Loving My SECRET (Corrigan & Co. Book 10) (26 page)

“No. We’re going to
use those apartments, by the way, but I don’t want you to move out.
I just want to change it. As for your booty, I want that in bed with
me.”

“Matt’s booty, and
other parts of his anatomy, are at your service, day and night.”

“Don’t talk about
yourself in the third person. It’s weird.”

“Noted. We can call
Chloe when we get back.”

“No. I mean, I love
Chloe, but I want to do it ourselves. I decorated the apartment with
her the first time, but now I want it to really be ours.”

“Okay. We can do
whatever you want.”

“I saw so much cool
stuff in Europe. I bought a couch and some other stuff. I want to
just start with the basics, and then buy things as we see them. I
don’t want anything fancy, I want us, Rei and Matteo.”

“Do you have any idea
how hard I get when you call me Matteo?”

“Since I’m sitting
on your lap, I have some idea, yes,” she tells me, rolling her
eyes. “Can you control yourself long enough to tell me what you
think about the apartment?”

“I think that I love
the idea of making it really ours. Having a new bed and couch to play
with you on is just an added bonus.”

“I’m not a toy.”

“No. You’re my
forever.”

“You’re mine, too.”

“You know that this
means you were wrong, don’t you?”

“How was I wrong this
time, o wise one?”

“The war was never
over, and we won this battle. The truly epic one is going to fall at
my feet, too. I’m going to fight harder than I ever have in my
life.”

“And we’re going to
win.”

“Yes, we are.”

* * *

Reina

Having a normal
conversation with Matt was pretty surreal. It’s been years since we
talked, and we’ve never been so honest with each other. I hid
things from him when we first met, and he hid things from me after
that. To be able to sit and talk freely was more than I had ever
hoped for with him, and it took a weight off of me that I thought
would always be there. He can’t absolve me from my doubts or change
the fact that I’m really afraid that my faith is gone, but he did
make me feel better about other things.

Now that we’ve agreed
to date—while still having sex every night—I can’t help but
feel excited, and anxious. We’ve been to balls and hung out with
our friends, but that’s been it since we’ve been in Las Vegas.
Even while we were married, we never just went out to eat somewhere,
or saw a movie for the fun of it. I don’t know if we’ll do any of
those things, and I really don’t care. I just love the thought of
dating Matt. He said I’m more than enough for him, and I’m
choosing to believe that. To believe him, and believe
in
him.

Right now, he’s
snoring lightly as we’re snuggled on the couch. Until he fell
asleep suddenly, I’d forgotten that it’s only been a few weeks
since he was shot full of bullets while saving my life. It seems like
a lifetime ago. He says I give him a reason to live, but I’m alive
because of him. He’s saved me more than once. Times when I thought
he hated me, and this last time when he said he loved me. I need to
believe that it was always love. Every time was love. It’s hard to
wrap my head around that after all this time, but I’m determined
to. I’ve always wanted his love, and now that I have it, I’ll
hold onto it with both hands. Hell, I’ll wrap my entire body around
it, if it comes to that. I’m not letting him go ever again.

My friends are another
matter. They all told me I could come back any time, and Matt insists
they want me back, but I need to know that they really mean it. The
only way to do that is for me to ask. We’ve kept things from each
other because we had to, but in this, I know they’ll tell me the
truth. I take out my phone, and type out the text. I want to call
them, but Matt needs his rest.

Me: I need an honest
answer. Are you really okay with me being in charge again?

Tegan: You’re
kidding right? Yes.

Stella: Fuck yeah.
Who’s going to keep me and Teeg in line?

Alex: Yes, please. I
love them all, but I can’t do it. They’re all high-maintenance,
and I miss my phones.

Isa: Of course.
You’re the only choice.

Darcy: What you did
for me is something I don’t think anyone else would have the lady
balls to do. I love everyone else, but there’s only one you.

Faith: I’m proof
that we’re all about 2nd chances. Yes, Rei, come back.

Ellie: Please do.
Sulky Matt is interfering with my sex life. Seriously, he texts Aid
at the most inopportune times.

Audrey: You were
never really gone. Your presence here has been felt all along.

Ainsley: You better
come back. You’re the leader we need, AND the one we deserve.

Jade: You’ve
helped us all so much. Let us help you. You’re our leader, and we
love you.

Me: Thank you. I
love all of you so much. I’ll see you soon.

I manage to take a nap,
so I’m a little more refreshed when our plane lands. It’s morning
in Vegas, and we have a full day of work ahead of us. We pile into
the waiting SUVs and make our way to C&C. Matt holds my hand the
whole way, and he continues to hold is as we walk into the building.
The people in the lobby look at us with wide eyes, and slack jaws.
They aren’t who I care about, so I just smile and walk into the
elevator.

When we walk into the
Foundation lobby, they’re all there waiting for me. “Hi honeys,
I’m home,” I tell them. They all run to me, and hug me. Through
it all, Matt keeps his hold on my hand, and I realize I truly meant
what I said. I’m home, and there’s no place that I’d rather be.
I needed to leave in order to realize it, but now I know. This is
what I want, and where I belong.

Matt

I’m jet-lagged and I
had to leave Reina so we could both get some work done. Needless to
say, I’m not in the mood for any bullshit. Camari obviously doesn’t
get that, because she comes barreling into my office, proverbial guns
blazing.

“What is Reina doing
here?”

“Working.”

“I’m told you were
holding hands.”

“You were told
right.”

“My job is not a
joke.”

“I never said it
was.”

“What am I supposed
to tell people?”

“The truth. A crazy
group of women were targeting the females in my family, so Reina and
I faked a break-up in order to flush them out. Two of the women are
in custody, while the third—my mother—was killed when my
grandmother, Alex, and Jessica were rescued.”

“Your mother? Oh my
God, Matt. Are you okay?”

“I am. It was her or
my Gram. There was no choice as far as I’m concerned.”

“I thought working
here would be easy.”

“We like to keep you
all on your toes. Go and see Audrey at the Foundation. She’ll help
you spin this just right.”

“No offense to you,
but that’s where I wanted to work.”

“The Foundation? You
should talk to Reina.”

“After the way I spun
her as a home wrecking bitch? Yeah, I’m sure that would go over
well.”

“She knows why you
did it. She was playing a part as well. My wife only bites me, so
you’re safe.”

“You love her.”

“You seem surprised.”

“I kind of am. I
mean, I’ve only been here a few months, but you’ve never eaten
together in the cafeteria, or held hands in the building before
today. I always figured there was a story there.”

“There was. Thank you
for pointing out the lunch thing. I need to fix that ASAP.”

“You’re not going
to tell me the story are you?”

“No. It’s not
exactly my story to tell.”

“Fair enough. I’ll
go see Audrey, and then get this out right away.”

“Thanks.”

I spend the next two
hours meeting with Miles and the rest of my executives. My brother
did a wonderful job while I was out of commission. It’s no less
than I expected, but I make sure to let him know I’m proud of him.

“I’m happy to go
back to my department, Bro. This whole company thing is more than I
want on my shoulders.”

“If you worked out
more, your shoulders might be as big as mine.”

He flips me off, and
walks out of my office. I head down to see Kendrick and Waverly. They
both clear me, and I hurry back upstairs, hoping I’m not too late.
I practically run into the Foundation offices, and Alex looks
alarmed.

“Is everything okay?”
she asks as I hold onto her desk while I try to get my breathing back
under control.

“Did Reina go to
lunch yet?”

“No.”

“Yes! I made it.”

“Um, okay. She didn’t
say she was eating with you.”

“She doesn’t know.”

“Go on back.”

I kiss her on the
cheek, straighten my tie, and get ready to romance my wife. I walk in
to find her finishing up a phone call. She smiles when she sees me,
and I blow her a kiss as she hangs up.

“Nope. I heard you
cleaned out my office after my meltdown, and had it put back
together. That deserves a real kiss.”

“I told you that in
the press conference, but I’ll never complain about kissing you.”

We kiss for several
minutes, before she pulls back to look at me. “How has your morning
been?”

“Busy.”

“Mine too.”

“It was brought to my
attention that we’ve never eaten together in the cafeteria. I was
hoping we could remedy that.”

“Making all my dreams
come true, huh?”

“You dreamed of
eating in the cafeteria with me?”

“Only on the days I
was already there when you walked in. I would hope you’d sit with
me instead of with the guys. Or the secretaries. It’s not a big
deal.”

The fuck it’s not. I
honestly don’t know how I got out of bed every day when I was being
such an ass to her. I should’ve been curled up in the fetal
position, cursing myself. I feel like doing that right now, honestly.

“Never again. We’re
having lunch together whenever we both have lunchtime free.”

“What if I don’t
want to eat with you?” she asks with a smirk.

“I’m willing to
trade sexual favors for lunch.”

“You’ll let me suck
you off if I let you sit with me? I’m down with that. Literally.”

“Best. Fucking. Wife.
Ever.”

“Aw, you say the
sweetest things. Now lunch me, Mr. Corrigan, so we have time to stop
in your office before my afternoon calls.”

“Lead the way, Mrs.
Corrigan.”

We walk hand in hand,
and the stares are even more blatant than they were in the lobby.
When we walk into the cafeteria, you can hear a pin drop. We ignore
the awkwardness, and grab our food. I snag us a table right in the
middle of the room, and then pull her chair right up next to mine. We
eat and kiss. Kiss and eat. I don’t even know what I ate, but I
know it was the best lunch I’ve ever had. No contest.

Instead of going to my
office for an after lunch delight, I walk Reina back towards the
Foundation. She’s surprised, and I love that I made that happen.

“Is something wrong?”

“Nope. Everything is
absolutely right.”

“I still have time
before my next call.”

“Good. You can think
about where you’d like to go for dinner tonight.”

“You’re really good
at this dating thing so far.”

“You inspire me.”

“Who knew Matthew
Corrigan could be so romantic?”

“No one.”

“I knew. I just
thought you’d never show me this side again.”

“I never thought I
could. Thanks for giving me another chance.”

“Thanks for not
giving up on me when I told you it was over.”

I kiss her because I
have to. My hands are cupping her face, and hers are inside my suit
jacket. Neither one of us takes it further, because while we don’t
care if anyone sees us kiss, we’re not about to put on a show.
After a few minutes, I take her hand again, and walk her back into
the Foundation, where she has someone waiting for her. Someone who
had better have a good explanation for the scowl on her face.

“What are you doing
here, Nev?”

“She’s here to see
Reina. I tried to explain that she’s got a full afternoon, but she
wouldn’t leave. I didn’t call anyone, because I know she’s your
friend, Matt.”

“Thanks, Alex. Now
answer me, Neveah.”

“She can’t just
treat you like she’s been doing and get away with it.”

“You know nothing
about what Reina has or hasn’t done. Or what
I
have or haven’t done, for that matter.”

“You’ve always
looked out for me. I want to look out for you now.”

“I don’t need you
to do that.”

“Why are you holding
her hand?”

“Because I love her.”

“She was all over
half the guys in Europe.”

“Your mother has
taught you not to judge until you have all the facts.”

“So tell me the
facts.”

“I’m sorry. I
really do have a call to make. I’d be happy to talk to you whenever
Alex can schedule you in, Neveah. I’ll see you later, Matt,”
Reina says.

“Yes, you will.”

I kiss her again and
watch her walk away. Then I turn back to the girl I’ve taken
responsibility for, but who’s currently acting like a brat. “My
office, now.”

“I need to make my
appointment first.”

“For the love of God,
Nev. Leave my wife alone.”

“No.”

“Reina is free
tomorrow at 3 for half an hour.”

“Perfect. I’ll take
it.”

“If I let you live
that long.”

I march her out of the
lobby and into one of the elevators. She says nothing to me until
we’re in my office with the doors closed. Then she says the one
thing I was hoping she wouldn’t.

“They’re real. The
stories you told me about the girl spies who were led by a fierce
warrior. They’re not just stories. I saw the other women at the
hospital. Reina is the warrior.”