, but keep him alive to feel the pain, if he hurt you.”

  “What?” I ask, jumping out of the chair so fast that I almost burn Tegan with the curling iron.

  “Damn, Isa. Warn a girl, please. But you know what she told him is true. We’d all take a turn at him if he broke your heart.”

  “No. You wouldn’t,” I tell them as I sit down. “It would be my problem. I’m tired of being treated like a little kid who needs to be protected.”

  “That’s not what’s happening here,” Darcy says as she steps into the room. None of us heard her enter the house—which was locked. That’s why she’s going to be a big part of what happens tonight.

  “Then please enlighten me because it sounded like that was exactly what was happening. Again.”

  “Stella threatened him because she’s your friend. And Tegan said we’d all go after him for the same reason. We’d go after anyone who hurt one of us. We’re more than a team, we’re family. At least I think of you all that way.”

  “I love all of you. You are my chosen family. It’s just…my biological family sheltered me so much because I was, well, the way I am. And I see you all do it, too. I’m rarely sent on missions, and you all keep guys away from me when I go out with you.”

  “Hold up,” Tegan says. “Stell and I have tried to get you to hook up, or at least kiss someone, every time we’ve gone out with you. So don’t include us.”

  “I don’t think you’ve had less missions because anyone’s trying to protect you, either. You went through the same training that we did. We know you can be badass when you want to. Or have to. I think it has more to do with the fact that you are so freaking amazing behind the scenes. You’ve saved me at least twice that I know of, and probably more times that I don’t,” Darcy tells me.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like a bitch. It’s just that I’ve always went to school with people who were way older than me. Because of that, my parents and teachers always kept me separated from the other students. I understand why they did it, but I had no friends until all of you. And I guess I want to be like you. Well, not exactly like you, but I don’t want to be protected anymore. If Mase breaks my heart, I’ll deal with it. It’ll suck, but everyone’s had their heart broken at least once, right?”

  “I have. And it sucks balls, but I’m a functional member of society at present. Not the Society since I’m still being punished. But I do okay,” Tegan says.

  “You’ll be back on a mission soon, Teeg.”

  “I know. And I’m kind of liking my down time. Helping Yas set up the literacy center has been great. I just miss taking down bad guy
s.”

  “I doubt they miss you,” Stella says, and we all laugh.

  Everyone re-focuses on the task of getting me ready, and before long I’m headed out to my first “date.” I hope our plans work, because I’m not prepared for anything other than flirting. Well, and one kiss. That’s all I’ll need.

  Chapter 7

  Isa

  Kurt is waiting when I walk into the hotel. He makes eye contact with me, and nods towards an older gentleman sitting alone at the lobby bar. I know how this is supposed to go down. He told me when he cornered me at school today. Well, I guess it’s not really “cornering” since I’m supposed to be on board with all this now.

  I make my way into the bar, and sit down next to my “friend.” “There you are. When you didn’t come right back to the room after your meeting, I was worried.”

  “I knew you’d find me, my dear. How was your day?”

  “It would’ve been better if you hadn’t had that dumb meeting,” I tell him with the best pout I can muster.

  Yes, this conversation is killing some of my brain cells, but playing dumb is going to help me later. He won’t expect what’s coming. Which means Kurt won’t suspect anything is off later, either.

  “I’m sorry to have ignored you, but I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”

  He looks me up and down, and then smiles like the cat who caught the canary. I want to throw up, but I keep the smile pasted on my face. Audrey’s taught me well. I even manage to reach out and stroke his arm while keeping the drink he ordered me down. I take another sip as his hand moves to my knee.

  “I think we’re ready to go up to our suite now,” he says when I finish my drink a couple of minutes later.

  I nod, but then stumble as I stand up. Something’s wrong. I don’t feel right. He grips my arm tightly, and smiles indulgently at me. My brain clears for a moment, and I realize that I’ve been drugged. I watched my drink from the moment the bartender gave it to me, so he must be the one who did it. I reach over and lightly press on my forearm before succumbing to the cloudiness again.

  We’re stumbling into his room with him practically carrying me when the fog lifts again for a moment. “Lipstick,” I say.

  “You want me to put your lipstick on, my dear?”

  I nod, and he sets me down on the couch. I feel him open my small bag, and then he’s painting my lips. Thank God. I know my friends are close by, but they can’t interfere. I’m fading again, but I manage to get the two words out. “Kiss me.”

  He does, sticking his tongue in my mouth even though I’m not an active participant. He starts to pull my dress up, but doesn’t get very far. I feel him stiffen before he collapses on top of me. I can’t move him, but at least I know I’m safe. It’s the last thought I have before falling completely under.

  When I wake up, my mind is still foggy but my date isn’t on top of me anymore. I slowly open my eyes, blinking a few times.

  “She’s awake,” I hear someone say. I think it’s Tegan, but she’s not supposed to be here.

  “Isa, can you hear me?” Reina asks me. She shouldn’t be here, either.

  “Yes. What are you doing here?”

  “You were drugged, Double G.” Matt’s here too?

  “I know. I activated my panic button, knowing Ainsley would see the drug in my blood when my vitals popped up.”

  “You still managed to knock out the old guy,” Matt says with admiration in his voice.

  I smile at him and start to sit up. He rushes over to hold me. “I couldn’t say much, but I got him to put my lipstick on and kiss me.”

  “You did really good,” Matt tells me, kissing my temple. “I would’ve killed him if he’d touched you, you know.”

  “You would’ve had to get in line. Please tell me I can have a go at Kurt before we turn him over. He’s behind this, and guys who drug girls to rape them—or have someone else do it—need to feel some pain.”

  “You can have one punch, Teeg,” Reina promises her.

  “I appreciate the support, but isn’t this going to jeopardize the mission? I mean, only Darcy was supposed to be here to help me.”

  “No one will know they were here,” Darcy says, coming out of the bedroom. “The guy’s all taken care of in there.”

  “Condom wrapper, empty bottles, the works?” Reina asks.

  “I’m not new a trainee, Rei. You know I know what I’m doing.”

  We all know that. Before Mallory recruited her, Darcy was a cat burglar and con woman. She grew up that way, so she’s done things like this her whole life. She knows how to get herself out of pretty much any situation. That’s really come in handy for us on a number of missions.

  “I do know, Darce. But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t double check everything.”

  “You can double check me anytime, Princess,” Matt tells her.

  “I’m not even single checking you at the moment. In fact, don’t you have a bar to trawl?”

  I can feel him sigh behind me since he’s still holding me up. “This isn’t my ideal setting for this conversation, but I need you to hear me and I’ll take what I can get. I’m very aware of what you’re—we’re—not doing. And when I went out last night, it was just to hang with the guys. I didn’t pick up anyone. I won’t be picking up anyone if I go out. I’m sorry that I hurt you by what I said to Nate, and that I always hurt you. That’s the last thing I ever want to do, Rei. You’re more than a body to me, and you know it. Even if I put up my walls, you see past them just like you always have. I’m going to try and be the guy you deserve. I swear it.”

  “I hate to break this up, I really do. But we need to get out of here,” Darcy says.

  “Yeah, we do,” Matt says. He gives me one more kiss on the forehead before standing up and grabbing Reina’s hand. She lets him, which I think is a good sign that they’re okay again for the moment.

  They head to the balcony, and I see them put on their harnesses and swing over to the suite next door. Tegan and Darcy follow them, but go to the opposite balcony. I untie their ropes once they’re safely on the other balconies, and then I fix myself up, and head downstairs.

  Kurt falls into step with me as I head for the valet line. “Did you have fun, Isabelle?”

  “Since I don’t remember anything, I really couldn’t tell you,” I say, making my lips tremble. “I think I was drugged.”

  “You were.”

  “What?” I should be getting an award for how shocked I make my voice sound.

  “He likes it that way. He doesn’t want an active participant.”

  “What if he’d hurt me.”

  “He wouldn’t. He’s harmless, and just wants a passive fuck.”

  “You could’ve warned me.”

  “That wouldn’t have been as much fun. Relax. You’re fine.”

  Tegan’s not the only one getting a punch in when we take down this little asshole. Maybe he needs a little drugging, too. I’ll need to talk to Audrey about it. The lipstick she gave me worked perfectly. She’s the sexiest woman I’ve ever met, which helps disguise a brain that rivals mine. Hers leans towards chemistry, while mine is more about knowledge and research. Ainsley and her combined are better than that “Q” guy from the James Bond movies. That’s why the guys call them the A-Team. Audrey also has a theater background, which she uses to help us learn to blend in, or stand out, when we need to. She’s the real deal.

  “What now?”

  “You’ll have an envelope in your locker tomorrow, and I’ll be in touch when someone requests you again. Have a great night.”

  I turn away from him without answering. My night consists of a long hot bath, and maybe a good book. I’d like to talk to Mase, too, but after Stella threatened him, he may want to stay away. I hope not, but I have to be prepared for it.

  * * *

  Mason

  I’m sitting in the game room at Isa’s apartment building waiting for her. The guards directed me here when they told me she wasn’t home yet. There’s
no seating in the lobby, and I was hoping they’d just send me up to her place. I wanted to look around a little, and see how close she is to bringing Kurt down. I know she’s in, but I really need to know how much time there is.

  They didn’t go for my promises of just wanting to surprise her, and told me they’d send her into the room once she got here, and I could surprise her then. If I’d been thinking clearly, I would’ve remembered that this place isn’t guarded by the usual rent-a-cops. That’s the problem, though. Since meeting Isa, I haven’t been thinking or focusing the way I need to be. And I really shouldn’t be here. I convinced myself that it was over, but I know it’s not. I can’t walk away from her. And it just might get me killed.

  “What do I need to see in there?” I hear Isa ask from the hallway.

  I don’t hear the answer, but I stand up to greet her as she walks in the room. “Surprise.”

  “Mase? Hi. What are you doing here?”

  “I wanted to be here in case you needed me. You know…after.”

  “Oh. You didn’t have to. I’m fine.”

  She’s fine after sleeping with some random guy? Maybe we’re both hiding more than I thought. “Really?”

  “I didn’t sleep with him…or anything else.”

  “What? How? Isn’t Kurt going to be mad?” I already know the answer to that last one, but I have to ask.

  “I can’t tell you the details, but let’s just say that he fell asleep, and will wake up thinking we had a really good time.”

  She knocked him out. Good girl. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”

  “I know what Stella told you earlier. I hope she didn’t scare you away,” she tells me, looking way too serious.

  “I’m here, Isa.”

  “But maybe it’s too tell me goodbye.”

  “That’s what I should be saying, but I can’t. I really can’t.”

  “I don’t want you to be with me if it’s not what you want.”

  “I’ve never wanted something as much as I want to be with you. Please don’t ever forget that. I love you, Isa. More than I thought I could love another person. I should be walking away from you, but I’m too selfish for that.”