Playing in Secret(18)

"He's twenty-five. I looked it up when you walked in," I tell her with a growl.

"I like my men a little older."

"Good. I need to kiss you. Just one kiss. Please."

"What about Jeanne?"

"She misses you, too. I've already told Misha we want her gone tomorrow."

She bridges the small gap between us, and kisses me softly. It's too  sweet, and too short, but I'll take it. I'll take anything Audrey is  willing to give me. "Tomorrow. We really do need to talk."

"Call me when you're ready. I'll be waiting."

She nods, and then walks back into the party. I look at the way her grey  dress molds to her perfect hourglass shape, and my mouth waters. She's  covered, but I know what's underneath. I've tasted every inch of that  skin, and I can't wait to do it again. Tomorrow can't come soon enough.



Audrey

Last night was exhausting. I love talking to people, but I just wanted  to go home and take off the high heels and the tight dress, before  slipping into a nice, warm bath. I've been super tired lately, but I  think it's just stress. I'm getting a check-up with the Society doctor  today, just in case. The nurses drew some blood and had me pee in a cup  this morning, and now I'm back for my results.

"Hi, Audrey," Kendrick says as he walks into the exam room. He's our new  doctor and looks like an African prince. The women who work for  Corrigan & Co. practically swoon when he walks into the employee  cafeteria. He's nice, but a little too formal for my tastes.

"Did you get my test results back?"

"Yes. It's not stress, Audrey."

"No? Is something wrong?"

"That depends on how you look at it, I guess."

"Kendrick, you know I'm a scientist, but I don't need a clinical analysis right now. You just need to spit it out."

"You're pregnant, Audrey."

"Excuse me?"

"I found it odd as well, seeing as you're all on the super contraceptive  you created. Well, all of you except for Tegan, but she wants to get  pregnant soon."

"I'm getting ready to test something new, so I'm not on it," I tell him, my voice shaking a little. "We used condoms."

"As you said, Audrey, you're a scientist. You know condoms aren't 100%  guaranteed protection. Do you want me to test you for STDs as well, just  in case?"

"No. He said he was clean, and I believe him. I still made him wear a  condom, which seems stupid now." I could've felt Blake without one, and  yeah, I may not have survived, but what a way to go.

"It's always good to be protected, even if the protection fails."

"Kendrick, my dear, you really need to loosen up."

"I hear that a lot."

"I'm sure you do."

"Medicine is very serious. Reina Corrigan brought me here because I'm  the best, and she needs me to take care of all of you. I don't want to  let her down."

"You won't. You're too much of a perfectionist for that to happen. Just  try to have a little fun. We'll all take you out if you want. Unless I  need to be resting or something."

"I'd like to be taken out, I think, as long as the women are there. I  saw what the men did to Brayden when he went out with them, and he was a  king."

"He survived."

"Yes, well, I prefer to do more than just survive. Enough about that,  you asked about resting. I don't think that will be necessary. You will,  of course, need to be removed from the mission rotation, but you can  still be active locally while supporting your friends. I'm going to  prescribe you some prenatal vitamins, and have you come in weekly  instead of monthly, just so we can monitor you more closely. Women much  older than you have babies every day, but yours will still be considered  a high-risk pregnancy. I want you to call me if you feel anything out  of the ordinary, or if you just have a question."         

     



 

"You'll be my doctor for the pregnancy?"

"Yes, unless you would like someone else. Maybe someone less formal. Or a female."

"Kenny, this is the Society you're working for. I wouldn't be here if I  had a problem with a doctor of any gender-or species. I'll see you next  week."

"Species? The alien rumor is true?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't have plausible deniability," I tell him  with a straight face and watch his eyes widen before I burst out  laughing. "Don't believe everything you hear about us."

He hands me my prescription and then walks out. I change back into my  dress, and look at myself on the mirror. The teal green fabric crosses  over the top, highlighting my breasts, and waist before flowing loose  past my knees. I pull the loose fabric tight, and look at all of me,  trying to see if there's a change. I know it's early, but now that I  know a little human is growing inside of me, I can't wait to see how my  body will change.

My life is going to change, and not just with the Society. I have to  tell Blake-and Jeanne. I don't know how either will react. Whatever  happens, I'm keeping my child. I just really hope that Blake will want  to be with me, and that Jeanne will be excited. I can deal with the  opposite of each happening, but I want my happy ending. It's long  overdue, and I know I deserve it.





Chapter 13


Audrey

I hear a commotion as I get off the elevator after filling my  prescription in the pharmacy downstairs. It sounds like it's coming from  the reception area of the Foundation, and I pull out my gun as I hurry  down the hall. Faith joins me, and we share a nod.

"Where is that home wrecking bitch?" I hear Misha say as I round the corner. I put my gun away, and sigh.

"Are you referring to me?"

She turns to sneer at me. "Who else is my fiancé sleeping with?"

"He's not your fiancé, Mom." Jeanne looks like she wants the floor to just suck her up, and I don't blame her.

"And I'm not sleeping with him."

"That's not what people will think when they see this picture."

She holds up her phone, showing me a shot of Blake and me right before  we kissed from last night. Our eyes are half closed, and honestly, I  want a copy of the picture for myself. Our conversation, and the kiss,  only lasted a few minutes, so I don't know how someone managed to catch  it just in time. And then it dawns on me. "You paid someone to follow  him."

"Of course I did. He has some sick fascination with you, and I'm not going to let it ruin our relationship."

"From what I understand, there is no relationship to ruin. You were asked to move out today, I believe."

"She was," Jeanne says.

"Shut up, Jeanne. You're supposed to be helping me get your dad back."

"I tried that already."

"No, you fucked it up already. Now, I'm going to fix it."

"What's going on Jeanne?" I ask, as the other Society women join us in the lobby.

"Don't answer her."

"She's the one who paid for the kidnappers. It wasn't my dad's money I used. I got it from her and put it in my account."

"Shut. Up!"

I ignore Misha, and walk to Jeanne. "Did you want your parents back together?"

"I thought I did, but I don't. I'm sorry, Audrey. My dad misses you so  much. I miss you, too. I know we only had a few days together, but  you're the mom I'd choose if I could."

"What did you say, you little bitch?"

I start to step in front of her, but then Reina's in front of both of  us. "You need to leave now, while you can still walk out on your own."

"I'll leave after you give me a contract to sign. I want to be the face  of this foundation. I've wanted it for years, but you wouldn't give it  to me, because of her. Funny how now you'll have to give it to me, in  order to protect her image."

"We don't have one ‘face' of the Foundation. We feature several women every year, both models and everyday people."

"So change it," she says with a shrug.

"No."

"I will release this picture. Everyone saw Blake and I together last  night, and they saw her with that baseball player. Blake is a guy, so no  one will give him a hard time. She'll be raked over the coals, though,  and you know it."

"Can I see that?" Ainsley asks, and then touches her own phone to Misha's. "Oops, it looks like it's gone."

She looks down at her phone, and then back at Ainsley. "I don't know what you did, but I have it in my email."         

     



 

"Do you?"

She clicks and scrolls for almost a minute, and then makes a call. "Hi. I  can't seem to find the picture you sent me … sure, I'll wait … what do you  mean it's gone … you didn't save it on your phone … that's gone, too … how? I  don't know either."

"It's so annoying when pictures just disappear like that," Ainsley says, tapping her chin with her phone.

"Who are you people?" Misha asks, backing up towards the door and looking scared. As she should.

"No one you want to mess with," Reina tells her. "You should pack your  things and get out of town. I don't care where you go, but if you try to  smear Audrey's name in any way, we will come for you."