The Truest Thing (Hart's Boardwalk 4)

Jack sighed. “Maybe Bailey should know what her sister is capable of so she knows not to trust her.”

“Jesus fuck,” Coop repeated as he paced the living room. “And Rebecca? She’s been charged?”

“They lied to me, Coop.” Jack crossed his arms over his chest. “Rebecca was …” Saying it still made him sick with guilt. “The guy was raping her. There was no trying. He did. Ian found out later he was wanted for multiple rapes in different states.”

Cooper looked as devastated as Jack felt. “Oh, hell. Little Becs.”

Jack swallowed down the emotion threatening to explode out of him. He looked at the floor, taking a minute.

“What happened, Jack?”

“Stu heard her crying out for help in the pool house. He saw the guy raping her and hit him in the head with a dumbbell. Repeatedly.” Jack looked up and found Cooper’s expression surprised again. “He was just trying to protect her.”

Coop nodded, dazed.

“Rebecca came home a few days ago and went to the sheriff. Confessed. They found the body and the weapon. It’s got Stu’s prints all over it. They charged Becs with aiding and abetting. She’s out on bail.”

“I can’t believe this.” Cooper shook his head. “I mean, I knew it had to be something, but murder … fuck.”

“I want you to forgive me.” The words blurted out of Jack before he could stop himself.

Cooper’s eyes narrowed.

“I don’t expect it. I’m not asking you for it. But I want it.”

His friend looked at him. Really looked at him. There was no hardness or anger. But there was a shitload of weariness in Cooper’s eyes. “Before Dana, I considered you the truest man I had ever known.”

Jack flinched.

“I’m glad you told me, Jack. However, that doesn’t mean I understand your reasoning. We were brothers. I would’ve done anything for you. And maybe if you’d told me what was going on, I could have helped you figure it out. You devastated my life. You think I cared in the end that she cheated on me? No. I cared that she cheated on me with you. That you betrayed me. And now I find out it was all to push me away, protect me? I don’t know if I get that. I don’t know if I ever will.”

Jack’s hope deflated.

He hadn’t realized how much he needed that forgiveness from Coop.

Neither he nor Emery trusted him.

Jack knew he deserved the consequences of his actions. Didn’t make it any harder to swallow.

“I should let you get back to Jessica.” Jack started for the front door.

“Jack.”

He glanced over his shoulder at Cooper. His friend exhaled slowly. “If you had come to me before I met my wife, I would’ve kicked you out on your ass no matter what the truth was.”

Jack waited as Cooper rubbed a hand through his hair.

“But I guess … I guess I don’t know if I wouldn’t have done the same thing—the pushing you away to protect you part, I mean. The sleeping with my wife part was just plain fucked up.”

“I wasn’t … It’s not an excuse … I just … I wasn’t in my right mind, Coop. I was in a messed-up place.”

“Yeah, I can imagine.” He took a step toward Jack. “Lucky for you, I’ve come to find a twisted sort of gratitude over the past few years for your actions. Because if you hadn’t done it, I might have been with Dana when Jess moved to town.”

That hope rose in Jack.

“I don’t know if it’ll ever be the same between us … but I forgive you, Jack.”

Tears he tried desperately to fight back brightened his eyes.