Damaged Queen (Darkness Within Duet 2)

She thought about it, all the situations going around in her head. “I couldn’t call anyone. It was a decision I made.”

She’d hated her father back then, but she wasn’t willing to have Alan hurt him. No one was going to die because of her.

“I want to be able to call you.”

“I’m not going to give you my number. I’ll call you when I’m ready.” With that, she hung up and took a deep breath.

Lifting up the box of decorations, she headed out of the shop just as someone else was leaving. From the dreamy look on Stephanie’s face, it had been the man who was currently rocking her world.

“You keep looking like that and you’re going to need one of these soon.” She held up her engagement ring.

Stephanie laughed. “I wouldn’t mind him wanting to get engaged to me. He’s a man that knows what he’s doing.”

“Sounds fun.”

“Yes.”

Harper put the box on the floor and frowned. “You know, you’ve never once told me his name.”

“Oh, that’s easy. His name’s Jett.”

This made Harper’s heart race. “What?”

“Jett. That’s his name. He’s a businessman. His company is expanding, which is why he’s in the city. He’s got to head on home, but he’ll be back in a couple of weeks. He wants to have dinner.”

It couldn’t be her Jett?

The Jett from her past.

He didn’t own the name. It wasn’t like it was copyrighted for only him to use.

“What does he look like?” Harper asked.

“Oh, brown hair, brown eyes. Do not let the suit scare you. He’s got some scars on his face that he said were from some accident.”

“Do you have a picture?” Jett from her past had black hair, a slightly lighter shade then her own.

“No, he doesn’t like to have his picture taken. He told me it reminds him of everything he’s lost.”

It couldn’t be him.

“Oh, well, he sounds like an amazing guy. I’ve got a question though,” Harper asked. “I know it’s kind of crazy, but when I was growing up, I knew a Jett.”

Stephanie gasped. “Do you think he’s one of your friends?”

“No, no, of course not. But, does he carry a knife?” Harper was going crazy.

Her boss laughed. “A knife? No, of course not. He’s such a sweetheart. He doesn’t carry a knife, or a gun. Just a pen to sign his contracts. I’m starting to wonder about you, Harper. I wonder if that ring is messing with your head. I heard of mom brain, but what about fiancée brain?”

Harper forced a laugh. “Yes, you’re totally right. Of course you are.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s just me. I know I’m going crazy. Let’s take a look what we have here.”

She dove into the box, more than happy for a distraction. What could she have done if it had been Jett Henry from her past? It wasn’t like she could have done anything. Not for the first time, she wondered what Alan had said about her disappearance.

Her dad certainly didn’t know. He didn’t have a clue. If Ian wasn’t told the truth, what did that mean about Alan telling Draven and the others?

Nothing.

He wouldn’t have told them anything. For Alan, he needed her out of the picture. She interfered with his plans and was a thorn in his side that got in the way.

Draven would have been made to feel the worst.

Her body tensed up, and it was like a dark cloud fell over her as she thought about what it would mean for her if she ever met Draven again.

Running away, turning her back on them, it was the ultimate betrayal.

Rubbing at her arms, she excused herself to get a sweater. Pulling it over her head, she tried not to think of Draven, what it could mean for her if he ever found out where she was.

For some strange reason, she had a feeling that ten hours’ travel away from Stonewall wasn’t enough.

****

Draven stood in Ian’s home office. It had been a long time since he’d been back at the old man’s place.

Ten years.

Ten years since he’d banged on Ian’s door and demanded to know what he’d done and what he’d said to Harper. Even though his father had told him the truth, he needed to know if it was actually the truth.

Ian didn’t have a clue back then. He’d let him inside his home though, and Draven had stood in Harper’s untouched room.

She’d left them at the mall. Run away.

Standing in Ian’s office, all those feelings came rushing back to him.

Draven ignored them.

They meant nothing to him now. He was a man now, not some boy hoping to have found the girl for himself and his friends.

“It’s good to see you, Draven.”

“Cut the crap. You know why I’m here. You had no time for me all those years ago. Nothing has fucking changed. Just tell me what Hannah was so desperate to talk to me about.” Even though his father was dead, Hannah’s loyalty was still to him. Of course, they still paid her handsomely to do everything they told her to.