Taming Megan (8 page)

“You know I’ve only got eyes for you, Abby.”

“M-hmm. You’d better, old man.”

“Connelly, get your ass in here already,” Gray called out to the man who stood outside on his phone.

Megan turned, her smile disappearing as the man tucked his phone into his pocket and came out of the shadows. He too paused for a moment, recognition dawning on his face as Megan felt the color drain from hers.

“Mr. and Mrs. Manson,” Jake’s voice came as he rounded the corner and shook the older man’s hand before kissing his wife on the cheek. “I see you’ve met my wife.”

“Not all of us,” Sean Connelly said. He held out his hand to her.

She didn’t take her eyes from Sean’s for a second, remaining as if frozen in time.

“Honey?” Jake said, snapping her out of it. “This is Sean Connelly, one of the members on the deciding board.”

But Jake didn’t need to introduce him.

She looked down at Sean Connelly’s hand where he held it out to her and she slowly placed her trembling one inside it.

“Truly a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Roark. Or
Megan
is it? May I call you Megan?” he asked.

“Yes. Of course,” she said, feeling clammy and cold, realizing how awkward she must look, wondering if anyone else sensed the fact that this was not her first meeting with Sean Connelly.

“Let’s head inside, get everyone a drink,” Jake said, his hand on his wife’s back, turning her to follow behind the others. “You ok?” he asked.

She looked at him, at her beautiful husband who so did not need this right now. She nodded. “Yeah, just should eat something. The wine is going to my head.”

He kissed her cheek, pulling her in for a quick hug. “Take a minute with Anna, eat something, then come back inside.”

“I will.” She held onto his hand when he turned to walk back into the living room and he stopped, looking at her, puzzled. “I love you,” she said, trying to smile a small smile.

“Me too. Now hurry up.” He turned and went into the living room and she, instead of going into the kitchen, slipped quickly up the stairs and into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She picked up the phone and dialed, alternately sitting on the edge of the bed then standing, pacing the room. This couldn’t be happening. Her childhood was one thing, her parents a part of that. She could leave that all behind. But when Sean Connelly had walked in that door tonight, it was like the past just walked right back into her life.

“Josie?” she said into the phone, the first tear sliding down her cheek.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Megan inhaled a deep breath and walked down the stairs to rejoin the party. Jake ran into her in the hallway looking not too pleased. “Meg, what are you doing?”

“I just… my stomach was upset.”

He looked like he had something to say but didn’t and she could see the pressure he was under. Jake was usually very collected but tonight was a big deal. A really big deal. She was about to blow it for him if she didn’t get her act together.

“All right, come back inside now. I need you with me.”

She only smiled when he led her back into the living room. The light was dimmed and music played softly in the background. As usually happened at parties like this, the men had grouped together at one end of the room and the women the other. Jake urged her to join in on the conversation on the women’s side. She walked over and Abigail Manson immediately came to take her arm. She felt grateful to the older woman who must have sensed her discomfort and made a point of drawing her into the conversation even when some of the other women made quite the opposite point.

“Megan,” Anna whispered, tapping her shoulder. “Dinner’s ready to be served.”

“Ok, thanks Anna.” Megan rose to her feet and called the ladies to collect their husbands. Jake was engrossed in a conversation with two of the men and as she approached him, Sean Connelly’s hand closed over her elbow, drawing her back.

“Why don’t you walk me in, Meggie? Your husband looks busy.”

His smile was that of a piranha and it took all Megan had not to yank herself free of his grip. And that’s what it was: a grip. His fingers dug into her arm, hurting her.

He remembered her, of course he did.

“What do you want?” she asked, trying hard to keep her voice from trembling.

He cocked his head to the side. “That’s no way to treat an old friend, is it?” he asked.

“You’re not a friend.”

The air hung heavy between them. Someone laughed in the distance, breaking into the awkward silence.

“How is your wife feeling, Sean?” Jake asked, coming to stand between them, his one glance at Sean’s grip on Megan forcing Sean to let her go. Megan instantly rubbed the spot, wanting to wash his touch from her, but Jake covered that same spot with his softer, gentler hand.

“Sadly not well enough to join tonight,” Sean said. “You looked busy so I thought I’d walk Megan in. She looked lonely,” he said, glancing at her.

Jake’s mouth barely moved into a smile so forced, there was no confusing its meaning. “That so?” he asked.

Just then Anna came in needing Megan’s attention. She excused herself and left both men to help Anna.

“What happened that had Jake’s hackles up?” Anna asked as she plated the potatoes.

“Do you think everyone noticed?” Megan asked, checking on the meat.

“No, they were all gathering in the dining room already.”

“This looks good,” Megan said, changing the subject. “Should I help you get it on a serving dish?”

“No, don’t mess up your dress. How do you want to serve the greens?” she asked.

“Here,” Megan said, reaching into a high cupboard to get a large serving dish. “Use this.”

“Thanks. It will be out in a minute.”

Megan hovered, casting a worried glance to the door.

“What is it?” Anna asked. “Who is that man?”

Megan felt the same shiver she had felt when she had first recognized him. “An old mistake. I’d better get back.”

Anna wiped her hands on a towel, studying her. “You ok?” she asked.

Megan just attempted a smile and walked out into the dining room where Jake was waiting for her with an empty seat at his side. She felt Sean’s eyes on her from the other end of the table and it took all she had to keep the smile pasted on her face.

* * *

Jake kept one hand on Megan’s knee throughout dinner and conversation flowed well. The meal was delicious and Jake made an announcement at the end giving her all the credit for it. They then headed back into the living room for coffee and dessert. Jake took a few of the men into his study and the remaining guests broke into smaller groups. It was on her way back into the living room with a fresh pot of coffee that Sean Connelly cornered her in the hallway.

“You look good, Meggie.”

“It’s Megan now. What do you want, Sean?” she asked, feeling her old rebellious side boiling up inside her. She needed him to know right now that her past was her past and that he wouldn’t be holding anything over her head. She had to make sure he understood he had no power over her.

“Well,” he said, no longer even feigning friendliness. He ran the tip of one hand down her bare arm. She physically shivered at his touch, revolted by it. She stepped back. “I’d love to talk about that actually,” he said, stepping closer. “Pick up where we left off that night you took my money but didn’t deliver the goods.”

“You got what you deserved and you know it. I could have called the police!”

“And said what?” he asked, stepping toward her, forcing her to take one back. “That I tried to rape you? It’s hardly rape when you pay for it.”

She clenched her teeth tight. She’d been so stupid, so fucking stupid. It had been once, exactly once. Josie had had this idea to make some money. Megan had just celebrated her eighteenth birthday. They’d both signed up for this escort agency. She had known what it meant even though she had tried to play it off as something else. She had turned down five calls before she finally said yes. She was scared to death that night. She still remembered that feeling in her stomach and it made her want to vomit even now. Josie had done it a few times. She had made $50 in tips each time! Back then, it was a lot of money and she had needed the money. Her parents were barely able to pay the rent and she was hungry. One stupid fucking night. She hadn’t even gone through with it. She hadn’t been able to do it. But still here she was, here
he
was. Her mistake, standing in the flesh, before her.

“I’m guessing Jake doesn’t know about this part of your past, is that right Meggie?”

She could only stare at him, understanding full well where he meant to go with this, what he wanted.

“It was a mistake. I was a kid.”

“You’re not a kid anymore, are you?” he said, his gaze slowly sliding along her body, making her want to heave. “Jake would be disappointed, huh?”

Tears filled her eyes. “What do you want?” she asked, her voice tight.

He grinned, showing all his teeth. “One night.”

“There you are, dear,” Abigail said coming out of the living room.

“You have five days to think about it,” Sean continued, ignoring the older woman.

“I’d love some more coffee,” Abigail said. The older woman paused, then moved closer, once again tucking Megan’s arm inside hers and relieving her of the coffeepot she still held. “You shouldn’t monopolize the hostess, Sean. It’s impolite.” She pulled Megan along into the room and kept her at her side until Jake returned. But before Abigail let her go, she leaned in close to Megan’s ear. “Jake does think the world of you, you know. Gray wasn’t teasing. And I can see why.” The older woman smiled a smile that only made it that much harder to hold back her tears, but somehow she did it. Somehow she got through the party and said her goodbyes and somehow listened to Jake as he talked about the party, about how he thought it was a success. He was sure he had their votes, at least he was sure of most. Sean Connelly would be trouble, Jake said. Megan listened, trying to keep her thoughts from her face. And when he made love to her that night, she lay beneath him and, for the first time, went through the motions, feeling nothing at all, or trying not to because if she did, she would break down and if that happened, she would have to tell Jake the truth. That she’d whored herself out for money.

He wouldn’t believe that she had never gone through with it. Why would he? He would know she was a liar and a whore. She came from trash and no matter how far you run or how long you hide, you can’t change what you’re made of.

“Meg?” he asked when she pushed him off and ran into the bathroom.

She barely made it to the toilet before she vomited the little bit she’d been able to eat that night.

“Are you ok?” he asked when it was finally over.

Megan sat back and took the wet towel he handed her, wiping her face. “Must be a bug. I’ve been feeling off the last few hours.”

He helped her to her feet. “That’s why you’ve been acting strange,” he said. “You should have said something.”

Unable to meet his eyes, she brushed her teeth and washed her face. He stayed with her and she could feel his eyes on her, his worried eyes. Guilt lay heavy in her belly. “It’s ok, I’m fine. Let’s just go back to bed. I’m sure it will be gone by morning.”

He put one arm around her and kissed her forehead, walking her back to the bedroom. In bed, he held her with her back to his front and she tucked his arm closer to her, holding tight to him for however much longer she could.

“Megan,” Jake called from the study. “Can you come in here please?”

She was sitting on the sofa pretending to read a magazine but really just thinking all along. She had been unable to keep any food down for the last two days and was on edge. She had two days left of the five days Sean gave her to think about it.

“Coming,” she said, rising slowly.

Jake at least has been pleased with the party. He had talked to Gray the following day and Gray had said the job was as good as his. There were only three holding out and although Gray wouldn’t name them, they both knew one of the three was Sean.

“What’s up?” she asked. It was a little after nine o’clock on Tuesday night.

“Come inside and close the door.”

She looked at him finding his expression strange. It was then she saw the papers on his desk, the logo of the bank they’d come from.

She closed the door and went to stand in front of the desk when he held the papers up for her to see. “Why haven’t you told me how bad things are at the bakery?” he asked.

“They aren’t that bad,” she began, but she caught the numbers on the page he looked at. “It’s been better the last few days and we had a really good weekend…”

“You barely paid the interest on the loan this last month,” he said. “Do you remember our conversation when we took out this loan?” he asked.

She nodded, casting her eyes down. Jake had co-signed the loan; it had been the only way for the bank to give her one. Her credit history had had some hiccups prior to her meeting him. She had happily given over managing money to him when they had married and his one stipulation with co-signing was that she pay off a specific amount which was slightly more than the minimum the bank wanted, every month. He had calculated it out for her so that if she did this, she could have the loan paid off in almost half the time it would take her otherwise.

“When I went in there the other day, Anna showed me the letter from the landlord.”

“I was going to take care of it. She shouldn’t have done that.”

“How were you going to take care of it?”

She looked away, rubbing her now sweaty palms on the sides of her jeans.

“Meg,” he began, leaning on the desk. “Do you understand this isn’t just about you? You’ve got a single mom employed at the bakery not to mention the part-timers.”

“One part-timer. I let go of our driver,” she volunteered.

“So who’s doing the deliveries then?” he asked.

“Me and Anna. We split it up.”

He shook his head and cleared a few things off his desk.

“I was going to tell you,” she began.