“He’ll do it.”
“He’ll do it?” I exclaimed. Adrenaline instantly pumped through my veins. I didn’t know whether to be happy or disappointed. My mystery novels suddenly became real. “What did he say? What did you say? How much? Is he agreeing to the makeover?”
“Geesh, Morgan, breathe. I propositioned him with five grand, he came back with ten.”
“Is that a lot? How much do you pay people to do something like this?”
“I don’t know, but I agreed to the ten. Guess how much I got for the necklace?”
“More than ten I hope.”
“Twenty three thousand, what do you want me to do with the rest?”
“Keep it. I can’t take it home.”
“And you think I can just take thirteen thousand dollars home?”
“True. Okay, we’ll donate it or something. What’s the plan?”
“You’re going to need Drew’s driver’s license and his social security number. I gave Clay a picture of Drew from Vincent’s birthday party. He’s going to get his hair cut the same. We have to meet him in an hour to buy a suit. I didn’t want him going in there in some cheap, ugly suit. You know the respect thing,” Alicia added.
I grinned, thinking about Celeste, preaching that. Drew thought like that too. You had to dress the part you played. It made sense though. If this guy went in there with jeans, he’d be questioned for sure. “Clay?”
“Yeah, that’s his name. I didn’t ask a last name. I figured it was best for all parties involved not to know.”
“Yeah, but remember Mark Fortune? That backfired on him.”
“Morgan, this isn’t The Gray Train. This is real life. We could send this guy to jail.”
Reasoning wasn’t part of my ability at the time. I was too close to turn back now. There was something in that box that Drew didn’t want me to know about and I was going to find out.
We ate lunch and then met Clay at Paris Graham. That was the only place I knew of to buy men’s suits. I loved going in there with Drew and watching him be fitted for one. I wasn’t worried a bit when Clay called Alicia, telling her he was running late and couldn’t make it until six. I kind of wanted to defy Drew. I already knew what I was going to say if he did get touchy. Call it a test. My birthday was in one day and I would remind him of his words the night before.
“Morgan, we have to go. We have to be at your house for dinner.”
“They don’t need us and you know it. We’re just going to sit there and roll our eyes at each other. They can make a business deal without us there. We have to do this now. I may not be able to get out of the house again until next week.”
“Then you go home. I will stay and take care of Clay.”
“Alicia. What is your problem? If you need to go, go.”
“I am not leaving you here. Drew and Celeste both would kill me.”
By the time Clay finally got there, Alicia was really pissing me off. I knew what she was worried about, why she was so insistent on getting me home. It was none of her business. If Drew hit me, it was on him, not her. She didn’t come out and say that’s what she was all worried about, I could just tell. She needed to mind her own business.
Yup, definitely PMS.
This was so going to work. Clay wasn’t an exact replica, but I’ve seen Drew’s license. He could pass for sure.
“Yes, we’re on our way,” Alicia lied to Celeste. We weren’t leaving until I saw that Clay could pass as Drew. I ignored Drew’s call, responding with a text that we’d be there soon.
“That’s it,” I decided after the third suit.
“Great. Let’s go!” Alicia insisted, essentially dragging me out of there.
“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Drew yelled in a whisper when I decided I should probably answer. His quiet tone told me that our company had arrived.
“Sorry, we lost track of time. We’re on our way now.”
“I can’t believe you did this, Morgan,” Drew accused. I smiled. He was pissed. What the hell? I almost felt relieved that he was angry, like he’d gone too long without being the Drew I was used to, like I needed him to. Deidra was right. I did need the drama. I felt rejected without it.
“Celeste is going to be so pissed at me. Look how we’re dressed? This is entirely your fault. What is our story? Why are we so late?” she pressed in an angry tone.
“We’re sticking with our original story. We were at the art museum and lost track of time, stop being so dramatic. Jesus, Alicia. What is your deal?” This wasn’t PMS. Alicia was pissing me off. She was a nervous wreck. What the hell?
I figured out real fast. Shit. Fuck. Shit. Fucking hell. “Alicia?” I questioned, seeing the cars.
“Drew did this. This is supposed to be your surprise birthday party. I am so dead.”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“It was a surprise. Both Celeste and Drew forbade me to say one word. I didn’t know you were going to make us this late.”
“Shit, Alicia,” I blurted, seeing my husband waiting outside for me. He was beyond pissed.
“One time, Morgan. Just once, I spend months doing everything I can to put this together and you do this. Was the art more important?”
“Drew, I had no idea. How could I know?”
“Come on. You have a whole house full of people, waiting for you to appear at your party.
Drew led me to the formal dining room by my elbow. Thank god, I had worn decent clothing and was having a good hair day. That’s what I was thinking as we walked towards my surprise party.
My heart sank when I opened the door. Speechless, I looked to Drew, sporting a genuine smile. My mother reached for me with one arm while the other one hung over…Oh, my god. I couldn’t believe it.
“Justin?” I cried. This wasn’t real. My baby brother, it was him, it was truly him.
“You look just like I remember you,” he spoke with a deep man voice. He was so handsome. How did this happen? Drew did this? Justin wrapped his arms around me and I held him so tight and cried. I cried uncontrollably. My little Justin was here in my house. I think I cried for ten minutes before I could catch my breath and let him go.
“Are you kidding me?!?” I yelled when I let him go, catching Rebecca out of the corner of my eye.
Running to her, we embraced. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” she confessed. “But, seriously, we need to talk. You and Drew are together? I didn’t know what to think when he showed up at my house, begging me to come here.”
I held her hand, smiling at my mom covering her mouth, trying to keep it together. She was happy. I was happy, Justin was happy, and Drew was happy. He wasn’t wearing an angry look anymore. He really outdid himself, and I ruined it for him.
I’m not sure I have ever had a happier day in my entire life. No, I was sure that I hadn’t. Nicky absolutely loved his uncle Justin. I loved Justin’s mother and father, and for the first time since he was taken from me, I was happy that they had adopted him. They loved him so much and it showed. I think my mother was even happy about how things had turned out.
I spent a considerate amount of time explaining everything to Rebecca. She couldn’t believe that I was there with Drew and we had a baby together. She showed me pictures of her little girl. She was adorable and named after me. I loved her and couldn’t wait to meet her.
I talked, laughed, and cried with my little brother. He was quite the athlete, played the drums in his high school marching band. He wanted to be an architect and either design modern skyscrapers or super structure bridges. I told him he could do both.
Chapter 35
“I cannot believe you did this,” I said, finally getting my husband alone. What a long day, one that I will never forget.
“Are you happy,” Drew asked, closing our bedroom door and pulling me close.
“I am so happy, but I ruined it for you. I was too busy trying to defy your allotted time for me to be home.”
“You were purpos
ely trying to defy me?”
“Sort of,” I confessed, pulling away from him.
“Don’t,” Drew ordered, taking my pack of pills from my hand. I didn’t want to fight over having a baby. I let him put them back in the medicine cabinet, thinking I’d just take one before I fell asleep. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you want to defy me?”
Turning to him, I smiled a defeated, weak smile. I couldn’t say it out loud. I couldn’t admit that I needed him to be an ass. I didn’t want him to. I needed him to. I was saving that one for Deidra.
“Because I didn’t like you giving me a time to be home,” I lied. I didn’t mind that at all. I would have been home long before had Clay been on time.
“I’m sorry. I have been trying not to do that. I just really needed you home tonight.”
“I can’t believe you did this. You went to Rebecca? How did you convince Justin’s parents to bring him here?”
“Actually, Justin was the easy one. He wanted to see you too, and he’s got some pretty awesome parents.”
“He does, doesn’t he?”
“Rebecca was the one that gave me fits. I thought she was going to shoot me at her door.”
“You went to her house?”
“Yes, and she called the cops on me. Luckily, I had her calmed down before they got there, and she told them it was misunderstanding.”
I could see Rebecca doing that. I was sure she hated Drew more than anyone on earth. I didn’t see that changing, but a lot of strange things happened to me that I would have never predicted.
Drew kissed me with a long, deep, passionate kiss that brought out emotions in us both, the fucked up kind that nobody could understand but him or me.
“I need to punish you,” he begged in a desperate tone to my lips.
YES!
I knew Drew wasn’t asking for an erotic ass spanking over his lap. He needed more than that. Call it what you will, but I needed that too. It’s what we did, it’s what we were together, and I don’t expect anyone to understand it. I didn’t understand it myself so there was no way I could explain it.
Okay, maybe I didn’t need that. The first lash from his leather belt caused me to scream. It hurt. It hurt like hell and my ass was suddenly on fire. “Shhh,” he quieted me, rubbing my ass with the palm of his hand. I needed to lie down. I needed to be across the bed where I could stuff the covers in my mouth and hold them tight in my fisted hands. Drew wouldn’t let me. I had to hold on to the foot of the bed, legs spread while I took five thrashings, leaving welts for sure. I could already feel them.
After a long drawn out, screwed up as hell foreplay period, Drew used the electrical current on my clit, sending me to instant orgasm, almost. It wasn’t until he fucked me in the ass, reaching around to my clit that he finally let me come.
“You have no idea how much I love you,” Drew panted, hot breaths to my back. I loved him too. I loved him more than I could comprehend myself.
“I’m still not getting pregnant yet,” I exhaustedly assured him.
“We’ll see.”
I smiled at his response and fell asleep happy with Drew’s hand covering my still burning ass.
***
I should have called off the whole operation. Things were going great. I couldn’t have been happier had my life depended on it. Our last session with Deidra was even good. We laughed and joked about silly things Nicholas was learning, and she talked to us more about our cycle. We were breaking it, Drew was breaking it, and together we were doing it.
I spent the morning sitting on Drew’s lap, creating a Facebook account. I wanted to keep up with Justin’s sports, talk to him, and send him messages whenever I wanted. That was a big step for Drew. I was sure I would still have to let him see who I was talking to, but I didn’t mind that. I would talk to Alicia, Justin, my mom, and Caroline. Even Rebecca, I couldn’t wait to see the pictures of her daughter and watch her grow up. Caroline was so excited that I finally got a Facebook account.
“Oh, Starlight!” I exclaimed, placing my fingers on the home row. I knew she had a profile. I’d seen her on it talking to her daughter and sister.
Drew placed his hands over mine stopping me. I looked over my shoulder, knowing what he was going to say.
“Do you have to do that?”
“You don’t like Starlight?”
“I like her just fine. I’m just not sure I want you associating with your old life in Maine anymore.”
“I spent the whole day with Starlight the last time she was here. You didn’t mind it then?”
“I did mind. That was hard for me, and that was here not Maine. Go ahead,” he offered, trying not to be that man. I smiled and stopped. Baby steps. Drew knew that once I added Starlight, I would see the post from Dawson and Lauren. That was the two that he really didn’t want me connecting with. I would leave it at that, for now.
Celeste ran me out of the office in the early afternoon, wanting to work. I didn’t mind. Nicholas was getting fussy, ready for a nap anyway.
“Have you talked to Alicia?” I asked, standing with Nicholas. I wanted to know what was going on. I couldn’t wait much longer.
“Yeah, she was taking Vincent to the dentist. Why?” Celeste asked suspicious.
“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that,” I said, leaving them to their work. I couldn’t look at Celeste and keep a straight face.
I spent the whole day, worrying about what happened. Did it work? Did Clay get in? Did he get caught? Was he in jail? No. He couldn’t have gotten caught. It was nearly seven thirty. The bank would have called Drew. He had whatever was in the deposit box. What was in it? What if it was money and he took it and ran? No, he didn’t do that either. Drew wouldn’t hide money there anyway.
I jumped, startled when Drew spoke, coming into Nicholas’s room with me. I’d been jumpy all day. I needed it to be Friday. I needed to put this behind me and stop playing detective. Once I figured out what and why Drew was hiding from me, I would.
“Morgan?” Drew called.
“Jesus, you scared me. Don’t do that.”
“You’ve been jumpy all day,” he noticed. “Hey, did I have to show identification the other night at the restaurant?”
Crap.
“I’m not sure. I didn’t really pay attention. Why?” I asked, lying. I turned my attention to Nicholas, hiding the guilt. I didn’t think he’d notice it that soon. Drew had a migraine that night and was asleep by nine. I was in bed with him, thanking god for his pounding head. Getting his license from his wallet was easy. It was the social security number I had to snoop for.
I waited for his relaxed deep breathing before breaking into his office. The whole thing reminded me of planning my escape, breaking in there to transfer funds from his accounts. I logged on to his desktop, needing to keep an eye on him. Drew slept with his arm over his eyes and I searched through files, folders, and drawers. Nothing I found had his social on it. Why would it. Damn it. Now what was I supposed to do? I was just about ready to give up when I saw the folder with the tab, reading 2013 taxes. Yes! Pulling off a little yellow sticky note, I quickly jotted down the number and got the hell out of there just in time for Nicholas to wake crying.
“I don’t remember showing it. They know me there. That’s so weird. Where else would I have used it?” Drew questioned himself more than me.
“I don’t know. Look at him, Drew,” I derailed the conversation that I couldn’t have without a shamed expression. Drew placed his wallet back to his back pocket and picked up the block, helping Nicholas put the round piece into the round hole rather than the square one he was trying to fit it into. He was so smart. He had the right concept, just not the right block.
Drew never mentioned his license again, not to me anyway. I would get it back the next day and hide it behind one of the many cards in his wallet. He’d think he just misplaced it, I hoped.
I wished I didn’t have such a meddling husband. I wanted to text Alicia and ask
her if she had it, what did it look like, was it in an envelope, a box? UGH. I was never going to sleep. Why didn’t I tell her I’d be over for breakfast instead of lunch?
Drew and I played with Nicky on his bedroom floor until he conked out between Drew and me on the plush gray carpet. Drew picked him up, changed him and kissed his sleeping little head.
“What’s wrong?” Drew asked, dropping to his knees and lying beside me again.
“Nothing, why do you think something is wrong?”
“You’re just in another time. What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing really.”
“Talk to me, Morgan. Please.”
Great, now he thought I was upset over us. I wasn’t. I was so in love with us and our little family. “Nothing is wrong. I promise. I’m just feeling a little tired tonight, that’s all.”
“Okay, but I don’t know if I believe you,” Drew said running his hand up my shirt and around my stomach.
“Come on, let’s go to bed.”
Standing, I pulled Drew up by his hands, kissed him and led him to our room.
“Drew, stop. I’m on my period,” I had to say, moving his hands from my ass.
“So, we don’t need that.”
“Can we just go to sleep tonight? Please,” I begged, rolling away from him, snuggling up to his chest, not waiting for a reply.
“I don’t want you to take anymore pills when you’re done.”
Nope. Not going there. “Night, Drew.”
***
I was a nervous wreck all morning. I needed to get away from Drew. Where the hell was Celeste? Of all days for Drew to start work later, it had to be that day. Any other day I would have loved it, just not this day.
“I’m going to Alicia’s now,” I stated, rather than asking.
Drew looked up from the puppy book he was reading to Nicky, puzzled. “Aren’t you going to wait until I go to work? It’s not lunch time. Why do you need to go now?”
“I don’t need to, Drew. I want to.” I should have just waited. I hadn’t planned on this turning into a big argument.