Damaged Hearts - Monica Murphy

by Monica Murphy

  Hopefully he’s not “entertaining” some girl, AKA the two of them writhing around, naked on the couch. That is the absolute last thing I want to walk in on.

  Rhett tries the handle to find it unlocked, and he opens the door, leading me inside. The couch doesn’t face the door, and I can see the back of two heads sitting there, both male, one of them Chad’s. He whips his head around when he hears the door opening, a giant grin on his face when he spots us.

  “Hey, Rhett, your uncle’s here. We’ve been hanging out.”

  Rhett goes completely still, his fingers curling around mine so tightly it starts to hurt.

  The man turns his head to smile at us, and it’s like everything goes in slow motion, though I know it happened in a matter of seconds.

  I know this man.

  This man Chad said is Rhett’s uncle is the same man who attacked me at City Lights.

  It’s Greg.

  Rhett

  Shit. Fuck. I hold onto Jensen’s hand, trying to keep her in place because…I don’t know. I want to explain myself, but how? I kept this from her because I didn’t know how to tell her and I fucked everything up.

  She slips her hand from mine and raises it to her face, covering her mouth, her eyes wide open in shock. “It’s—it’s him.”

  Uncle Craig just sits there, his eyes a little wide, like he can’t believe he just got caught, but that surprised look disappears in an instant and smooth, friendly Uncle Craig is back in place. He stands, making like he’s going to approach Jensen.

  “Please. Let me explain myself,” he starts, but Jensen cuts him off.

  “Shut up!” She’s at the door, throwing it open, but then she turns to look at me, and all the hurt and misery and anger is there, swirling in her eyes, written all over her face. “You knew, didn’t you? You knew all along, yet you didn’t tell me”

  I reach out to her, trying to capture her hand, but she jerks it away. “Jensen. Please. I was going to tell you…”

  “When? At Christmas? When we’re all circled around the tree, listening to carols and drinking hot chocolate while handing out gifts and you give me one from your dear Uncle Craig the rapist?” She’s shrieking, her voice shrill, her entire body shaking, and I feel like a complete asshole.

  A liar.

  They say your life can change in an instant. One second everything’s fine, the next, everything’s in complete chaos.

  I finally understand what they mean.

  “What the hell?” Chad says, a nervous laugh escaping him. I almost forgot he was here, our lone witness to the craziness.

  I send him a dirty look. “Get the fuck out of here,” I tell him, and he does as I say without protest. I hear the slam of his bedroom door seconds later.

  “I-I can’t do this,” Jensen says, her voice breaking on a sob, her eyes filling. My heart lurches as I watch her hitch her purse up higher on her shoulder, tears streaming down her face. Seeing her like this, I wonder how I could’ve ever doubted her before. She wasn’t lying about my uncle. The hurt and shock and shame is written all over her face.

  And then she’s gone, pulling the door shut behind her. I chase after her, throwing open the door and running across the lawn toward my car, watching in disbelief as she climbs inside it, starts the engine, and takes off.

  “Fuck!” I yell, clutching my head with both hands, fingers tight in my hair as I watch the red taillights get smaller and smaller until they disappear. I drop my arms and turn to find my uncle standing in the open doorway, his expression neutral. Completely unruffled while my whole world feels like it’s crumbling around me.

  “Did she tell you?” Craig asks.

  I stomp back up the lawn toward him, my hands clutched into fists at my side. I’m tempted to beat his ass for hurting Jensen, but what the fuck good would that do me? I want to hear what he has to say for himself first. “Yes.”

  “And you didn’t tell her about me?” He raises a brow.

  “I—” Shame washes over me and I shake my head. I didn’t believe her.

  I can’t say the words out loud. And it’s more like I didn’t want to believe her. Big difference.

  But not anymore, not really. I messed everything up. How is she going to be able to trust me after I what I did to her?

  “Listen, I did this all for you, son,” Uncle Craig says. “To protect you.”

  “Protect me? From what?” I ask incredulously.

  “From a money-grubbing little whore, that’s what. She doesn’t care about you. She’s just after your money.” Craig runs a hand across his face, his expression pensive. “We started hearing stories about you getting involved with a stripper and we wanted to put a stop to it. Can’t have you destroying the Montgomery name, so I tried to—scare her out of town. Clearly, it didn’t work.”

  I’m shaking my head, trying to comprehend what he’s telling me. It doesn’t make sense. Destroy the family name? I’m the cleanest one of the family outside of Addie. Why are they interfering in my life when we haven’t done anything wrong? And who are they anyway?

  “What do you mean, ‘we’?”

  Craig takes a deep breath, looking away from me. “I can’t say. Just know that we all care for you and the family. We’re protecting our own interests.”

  “This is such bullshit.” I charge up on him, grabbing the front of his shirt and jerking on it, thrusting my face in his. “Who the fuck is telling you to attack Jensen, huh? Who?”

  I think I know who, and I don’t want to hear his answer. It’ll devastate me. But I have to know the truth. I have to.

  The faintest smile curls his lips, and he says, “Diane.”

  Okay. That was the absolute last person I expected him to say. I figured it would be my dad. I’d bet Park was involved before my stepmother, who usually acts like she hates my guts. “What?”

  “She’s always watching you and Park, making sure you two are doing what you’re supposed to. She’s got Park under her thumb, but you, she has no control over you and it makes her crazy. So she has someone spy on you on occasion. Sometimes that spy is me.” He at least has the decency to look scared when I pull on his shirt even tighter. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, getting involved with a stripper, Rhett? She only wants one thing.”

  “She’s not a stripper.” I shake him. “And she’s not after my money either.”

  “Really?” Craig sneers. “Funny that she’s not working anymore and living with you now, isn’t it? I’m guessing you’re completely supporting her? She’s spending your money, driving your car, living her best life like a high-class escort, hmm? She doesn’t have to strip anymore—she’s gone exclusive.”

  His words are messing with my brain, making me doubt Jensen for the quickest second. But she’d never do that to me. I care for her. Hell, I’m pretty sure I’ve fallen in love with her. “It’s not like that.”

  “I’m sure it’s not like that.” His tone is mocking and he has the nerve to laugh. “She’s playing you so hard, Rhett. Can’t you see? Or are you too blinded from all the good pussy you’re getting day and night?”

  I hit him. It’s like an automatic reflex. I let go of his shirt, sling my arm back, and punch him square in the nose, so hard I hear the bones crunch beneath my fist. He doubles over, his hands covering his face, cursing loudly while I just stand there, my knuckles radiating with pain, my entire body vibrating with rage.

  “Get the fuck out of my house,” I tell him, my teeth clenched as tight as my fists. I’ll hit him again if he doesn’t leave.

  “You’re really going to choose your whore over your family?” he asks incredulously, staring up at me. Blood streams from his nose and I don’t feel one ounce of sympathy for him. The fucker asked for it.

  “Get out.” I don’t bother answering his question. What’s the point? Besides, my father actually likes Jensen. Maybe.

  Maybe my entire family has me fooled.

  I stay in the open doorway as I watch my uncle head toward his fancy fucking car,
his face covered in blood. I don’t bother offering him a towel. I don’t offer him anything.

  I just want him gone.

  “What the hell just happened?” Chad’s voice startles me, and I shut and lock the door before I turn to face him. “You always told me your uncle was so cool.”

  “Not anymore,” I say bitterly, pulling my phone out of my pocket. No notifications.

  No surprise.

  “Did Jensen take your car?” Chad shakes his head. “You don’t let anyone drive that damn thing.”

  “Yeah, well, she does,” I mutter, staring at my phone screen. I should call her. But she won’t pick up. And I don’t want to distract her while she’s driving. What if she’s so upset, she wrecks? I don’t give a shit about the car.

  I care about her.

  “I was watching from the window, Rhett. You freaking punched your uncle in the face.” He sounds downright giddy. “Isn’t your dad going to be super pissed you did that?”

  “I really don’t give a damn.”

  Chad whistles. “Talk about family drama.”

  I don’t bother answering him.

  He’s summed up my problems in exactly four words.

  Rhett

  We need to talk.

  I’m not surprised when I find the text from my father the next morning. I’m sure Uncle Craig ratted me out as fast as possible, the asshole. It’s already close to noon and I slept through my first class since I was awake most of the night, unable to sleep, trying to reach Jensen. But she didn’t respond to any of my calls or texts. No surprise. We’ve played this game before.

  Only this time, she has my freaking car. Not that I really care. I just want to make sure she’s all right. I’m actually thankful there’s something still connecting us beyond the feelings I have for her. Bringing back the BMW is the perfect excuse to see her.

  I’m sure she’ll figure out a way to give me back the car and never see me again. She’s good at that. Avoiding people.

  Real good at it.

  I decide I better respond to Dad before he starts blowing up my phone.

  Want me to call you?

  He replies immediately. I want to talk to you in person at my office.

  Shit. That is the last thing I want to do.

  But I don’t have my car.

  His response is quick. Where the hell is it?

  I choose not to answer that particular question. Maybe we can talk tomorrow?

  No. We need to talk today. I’ll come over right now.

  Panic rises inside me and I sit up, my fingers flying over my phone as I type out my response. I’ll come by your office later.

  I’m sure I can convince Chad to give me a ride. Or any of my friends. Hell, I could call Addie and she could come pick me up in her new Jeep.

  No, I’m leaving the office now. I’ll see you in thirty.

  “Damn it,” I moan as I fall back onto the mattress and close my eyes. I can’t lie around for too long, so I crawl out of bed and walk through the house, double-checking that Chad isn’t around, finding the house blessedly quiet. I glance through the window outside, wondering if my car magically appeared, but it’s not there.

  At least she hasn’t run away, though I don’t know that for sure. For all I know, she could be long gone by now.

  I tell myself that no way did she leave. Not after everything we’ve been through, not without talking to me one last time.

  When I’m finished with my shower and dressed, I head out only to hear my dad already banging on the front door. I hurry to the living room and open the door for him, surprised to see how serious and—sad he looks.

  I expected him to be full on pissed, not sad.

  “Son.” He gives me a firm nod as he enters the house, going straight for the kitchen. I close the door and follow after him, stopping at the counter so I can watch as he opens the fridge and pulls out a beer. He twists the cap off and takes a long drink before setting the bottle on the counter with a loud clink. “I have something to tell you.”

  He has a lot of bad habits, most of them falling under the workaholic or the messing around with too many women categories, but he’s not a day drinker, unless he’s on vacation. And even then, he doesn’t really like to drink too much. Always claims alcohol makes him feel too out of control.

  So something major must be bothering him.

  “If it’s about Uncle Craig, I need to tell you my side of the story first,” I say firmly, not wanting him to feed me a bunch of bullshit before I explain what really happened.

  Dad tilts his head to the side, frowning. “What are you talking about?”

  Dread settles low in my stomach. This has nothing to do with Uncle Craig and what he did to Jensen? “Um, what are you talking about?”

  “Let’s go sit down.”

  We both sit, him at the head of my small dining table and me directly across, facing him. Nerves eat at my insides as I wonder what the hell else is about to be thrown at me.

  I don’t know if I can take any more.

  “What I’m going to tell you is—shocking, to say the least,” Dad starts out, then clears his throat. “I’m still reeling from the news myself. But I figured you were the first person I should talk to, since you deserve the truth.”

  “What is it, Dad?” I sound anxious, and that’s because I am anxious. I don’t like being kept in suspense.

  “I hired a private investigator to look into Jensen.” He holds up a hand when my mouth pops open, ready to protest. “I do this with pretty much every woman you and your brother date, and your sister too. Trent and his family were fully investigated last year. That Veronica person Park sees on occasion, I had her background looked into as well, and that’s how I knew about her three children from three different dads.”

  I clamp my lips shut, silent. Waiting for him to tell me what he found out about Jensen. Some stuff I already know, but there are still questions…

  “Her name really isn’t Jensen. She had it changed from Jennifer about a year ago. Jennifer Fanelli.”

  “I already knew that,” I admit quietly.

  Dad lifts his brows, appearing surprised. “So she told you.”

  “Yeah, she did.”

  “Well, there’s more.” He clears his throat again, rests his clasped hands on top of the table. He looks terribly uncomfortable, so I know this isn’t easy for him. And this definitely isn’t easy for me either. “Jennifer Fanelli’s father died right before she legally changed her name. He was a single father, raising Jennifer from the time she was a baby.”

  “She mentioned her mother ran out on them when she was little,” I explain. “She said she doesn’t even remember her.”

  “Well, I assume she knows who her mother is, and that’s why she came into our lives,” Dad says irritably.

  Now I’m just confused. “What are you talking about?”

  “Rhett.” He levels his gaze on me, his expression serious. Too serious. “Jennifer, I mean Jensen…her mother is Diane. My wife. Your stepmother.”

  I blink, trying to comprehend what my father just told me. Diane is Jensen’s mother? It’s hard to believe, difficult to wrap my head around.

  Yet if I’m being honest with myself, it’s…

  Not.

  Memories swarm me. The things Jensen would say, how evasive she was, how she worried over what she had to tell me and how it could ruin our relationship forever. I don’t know how many times I’d reassure her that my feelings for her wouldn’t change. That she could tell me anything and I’d understand.

  If she originally got with me to get to Diane, did her feelings change as we became closer? These last few weeks together—minus a few mishaps—she’s been so genuine. Sweet. Thoughtful. Into me—totally into me. And I am totally into her.

  Was that all a lie?

  Jensen was very conscious of Diane’s behavior toward her. How nervous she would always get while in Diane’s presence. It truly bothered her, how Diane would ignore her or treat her so terribly. She alwa
ys worried about Diane, and I never understood it.

  It all makes perfect sense.

  “I’m guessing Jensen contacted you in order to get close to her mother. I assume she had ulterior motives, though I’m not exactly sure what she thought she would do once she became close to you and the rest of the family.” Dad peers at me with his hawk-like gaze. “Did you really trust this girl, Rhett? Tell her things you probably shouldn’t have? Have you ever left her alone in your house?”

  “Why do you ask that? Of course I trusted her.” Most of the time. God, I feel like an asshole for thinking that, even after everything Dad just told me. “I’ve left her in my house alone more than once, yeah.”

  “She could’ve searched through your private things, trying to dig up information.” Dad sighs heavily. “I haven’t told Diane any of this yet.”

  “Seriously?” I find that hard to believe.

  Dad nods, his expression solemn. “I wanted you to know first.”

  “But Dad—she’s Diane’s daughter.” Jesus, which means Jensen is my stepsister and that’s just…

  All sorts of fucked up.

  “A daughter she abandoned when the girl was just a baby and never saw again. A daughter she never once mentioned to me in all the years we’ve been married. What sort of mother does that to her child?” He sounds disgusted and secretly, I’m relieved. I was worried he’d be on Diane’s side and believe Jensen was out to get us all.

  Maybe that’s not the case. Maybe this is all a total coincidence…

  Yeah, no. This was planned somehow. But what was Jensen’s motive?

  “Where is Jensen right now?” Dad asks, his question pushing me out of my thoughts.

  “I have no idea where she’s at.”

  “Do you think she’s going to use your car as some sort of leverage to find out information about Diane? Because if that’s the case, she can have the damn car. I’ll get you another one,” Dad says bitterly.

  “Trust me, that’s not her plan.” I can’t imagine her holding my car for ransom or whatever. That’s crazy talk. “She would never do that.”