Rocking a SECRET (20 page)

“Honestly, I just wanted a makeover for my
son to show that girl what she’s missing. But this, well this is so
much better.”

“The first step is still the makeover. Let’s
go down to my office, Chris, and we’ll plan out your
transformation. And don’t worry, I still want you to be ‘you,’
we’re just going to enhance the good looks God gave you a little.
And help you be a little bolder.”

This is going to be fun. Really, really fun.
Chris is a nice guy, and I’m not sure this Tami chick deserves him.
He’s not going to be the meek guy she left behind when I get done
with him. I may even let Tegan help.

* * *

Kace

Austin has been great for the most part.
Until Wayne hooked up with that bitch, Brooke. She’s definitely no
Tegan, and Tami is nothing like Stella. I guess that’s why I’m
playing along with her. I know there’s no chance of anything
happening between us. I just want the bombshell I can no longer
have, and she wants the nicest guy on the planet. Who she’s
currently fucking with. I really shouldn’t be participating in
this. I like Chris.

“You thinking about Stella again, bro?”

“No.”

“Yeah, you were. You should call her and
give her a chance to explain.”

“There’s nothing to explain, Brett. She kept
the truth about us from me. I can’t get past that.”

“You forgave Mom and Marv. And they kept the
secret for longer.”

“Mom sacrificed almost my whole life to make
sure I was fed and clothed. She thinks I don’t know about the
nights she went without food so I could eat, but I do. I can’t just
turn my back on her. And she’s a package deal with Marv, now that
they’re working on their relationship. I still can’t believe he can
forgive her, though. I guess being in love with someone for over
twenty years makes you a little more open to that.”

“But you can turn your back on the woman you
could be with for even more than twenty years if you were willing
to work on it? The woman
you
love.”

“Loved. Past tense.”

“Love. Present tense.”

“I’m with Tami now.”

“Bullshit. That girl’s so hung up on Chris
it’s a wonder she hasn’t accidentally strangled herself. And you
aren’t fucking her, that’s for sure.”

“Wayne’s fucking her friend.”

“So, what? We’re supposed to just hook up
with her friends in a show of solidarity? I wouldn’t touch one of
those guys with a ten foot pole.”

I don’t blame him. They’re a bunch of
pompous assholes. If they weren’t so dumb, they’d have figured out
by now that Brett’s gay. And then we’d have to kick their asses
because they wouldn’t take it well. And I wouldn’t go for anyone
saying shit about my brother. Even before I knew he was my brother,
I would’ve thrown down for him. Any day, anywhere. I know Wayne
feels the same.

Before we can talk any further, Tami comes
in looking like someone kicked her puppy. “What’s wrong,
sweetheart?”

“I miss Chris.”

“Well of course you do. He’s awesome. I keep
hoping he’ll decide he swings my way and I can have him for
myself,” Brett tells her.

“He doesn’t. But he’d accept you.”

“He already does. We hang out
sometimes.”

“So you know where he is? He won’t answer my
texts anymore.”

“You’re texting him? Should I be jealous?” I
ask sarcastically.

“Shut up. You could care less.”

“Actually that’s not true. I like Chris,
too. Not in a play for the other team kind of way, but he
is
pretty cool.”

“I know. That’s why I miss him so much. I
know Brooke thinks he’s just a nerd, but I think he’s hot. He has
muscles, and I practically melt when he kisses me. He always says
such sweet things to me, too. Or at least he used to before I
started acting stupid and pretending to be into you.”

“Wow. First you’re texting your ex, and now
you’re saying it’s stupid to be with me. Are you trying to totally
annihilate my ego?”

“You know you’re hot and could have any girl
you want. I still don’t know why you’re going along with this for
me.”

“Because he’s too stubborn to go after the
girl he wants,” Brett tells her.

“You never answered my question. Do you know
where Chris is?”

“Yes. I do in fact know. And no, I’m not
telling you. I will tell you that he’s not coming back as the same
guy he left here a week ago.”

“But he’s okay?”

“Yeah, and he’ll probably be better than
okay when he gets back for the gala this weekend. So you should be
prepared to beg if you want him back.”

“He wouldn’t make me beg.”

“The old Chris wouldn’t have, but new and
improved Chris most definitely will.”

“I don’t want a new Chris, I want my sweet
boyfriend back.”

“Then you shouldn’t have messed with him
like you were doing. All for some bitch who pretends to be your
friend so you’ll spend your money on her.”

“I know. I need to get him back and stop
hanging out with Brooke.”

“Then do it. Don’t just say it. I’m not
kidding about him changing. It’s happening. He still wants you, but
he’s not going to be a meek little puppy who plays dead for you
anymore.”

“I will. I’m going to take him back at the
gala.”

“His date might have something to say about
that.”

“He has a date?” Who?”

“Someone who you’re no match for. And I say
that as someone who’s come to love you, Tami.”

She leaves soon after that, and I look over
at my brother from well, my mother, and say what I’ve wanted to for
the last half hour. “You’re pretty wise.”

“Yes I am. Which is why you should listen to
me, and call Stella.”

“For the last time, I’m not calling Stella.
I’m never calling Stella.”

“Then you’re an even bigger idiot than I
thought you were,” says a voice from behind me.

I turn to see Mallory Daniels standing with
my mom. Mom’s wringing her hands together and looking on the verge
of a breakdown. Oh, hell no. We’re still working on our
relationship, but I won’t let anyone mess with her. “What the fuck
are you doing here, upsetting my mom?”

“She’s not upsetting me. I’m upset because
there’s something I should’ve told you a few weeks ago. I was too
much of a coward then, and, honestly, I’m still feeling cowardly.
But I don’t want any more secrets between us.”

“What more could you possibly have to tell
me? Do we have a triplet?”

“I need to tell you the truth about Stella.
About what I…and others did to her to make her keep my secret.”

They did something to her? She kept saying
she couldn’t tell me, but I thought she was lying. Even when she
was collapsing and crying, begging me to listen to her, I didn’t. I
sit back down and put my head in my hands. “Tell me.”

“Maybe Brett should leave,” Mallory
says.

“I’ve told him everything.”

“And I talk to Stella or her assistant,
Kevin, every day.”

“You do?” I ask him, shocked that he’s been
doing that.

“Yeah. I wanted to make sure she was okay,
but not too okay, so that when you got your head out of your ass,
she’d take you back. Since our mother stopped calling her, I felt
like someone should, and besides, I really like her.”

“Is she okay?”

“Not even close. But I want to hear this
story. We can talk about how she’s doing later.”

I nod, and motion for my mom and Mallory to
sit down. Brett moves over to sit next to me. No one speaks for a
couple of minutes, so I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow at my
mom. She takes a deep breath and looks me in the eye.

“When Reina told me they’d analyzed the tape
Chad gave them, I knew I was in trouble. As soon as I saw the
pictures, I knew what night that was. Marv and I had argued about
telling both of you the truth. I ended up winning the argument,
by…umm…persuading him. Anyway, I couldn’t let you find out. I knew
you’d hate me. And I knew Stella would tell you. So I had Reina
call a meeting and I told them all that Marv and I would hold a
press conference and expose the Society if Stella told you.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I ask, jumping
from my seat to pace around the room. “They do good things, Mom.
They
save
people.”

“I know. And I’m not proud of what I’ve
done. Because it wasn’t just that. Stella came to me and begged me
to tell you. She said Chad would eventually tell you, but I
wouldn’t listen. I was horrible to her and, again, threatened her
with exposure. You don’t know how badly I feel.”

“Not as badly as I do. Or the other women at
the Society,” Mallory says.

“What the hell did you do to her?”

“We used guilt to ensure her submission. At
one point, Reina was sure that she was going to tell you so I flew
in and asked her if she’d be able to live with herself if we failed
to save people just so she could hold onto a relationship with you.
We had to protect ourselves, but sacrificing Stella was the hardest
thing I’ve ever done in my life. She loves you so much, Kace.”

“I hate you. I fucking hate all of you. How
could you do that to her? How could I do that to her? I should’ve
known. I should’ve listened to her. Why the hell didn’t I listen to
her when she needed me?”

Oh God. I hate myself most of all. The
things I said to her. The image of her curled up and shaking as she
cried. All the times I told her it didn’t matter if she had to keep
something from me. The way she made herself stand up to me at the
end.

I can’t take it, so I grab the lamp next to
me and fling it across the room. Then the vases and decorative
things. The chairs and end tables are next, but it’s still not
enough. My mom and Mallory have left the room—and probably the
house—but Brett’s still here with me. I flip the couch over and
fall to my knees.

He kneels beside me and holds me as I cry
for what I’ve lost. Who I’ve lost. I had the most amazing woman in
the world, and I gave up on her. On us. She said I’d have to beg if
I came back, and I’ll do it. I’ll crawl on my fucking hands and
knees to her door and beg. I know I promised her that I would never
beg, but this is one promise I have no problem breaking.

I hug Brett, and stand up. Before I can tell
him my plan, Wayne and Brooke walk in. “What happened in here. Did
ya’ll have a rave or something?”

“Get the fuck out of my house, bitch.”

“I’m here with Wayne.”

“Get out,” he tells her.

“Wayne.”

“Bros before hos. If he wants you gone,
you’re gone.”

“What about the gala?”

“He’ll go with you to the gala, but don’t
come around before or after,” Brett tells her.

She storms out, and we both look at Brett.
Wayne speaks first. “Why would you say I’d go with her?”

“Because it’s going to be fun when you leave
her for Tegan.”

“Tegan’s going to the gala? Why? How?” Wayne
asks. I wanna know, too.

“Because she likes Chris, which means she
hates Brooke. So, she’s coming to teach her a lesson. You’ll play
along, right?”

“Fuck yeah. I’d do anything Tegan wanted me
to do.”

I’m confused. “How does Tegan even know
Chris?”

“He needed a makeover so I hooked him up
with the Foundation.”

“You mean you hooked him up with
Stella.”

“Well yeah, and I’ve seen pictures. He’s
looking even hotter than you. And Kevin says she’s also turning him
into a confident alpha. He even told off Matt Corrigan the other
day.”

“Is Stella going to the gala?”

“She’s his date. And I’ve seen what she’s
wearing, too. You’re going to be on your knees, begging, even if
you weren’t planning on it.”

“I was actually planning to get on a plane
to Vegas and beg her for another chance. This will be so much
better.”

“And he’s going to be doing more than
begging when he’s on his knees,” Wayne says.

“Well yeah, but I also owe her a date,” I
tell them with a smile.

Stella

Tonight’s the night. Chris is going to
unleash his inner alpha on the unsuspecting assholes in his life.
And I’m going to see Kace after almost a month apart. We’re both
ready to go into battle.

I’ve dressed him in a black suit that’s
tailored to hug all the muscles he’d been hiding. The boy’s built.
Not like Matt or Nate, but he’s rocking some awesome biceps, pecs,
and abs. Under the suit, he’s got on a deep blue shirt that makes
his eyes pop. I convinced him to wear no tie, and unbutton the top
two buttons of his shirt. I have his hair spiked and messy so that
it looks like he just rolled out of bed after fucking a woman hard.
To complete his look, I’ve given him a new pair of glasses. He’s
totally embracing the smart mixed with the sexy, and Tegan and
Kevin both looked like they wanted to climb him when we walked out
of the guest house bedroom.

I’m looking hot, too. I can say that since
it’s mostly the dress. I had the designer alter the black dress
Kace liked. The long sleeves and length are gone. So it’s short and
deliciously sheer. My tits look great, and it’s doing all kinds of
favors for my ass. I have high heeled booties on that are shiny
black with a sheer panel in the middle. My hair’s up in a twist
with a little cascade over the back of my head that just brushes my
back. If he doesn’t beg when he sees me in this dress, then I don’t
know what to do. He has to beg, though. I won’t settle for less.
Even if it means he has to break a promise for the first time in
his life. I’m worth at least that much.

We let Tegan walk in ahead of us. She goes
right up to Wayne and sits on his lap. He wraps his arms around her
and kisses her like he wants to eat her alive. Which he does. I can
tell exactly who Brooke is because she looks like she might
literally explode. And when Tegan leads Wayne to the dance floor,
she does.

“What are you doing, Wayne? You said you
didn’t want to dance.”