The Truest Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 4)

“Kerr is just as bad as Ian. I couldn’t care less if he goes down with our father. As for Mom and Jamie, we can protect them.”

“And you?” He was heartsore from all that Rebecca had endured. “Who protects you?”

“I made a mistake,” she whispered. “Over four years ago, I made a terrible mistake and trusted the wrong person. It happened, Jack, and I’ve tried to get over it and move on, but I couldn’t live with the lie. Now, for the first time, I feel hope. I feel hope that I can finally let go of the past.”

Jack unclipped his seat belt and did the same to Rebecca’s so he could pull her into his arms. “I’m so sorry.” His voice was hoarse as he tucked her head against his shoulder. Her fingers curled tightly into his suit jacket, pulling on the material as she shook. “I’m so sorry I didn’t protect you.”

“You thought you were.” She pulled him closer. “Jack, you thought you were protecting me. But it’s over. He can’t hold this over us anymore. You can get your life back. You can tell Cooper everything.”

Jack squeezed his eyes closed at the thought of his best friend.

Even if he told Cooper the truth, Jack doubted he’d ever forgive him for what had happened with Dana.

“You might finally settle down,” Rebecca teased, pulling back to give him a sad smile. “Instead of breaking the hearts of all the eligible Hartwell females.”

Jack was about to roll his eyes when her words sunk in.

If they could do what Rebecca thought they could—if they could take Ian down for good, Jack could have the one thing he’d wanted since he was twenty-eight years old.

It wouldn’t be easy.

He’d burned that bridge a few times, and this morning was only proof of it.

But his sister’s words played over in his head. Now, for the first time, I feel hope.

Hope.

Was that what was making his heart race and his fingers tremble?

The possibilities lifted something from his shoulders that had been weighing him down for years.

His hands still shook as he cupped his sister’s face. “Thank you. Do you know how brave you are, Becs? Do you know how goddamn proud of you I am?”

Even though tears still shone in her eyes, she nodded. “That means a lot, Jack.”

“I’m going to suggest something, and you will not bite my head off.”

“Okay …”

“I want you to talk someone.”

“A therapist?”

He nodded as he brushed his thumb across her temple. “A lot of horrible things running around in this head, sweetheart. It needs to come out.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“That’s all I can ask. Second thing: you’re staying with me. I have a tenant in the house in North Hartwell, but I thought I could give them notice and we’ll move in there and move Mom into my place in South. Jamie, too, while college is out for the summer.”

“Do you think they’ll go for that?”

Jack knew his mom was intimidated by her husband. But he also knew she put up with most of his shit for the sake of her children. Stu’s death had broken Rosalie. Knowing her husband was inadvertently responsible for her eldest son’s murder … Rosalie had grown implacably cold with Ian, and none of his blustering made a difference.

And he knew to never lift a hand to her again. Last time he’d hit Rosalie had been when Jack was twenty-two, and he’d knocked his father on his ass. Now that he thought about it, only Kerr had stood at his father’s defense that night. Stu had sat back and watched the whole thing.

Jack had thought it was because he didn’t care.

But maybe he’d enjoyed watching Jack take their father down.