Charity's Secrets (16 page)

We
celebrate Melissa's conquest by drinking and dancing at Club Shelter on Vandam Street.
The three of us got lost in the music and we deserved that. Melissa had the
night of her life and that's all that mattered.

I have missed
seeing her face; her bright, elated face.

H
e really is stunning to look at. I
guess I should have expected that.

"Where
is your friend that was at the bar with you yesterday?" he asks calmly,
sipping his drink.

"She's
on a date," I tell him through a proud smile.

Melissa
had called Tommy earlier today and asked if he had plans. He said no, which
probably means he did and he broke them all for her. That doesn't matter, she's
on a date, and she was thrilled.

Hoes
before Bros, Buddy!

"She
met someone yesterday, so they're getting to know each other. That fits in
nicely with our plans for you."

He
raises his eyebrows curiously. It makes his hazel eyes twinkle. It also makes
it a little more uncomfortable to be out for dinner with someone other than
Justin.

Justin
is amply distracted today meeting John Roberts, Austin Hill, and Senator Lewis.
It's a video conference, nothing in person. Justin won't allow face to face
meetings, not now, not until they know everything about this other team. We've
found another member of their group; someone mid-level who should be a great
connection to more of the people at the top of the chain. They have strategy to
discuss, so I'm using the time wisely.

"So
how does her date help?" he asks.

"It
will be the distraction we need," I tell him. "I'll get everyone so
wrapped up with the excitement of my friend and her date that they'll never see
you coming. I want you at Cipriani early, so we can get this over and out in
the open before anyone suspects anything at all. She's going to be shocked when
she sees you, and that's an understatement. I'm sure the two of you are going
to want and need to talk, and you won't want all of our eyes on you when you do
it. My friend's date coming in right after you should get the attention off the
two of you—let you guys focus on each other."

I open
my bag and pull his ticket out, handing it to him. "We have a platinum VIP
table. Your ticket gets you into the area, but I'll have to text you to let you
know where they seat us. I want you to be able to march right up to her and sit
down. We'll have a seat right next to her, she'll think it's for my friend's
date."

He
takes the ticket with a wide smile. It's adorable that I can see the excitement
and nervousness on his face. This has been a long time coming, and he's more
than ready.

He's
so fucking cute!

"And
you still don't think you should tell JP before New Year's?" he asks,
concerned.

I shake
my head, just as I did the other times he's asked me that.

His
eyes twinkle again, and it makes me nervous all over. No, I don't think Justin
knowing about this, about all the mysterious conversions and meetings, would be
good for anyone. I look away at the soft glow coming through the fabric-covered
lights on the ceiling and flowing down the row pillars dividing the room. It's
not the distraction I'd hoped for.

The
Gotham Bar and Grill is a lot more romantic than its name might suggest. I
think it sounds more like a club, or some place you would go with work friends—or
meeting someone to set up one of your friends. It is not that at all.

"It
feels too much like a date, doesn't it?" he asks through a confident
laugh. Obviously I am being an easy read.

I laugh
back, relieved. "Yes, I was shooting something a little more casual. I
don't want to think about what would happen if either of them found us right
now."

"Yeah,
not good," he says. His laughter thunders across our small table.

I shrug
my shoulders effortlessly. "It's only two more days, then they will all
know everything."

Okay—not
really everything.

"You're
right," he concedes.

I see
his body relax, and I wish I could do the same. I can't wait for all of this to
be over.

"I
don't remember if I've thanked you enough, Charity, so I'm saying it again.
Thank you. With all my heart, thank you."

"You
should save that," I say seriously. "Neither of us knows how this will
go for sure. I think I know, I hope I know. But we both know she is one tough
bitch and not easy to understand."

"I
know her, and I know you pretty well already. You don't gamble with terrible
odds. You're much smarter than that; you know exactly when to strike, so if
your instincts said to do this, I'm on board," he says. "You're a lot
like her, actually."

That
makes me smile, but my smile didn't last.

"Oh
fuck!" I gasp, feeling the color run out of my face.

Not
now! We were so damn close!

"What
is it?" he pleads.

"Justin!"
I chirp.

Not
good! Not good! Not good!

He's
moving like an animal, charging. By the time I said his name, he was only a
step or two behind my friend.

My
heart absolutely breaks. I can see his emotions. I know what this looks like,
what he must be thinking. Justin's spirit is broken, devastated, and it's my
fault.

And
he's furious!

Before
I can stop him, he balls his right hand into a fist and turns my friend around
by the shoulder with his left hand. Justin cocks his punch, but freezes.

A woman
beside us gasps loudly, anticipating a dangerous attack.

"Terrence?"
he asks softly, quickly dropping his arm before it starts any more commotion
than he's already done.

Terrence
had instinctively thrown up an elbow to defend his face. "Yes! For
Christ's sake, JP—don't hit me!"

Justin
lets go of his shoulder. He glances between me and Terrence, tormented by his
confusion. "Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on before I assume
the worst—again?"

"Sit
down, Baby" I say softly, trying to assure him with my voice.

"Please,
JP," Terrence says, motioning toward one of the two empty chairs. He still
looks nervous that Justin will hit him.

Reluctantly,
Justin pulls the chair out and lowers himself into it. Behind him now, the
woman he'd frightened settles herself the best that she can, refusing to let
him completely out of her sight.

Justin
sets his eyes on Terence heavily. "Is this what I think it is?" he
demands.

"No,"
I answer. "It's not what it looks like at all, I promise you."

"Actually,
that's what I
thought
it was; I'm past that already."

Of
course he is.

"I
want to know if it's what I'm thinking now," he demands, still aiming
himself at Terrence. I don't understand why he's doing that.

"Yes,"
Terrence answers. "She's doing the same thing you tried years ago. But this
time I think it can work. I was hurt then, but I'm ready now. And Charity
believes Lena is ready now too."

Wait!
He tried to get them back together once before?

I see
the relief flooding into Justin's beautiful face. "This is what you have
been working on, why you've been sneaking off? To get Lena and Terrence back
together?"

No,
not the only thing!

"Yes.
It's a surprise for New Year's Eve," I tell him.

"She
doesn't know?" Justin asks.

"Not
a clue," Terrence replies.

Justin
thinks about that for a second. "If that's true—that's impressive as
hell," he says. "Nothing gets by that woman and for her not to have
clue is huge. But I don't understand why you didn't come to me for this."
He turns to Terrence. "You know I wanted you and Lena together, why not use
my help?"

I don't
want Terrence answering. I took this thing on because it needed to be fine, but
also to hide the other things I'm working on. It's my baby, my reasons for how
it went down. I see he's about to answer and I have to stop it.

"He
didn't know you
weren't
part of it, not at first. I contacted him and I
didn't tell him one way or another, not until I knew if he was interested or
not," I said, forcefully taking over. "It was my decision to keep you
out."

"Why?"
he asks, shaking his head in confusion. Even Terrence is hanging on for an
answer.

"Because
nothing gets by Lena—like you said yourself. I think you might have been the
weak link. She knows you so well, Justin. I don't think she could crack you,
that's not what I mean. But I think if you knew about this, she would pick up
that there was something she needed to find out about."

Where
did I come up with that shit?

Justin
grinds his teeth for a moment. "Fair enough," he says at last.

Thank
Christ—he's buying it.

"At
least it explains some things," Justin continues. I'm so fucking excited
to hear that part.

Suddenly,
I'm glad he caught me. I don't know why I didn't it see earlier; this was much
better than surprising him along with Lena on New Year's. Now he has the
satisfaction the hunter in him needs, an explanation for my odd behavior lately
and now he can be a part of it.

Justin
rests his strong forearms on the edge of the table and braids his fingers
together. His suit is hiding it, but I can imagine how his muscles are bulging
and flexing. When his shining, green eyes land on mine I shiver. In all these
months, I have not lost my desire to lick his lips. Without using his mouth, he
smiles at me and I cannot figure out how he is so powerful over me.

Behind
him, I see that nervous woman keeping her eye on Justin. Her husband is doing
it too. I'm sorry we made them so uncomfortable.

"This
is Lena, my family," Justin says sternly. "I want to help if I
can."

"Of
course," I reply, touching his hands with mine.

Justin
changes his gaze to Terrence. "You're sure this is what you want? I don't
want my friend's heartbroken again. Last time it was my fault. I understood
that then, but I get it even more now."

"When
you came to me and asked me not to let her go, I was so angry still,"
Terrence reveals. "Haven't you ever let your pride and anger get in your
own way?"

Neither
one of us can answer no to that; not too many people probably could.

"I
should have fought for her. I should have never let her get away, but maybe it's
not too late."

"Good
answer," Justin says. "So, tell me how we're doing this."

Justin
had missed the dinner, but our waiter brought him a drink as Terrence and I
explain everything to him. It doesn't take long; we don't have some elaborate
plan with music and flowers, no spot lights from the ceiling lighting her up
for the whole place to see—Lena would
never
stand for that! We are
simply keeping her distracted long enough to have Justin get him to the table
while she is surrounded by people that love her and understand.

The
older couple behind Justin look relieved when we finally stand up to walk out.
Part of me wants to apologize to them in some small way, but the rest of me is
swooning over Justin's territorial aggression.

That,
and how great his ass looks in his suit!

We walk
Terence out and help him get a cab. As he disappears into the night, I realize
that the next time I see him it will hopefully be as the love of Lena's life.
My stomach swirls with excitement.

"You
know you've exposed yourself, right?" I ask Justin through a sinister
expression. "You're obviously tracking me. There's no way to deny that after
this."

I don't
expect the sexy grin that he gives me. Understand that I don't mind it, but I
thought he should look more like a dog caught with his nose stuck in a jar of
peanut butter.

"You
do see that you're just as exposed, don't you?" he replies wickedly, his
tongue practically stuck in his cheek.

My
expression shouts,
"How so?"

"Yes,
I keep an eye on you to keep you safe, which you've obviously known for some
time—using it and avoiding it at your will," he points out.

That's
very true. My acknowledging smile makes him proud.

"You
are something else, Warrior."

"I
know it," I tease as I snake my arms around his neck shoulders. "Did
you really think I was cheating on you—that I could ever?"

Heavy
sadness seeps into his eyes. "I didn't, not until I saw that you were here
with another man."