Society Girls: Neveah (21 page)

“Shot? Who shot you?” Matisse asks me.

“I have no idea. I saw him, but I don’t know
his name or anything like that.”

“Did you tell Reina?”

“No, and I know it’s a lot to ask, but I’d
appreciate it if you didn’t, either.”

“I thought you guys were going fishing,”
Kendrick says, pinning Matt with a fierce look.

“We did. Caught some great swordfish, among
other things.”

“And you were with them on this fishing
trip, Neveah?”

“I had some things to do, and then I joined
them on the yacht.”

“Things like blowing up a drug cartel’s
compound in the Caribbean?”

“I’m not going to confirm that.”

“But you’re not going to deny it, either,
are you?”

“No.”

“Whoa! You did that, Nev? What am I talking
about—of course you did that. I heard how they threatened Dylan.
Damn girl, I didn’t know you had that in you,” Matisse says,
bumping me with her hip.

“Neither did I,” I admit. “Until I had to do
it.”

“If the twenty questions are over, can you
take a look at her so we can all go home?” Jake asks.

“Yes, of course. Where were you shot?”
Kendrick asks me.

I lift the sleeve of the maxi dress I’m
still wearing, and he unwraps the bandages around my biceps. He
nods at the stitches I hadn’t seen until now, and then tells Nate
that it looks nearly perfect, and there will be minimal
scarring.

“Thanks, Nate,” I tell him again.

“No problem,” he responds with a shrug.

Kendrick gets some medical supplies from a
spare room in the house, and cleans the area before putting on some
ointment, and re-bandaging me back up. He also hands me a pill
bottle. “Take these as you need them for pain.”

“Okay,” I tell him.

“Don’t try and deny yourself because you
think you should be able to endure the pain. Your body knows what
you need better than you do, and you don’t want to make it angry.
You got shot in a good place, relatively speaking. You’ll be sore
and stiff, but you should have some mobility back even by tomorrow
if you take your pills and get some rest tonight.”

“I promise to listen to my body,” I tell him
with a laugh.

“We should head out so Matisse can listen to
Kenny’s body,” Aiden tells us with another smirk.

“We are studying!” Kendrick yells while we
all try not to laugh.

Matisse leans over to whisper in my ear.
“I’m trying hard to do more than study, but he’s so damn
stubborn.”

“Keep trying, my friend. I have a feeling
you’ll win him over.”

“I hope so.”

The guys and I say our final goodbyes, and
drive to the apartments. When we get there, we split up, because I
wasn’t supposed to be with them. I thank them all again, and go
upstairs to get some sleep. I know that even though he said it’s my
decision, Matt wants me to tell Reina what I did. He’s right—I have
to tell her. Not just for me, but for the other guys, and also now
for Matisse and Kendrick. It’s not fair of me to make them keep my
secrets, and I’m not comfortable asking them to do it for an
extended period of time. So, tomorrow’s the day for my confession,
while tonight is the night for rest.

* * *

Dylan

“Stella talked to the other two girls and
they’re willing to come forward,” Reina tells me as I sit in her
office.

“How much?”

“They don’t want money. They were unwilling
to lie for Eric because they said you were a nice guy. They’ve been
waiting for you to ask them to come forward.”

“They know I’m not getting with them again,
right?” I ask, because stranger things have been expected of
me.

“No. Stella made it clear that there would
be no repeat performances.”

“Cool. So when do you think we can get this
done?”

“I’ve called the press conference for an
hour from now.”

“An hour?” I ask, knowing
she has the means to work fast, but not expecting it to
happen
this
fast.

“I thought you’d want to strike back right
away.”

“Oh, I do. I’m just surprised. The girls are
here?”

“They’re with Stella, yes.”

“I owe her a thank you. And maybe a shopping
spree or something.”

“She would never turn down a chance to go
shopping. You two can work it out.”

“Thank you, Reina. When Sadiq told me about
the Society, and what you all did, I was scared for my sister.
After meeting all of you, and seeing the training Nev was
doing—even though she didn’t tell me exactly what is was, I knew it
was rigorous—I just feel pride. Both for Ellie and Nev, but also
that there’s a group like you that exists in the world.”

“I’m pretty proud of us myself. I’d like to
have a few words with the military person who told Sadiq, but
what’s done is done. I’ve been assured this person will never speak
of us again.”

“You’re kind of scary when you want to
be.”

“No, Dylan. I’m
very
scary when I want to
be. Now let’s go see Audrey and Camari about your
speech.”

I follow her out of her office and down the
hall to Audrey’s. An hour later, I’m dressed in a designer suit
that Stella got me, and getting ready to read a statement Audrey
helped me write. Camari gave me some tips on how to deflect
questions meant to set me off, and I’ve said a polite hello to the
two women I had group sex with. I square my shoulders and step up
to the podium. I usually associate “Showtime” with starting a new
game on the court, but right now, it’s time for me to play the most
important game of my life.

“Good morning everyone. I appreciate you
coming out here today on such short notice. I have a statement I’d
like to read for you, and then I have a couple of women who have
some things to say as well. After that, I’ll take a few
questions.

“I want to start by saying that the pictures
of me going around the internet, are in fact, of me. They have not
been doctored. I am not ashamed of them, or what I did, because I
don’t feel that anyone should be ashamed of sex. I am a healthy
young man with a healthy sexual appetite, and I have never
mistreated any woman who I’ve had sex with.

“What I do need to take issue with is the
reports about the timing of those pictures. They were not taken in
the last month like you’ve all been told. In fact, they were taken
at my agent’s home. He threw a party when I signed with him as a
rookie a few years ago, and provided me with plenty of women to
choose from. I did not know there were cameras in the bedroom, and
I apparently didn’t choose all of the right women, since a couple
of them have been more than happy to perpetuate the lies Eric
spread when I didn’t give in to his blackmail. And yes, I said
‘blackmail.’

“Eric knew that the only thing I hated about
my reputation is how it affected my mom. I hate how the ladies at
our church judge her because of my behavior, and I didn’t want to
bring any more shame down on her. When my mom heard about what I
was doing, she informed me that she would only feel shame if I
caved to the demands of a man who had no honor. It was after I told
him that I would no longer pretend to date the actress of the
moment, or the model who needed a career boost, that he released
the pictures and got two women to lie for him about when those
pictures were taken. Right now, I’m going to invite the other two
women from those pictures up to the podium so they can tell you the
truth.”

The two women come up and tell their side of
the story. They don’t falter once, not even when they agree to take
some questions. I may be biased, but I’m pretty sure they came
across as more credible than the other two women. I hope so, at
least. Too soon it’s time for me to go back to the front, and
answer some questions.

“Is it true that you’re close friends with a
Muslim?” the first reporter asks, and here we go.

“I’m friends with people of all religions,
and even a few who don’t believe in God. I consider many to be
close friends.”

“How do you feel about your fans saying, and
I quote ‘to fraternize with terrorists is un-American’?”

“I feel like some of my fans need to read
the Qur’an. Islam isn’t a religion of terror or Jihad. Men hide
behind it, and pretend they are killing for Allah, but that is
simply not the case. I’d also like to remind everyone that we are a
country of immigrants. Unless you are 100% Native American, your
ancestors were immigrants.”

“Is that why you’re having a charity
basketball game for refugees?”

“Yes. They need our help, and I want to do
what I can—in conjunction with the Corrigan & Co. Foundation—to
get them that help.”

“Why should we believe you and the two women
you brought here?”

“Because we’re telling the truth. I can’t
make anyone believe us, but the people I love and respect know I’m
being honest. All I can do for the rest of you is play my best in
every game, and try to be a nice guy off the court.”

“You said no more models and actresses on
your arm. Does this mean you plan to find a woman to settle down
with?”

“I’ve already found that woman. I just need
to convince her to be mine, and then yeah, I’m settling down. For
good.”

“Are you going to give us any hints about
who she might be?”

“No. You’ll know when you see her.”

Audrey comes up the podium, and I move out
of the way for her. “I think you’ve all gotten enough information
from Dylan. Thank you for coming.”

I walk back inside the building, bending
over, and taking a deep breath once we’re in the elevator. “That
was good, right? Rough, but good?”

“You rocked it, Dylan,” Camari tells me.
“I’m seriously impressed.”

“I just told the truth.”

“Which was obvious,” Audrey says.

“Let’s get some lunch in the cafeteria, and
then we can get back to work,” Reina adds, and I readily agree.
I’ve heard Nev is back, and I’m hoping to see her.

Neveah

I didn’t get a chance to talk to Reina this
morning, because she was getting Dylan ready for his press
conference. The one we all just watched before coming upstairs for
lunch. And yeah, I may have mentally been jumping up and down when
he said he wants to settle down with me.

I’ve just gotten in line for a burger when I
hear clapping and turn to see Dylan, Reina, Camari, and Audrey
entering the room. I want to run up and hug him, but I’m not sure
if we’re there yet. Actually, I’m pretty sure we’re not.

He looks over to me and his smile grows even
bigger, matching the one I have on my face. Without breaking
stride, he comes to stand in front of me. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“Burger day, huh?” he asks, knowing I try to
limit myself to a max of three per week, even though I could eat
one every day.

“Yeah. You were great. Your statement and
the questions.”

“Did you have a favorite answer of
mine?”

“I liked them all, but I did have a
favorite.”

He starts to ask me what it is, but there’s
another commotion by the doors. This time, it’s not a welcome one.
Elizabeth Mason, and several of her soldiers are coming my way.
Theo is with them, but he doesn’t look happy about it. This is not
going to be good.

“Neveah Ayoub?” she asks when she’s in front
of me.

“Yes. That’s me.”

“You’ll need to come with us.”

“She’s not going anywhere with you,” Dylan
says, moving to shield my body with his.

“Mr. Gallagher, I don’t think you’ll want to
follow up the positive publicity you just got, with a trip to jail,
so I suggest you step aside.”

“What the hell is going on here?” Reina
asks, coming to stand with us.

“I’m sure you’re aware that a terrorist act
was committed on a small Caribbean island yesterday. We were lucky
enough to have a satellite facing that way, and footage shows that
Miss Ayoub here is the terrorist.”

“It was
not
a terrorist act,” I say, knowing
I should shut up, but angry that my faith is once again coming into
play.

“Nev?” Dylan asks, his eyes wide.

“We should take this discussion to my
office,” Reina says, looking around at the C&C employees who
have just heard more than they ever should have.

“There’s no need for that. We’re taking her
in.”

Reina leans in close, and I barely hear what
she says. “If you think you and these men are enough to get her out
of this building, go ahead and try.”

I see Mason’s nostrils flare, but she gives
in because we all know she has no choice. “Lead the way. It won’t
change anything.”

I start to walk, but Dylan grabs my arm.
Unfortunately, it’s the one I was shot in, and I cry out. “Are you
hurt?”

“I’ll be fine. You should go home,
Dylan.”

“I need to make sure you’re okay, because
apparently, you already took care of me.”

“I love you, but I may be going to jail.
Please go home before the people in this room start connecting us,
and it gets bad for you again.”

“I don’t care about that. Did you really
blow up that compound? For me?”

“If I did it, it wouldn’t have been for
anyone else.”

“Nev, we need to go,” Reina says, looking
pissed, but caring at the same time. Only she can pull that
off.

“Go home, Dylan. Please.”

“I’ll go, but this isn’t over.”

I try and put him out of my mind as I follow
everyone down to Reina’s office. The soldiers stand off to the side
while Jake’s mom, Reina, and I sit around her desk. Theo is to the
right of me, standing so straight that I’m afraid his back might
break.

“This is completely unnecessary. We have
proof she was on the island, and proof that she took off from the
compound by parachute as the explosives detonated,” Elizabeth Mason
says.