Created By

jennaferz

Rate this Story

Embed

Conner

Oh, my God.

"Jack's brother?" he repeated slowly. "What do you mean, you're Jack's brother? I didn't know Jack had a brother."

"Did you know Jack?" he retorted nastily. "He never mentioned you. He went on and on about Lisha. He told me how beautiful she was, and how incredible she was, and how he wanted to marry her. He told me all about her until I felt like I loved her too. And then, earlier, when I saw her, I knew that I do. I don't know how, but when I saw her, I felt... whole. Like she was the missing part of me."

"You don't even know Lish," Conner snapped heatedly. "You've never met her before today."

"But I love her," he insisted. "Through Jack, I love her."

Conner tried to calm himself, taking deep breaths. This guy was insane; he truly was. Relax, he told himself. He won't hurt you or Lish. You can't let him. "What's your name?" he asked finally.

"Jameson," he said. "I was only going to stay for a week. I have a wife and a beautiful little girl--"

"You're married?" He stared at him in shock. "What is wrong with you?"

He shook his head, his thinning black hair shaking slightly with it. "I don't know, I honestly don't," he whispered. "I don't want to hurt Hailey. I really don't. But sometimes..." He was speaking so low that Conner had to strain to hear him. "Sometimes I hit her," he whispered.

"Did you hit Lish?" Conner asked in an equally low voice.

Jameson flinched. "I didn't mean to. I just...she was being nosy."

Conner squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to restrain himself from hitting him again. He's insane, he told himself again, He can't help what he's doing-- "And so you hit her," he repeated, his voice shaking slightly with anger.

"I didn't mean to," Jameson said again. "I really didn't. I love Lisha."

"Stop saying that," Conner said through gritted teeth. "You don't love her. You don't know her."

Suddenly, swiftly, Jameson leaped to his feet. He began to back away. "I'm going now," he said softly. "I don't want you to follow me. You won't see me again."

"Wait--" Conner said, but Jameson was already gone.

Lish

She stared as Jack ran by, not sparing her a single glance, and then turned her attention to Conner as he slowly slid into the car next to her, not looking at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked anxiously. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure..." Conner said slowly. "I'm not sure if I should tell you."

She stared at him. "Of course you're going to tell me, Conner. I have a right to know."

He turned to her, and his gaze was so penetrating that she felt herself shrink beneath it. "Please," she added meekly.

A wisp of a smile crossed his face, and he shook his head and reached over, clasping her hand in his. "It wasn't Jack," he told her quietly.

She felt her heart skip a beat. It wasn't Jack. Jack was dead. "Who was it?" she whispered, hardly daring to breathe.

"It was Jack's brother," he sighed, squeezing her hand, and she inhaled sharply. "Jameson. He...he believed that he was in love with you."

"He struck me," she said quietly, gesturing to her swollen cheek.

"I know," Conner answered gently, leaning over and tenderly kissing the bruise. "But it's over now, sweetheart."

"Sweetheart," she echoed softly. No one had ever called her that before. No one had ever acted this way towards her before. She could feel herself sinking into a pool of golden happiness. "I love you, Conner."

Sweetly, softly, he brushed his lips against hers. "I love you too."