A Masterpiece Unraveled (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 2) (7 page)

I miss us, Bec.

Hunter almost said the words out loud, but bit his tongue to keep quiet. This was not the place or time.

The wrought iron door opened. Out stepped Becca's grandfather. His gaze swept over the two of them, lips pressed in a thin line. He stood stiffly, wearing khakis and a dark green shirt. He had a head full of white hair and didn't look much different than the last time Hunter saw him. Still just as intimidating.

"Hello sir," Hunter said, hoping to break the intense silence. It wasn't often people intimidated him, but Becca's grandparents had that effect.

"Evening," the man grunted in response, stepping aside to let them in. No hugs for Becca. No smile. Nothing friendly. Hunter hoped this visit wouldn't last long at all. He couldn't stand the coldness from the elder Langes.

If Becca was nervous, she hid it well. Other than the tight grip on his hand, she acted calm. No wonder she talked about how she didn't want to be weak. She had to be strong for so long. Anything beneath that had to be a foreign concept for her. One thing Hunter learned recently, one could only be strong for so long before the world crumpled around them. He'd done it himself. Now if only he could show Becca it was okay to fall apart before putting herself back together again. He'd be right there the whole way.

Hunter took in his surroundings. He'd never been in this house before. This wasn't the kind of house he'd picture for grandparents. Nothing open and inviting. The colors on the wall were dreary. The light gray color scheme reminded him of a prison cell. He did notice a few photos on the wall of a young boy, which he'd guess was Rusty. But nothing recent before his death. There were also a few of Becca's aunt. Some seemed to be just a few years old. No family pictures with Rusty, Anne, Ellie and Becca. Nothing to show how proud they were of family. The lack of it made him dislike them even more. Maybe, just maybe, he could chalk it up to that's how they dealt with Rusty's death, but somehow he doubted it. They didn't even have pictures up of Becca growing up.

When he'd visited Becca throughout the years, it had always been at her aunt's house. Never here. Looking around now, he knew it was better that way.

"Rebecca, you look terrible." Her grandmother marched into the living room, giving them the same hard-edged glare her grandfather had.

Becca let go of his hand. Hunter waited with baited breath wondering what her response would be.

"I feel better than I look."

A lie, but Hunter wasn't going to say anything. Inside and out, Becca struggled. He had a feeling no matter what she said, her grandparents were going to have negative comments either way.

"I sure hope so. You should have just come back. We could have had you back to normal in no time." The woman's cold eyes gave Hunter a chill as she now glared at him. Was that an accusation at him? The comment about 'back to normal' made his blood boil. These people should be supportive, not judgmental and harsh!

"I didn't come here for this."
Becca moved her hands in furious motions.

"What exactly did you come for? Since your friend is here, I can only assume you haven't come to your senses about you and Vince and your life here." What the hell was the emphasis on friend all about? Yep, they weren't happy at all about his more than friendly relationship with Becca. Too bad.

"There is no Vince and I."
Becca's cheeks were a fiery red now.
"My life here is done. I'm moving on. I'm going home to Virginia with Hunter."

"Need I remind you of the last time Hunter left you behind?" This time her grandfather spoke, now standing next to his wife. "What happens when he does it again? He's certainly not the most stable person, which is why you're in the position you are now."

Becca gasped as Hunter finally had to say something. "Now wait just a minute-" he started before he was interrupted.

"No, you stop! You keep messing with this girl's life and she's no better for it," her grandmother snapped.

Becca kept looking from him back to her grandparents in shock.

"I made one hell of a mistake," Hunter shouted, "but my feelings and my love for Becca have never changed! I've always tried to have her best interest at heart. I don't think I can say the same for either of you. I might be a screw up, but I'm trying to be better." How dare they!

"Look at her! She's frail, not sleeping, banged up, and can't even speak for herself!" Becca's grandmother snapped, anger flashing in her eyes. "You should have just stayed away! She would have forgotten you eventually. We could have dealt with that psychopath on our own!"

The room grew eerily quiet as everyone stared at the older woman.

What did she mean by that?

"Now you've done it," Becca's grandfather said gravely.

"You know something about Carrie?"
Color drained from Becca's face. Hunter reached for her as she stumbled, her entire body trembling.
"Is that who you're referring to?"

The words soaked in Hunter's brain. Did she just admit she knew about Carrie? That meant the crazy woman did have a connection! Holy shit! It still didn't explain why she was on the plane the night it crashed, if she really was. Even with sketchy memories, it was hard to believe another person was there and he didn't remember.

This revelation was something to work with.

"I was protecting my son," she snapped at Becca.

"Francine, don't say another word! We said we would never bring it up!" Becca's grandfather shouted, slamming his fist on the table. "You two get out of here! If you leave Rebecca, don't expect to waltz back in. We've taken you in believing you aren't blood related, but we won't be picking you up and putting you back together when this man shatters you again. We're washing our hands clean."

"Not blood related?"
At least, that's what he thought Becca questioned. He couldn't tell. She was so upset.

As much as he wanted to say something, Hunter kept his mouth shut. No reason to make matters worse for Becca right now, but wow. Just wow. He hadn't expected this one!

"Now look who can't keep his mouth shut!"

If Hunter didn't get Becca out of here now, he feared an all out war. Becca already looked like she was going to freeze up and go into panic mode. The news even stunned Hunter. He knew though that no matter how much begging for the truth either would do, her grandparents weren't going to say any more.

"Becca, we should go," Hunter said softly, holding her close. She kept staring at her grandparents. "We'll find the truth, angel. We have something more to work with." Damn right. He'd do whatever it took to get the answers.

She whirled on him.
"I have to know!"
The pain was in her eyes, which ripped a new hole in his already torn up heart. He hated seeing her in so much emotional pain.

"The only thing you need to know is if you dredge up the past, you can't undo what you've learned."

"How could you say that? How could she have ever brought shame to you? You people make me sick!" Hunter yelled. That startled Becca. She gaped at him as she took a step back. He needed to calm down. He was scaring her, and himself. So much for staying out of it. Damn!

"I never asked for any of this!"
Becca signed in a furious frenzy.
"I didn't ask for my parents and sister to die in a crash and to have to live with you. I don't understand what I've done to make you hate me, but I have no problem walking out of here and never coming back. I'm sorry I'm such a burden for reasons unknown. You don't have to worry about me any more."

Despite how hurt this must have made her, Hunter was damn proud that Becca released some of the anger she'd carried. She whirled on him next, which caught him completely off guard.

"And you! You might have been there for me, but you won't ever realize how bad it hurt when you disappeared. You made a promise to me and broke it. No matter how much I don't want to be angry at you, I am. I should have let it all out the first time I saw you, but I didn't want to lose you again."
She bolted toward the door and yanked it open, turning around one last time. She burst outside and slammed the door.

Hunter's heart sank. God, that hurt. He'd let her down too and it kept coming. He swore under his breath before leveling her grandparents with a cold, hard stare. "I'll stop at nothing to find out the truth. Whatever you're hiding will be uncovered soon. You can make all the threats you want, but Becca deserves the truth. I might have messed up and hurt her deeply, but I'm going to do my best to show her I'm not going anywhere. Because I'm not." With that, he followed Becca's tracks and left the coldness of that house.

*****

Becca ran out of the house she never wanted to see again and barreled into someone head on, nearly knocking them both down.

"Rebecca? What in the world?" Strong, steady hands gripped her. She looked up in Vince's eyes as he held on to her. What was he doing here? She didn't feel like dealing with him now. "You don't look well at all!"

Becca jerked out of his grasp.
"I'm fine!"
Why did she bother signing to him? Vince never did learn it in the years he'd known her. One of the many clues why she knew he never loved her.

Guilt flashed in his eyes. "I have no idea what you just said." He gestured at the house. "Do you want to-"

The door opened again and Hunter stormed out. He stopped cold in his tracks. Why did he take a little longer to come out?

"Oh. It's you." Vince's voice changed from calm to annoyed.

"That's right, it's me. Expect any less? You and Becca's grandparents in cahoots against me some more? It won't work," Hunter snapped, marching on over to them.

"Hunter, let's just go."
Becca didn't want to spend another second more here. Stunned by the slight revelations from her grandparents, she just needed to get away and process. They had always been cold people, but for them to say what they'd just said? It had to mean something. It had to! And at some point soon, she'd probably have to explain to Hunter about what she'd told him inside.
"I'm done here."
Becca was more than ready to walk away and never look back. She couldn't keep putting so much of her heart into pleasing two people that didn't care. At least she knew why now. They didn't think she was blood related. Why should two people care about a girl who wasn't their son's child? But if she wasn't Rusty's child, who was she? Adopted? If that was it, it meant Anne and Rusty wanted her, so why did her grandparents have to be so cold about it?

"Becca, what are you saying?" Vince tried to reach for her. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't," Hunter muttered.

Becca tugged on his hand again, hoping to get out of here now.

"Wait! What's going on?" Vince tried again. "Why are you so upset?"

"You want to know? Ask them!" Hunter pointed at the house. He put his hand on the small of her back as they rushed to the car. They climbed inside and Hunter peeled out, leaving Vince standing in the dust.

Hunter didn't say anything until he pulled into her parking spot at the apartment complex. Becca reached for the car door, ready to push it open, but Hunter grasped her arm. Not even thinking, she flinched and pulled away. Sometimes, the slightest touch from anyone scared her lately. It never stopped. She hated flinching at Hunter's touch because in her heart she knew he wouldn't hurt her, even if she couldn't forget the one night. He never meant to do it and she knew that.

"What was that?" he asked quietly, the hurt in his tone stabbing at her heart repeatedly.

"You startled me."

"Is that all it is?"

She knew exactly what he was asking. He wanted to know if she was afraid of him. He probably knew the answer. Becca didn't want to admit it either way, but she sure as heck didn't want to lie.

She looked away. What little good that did her, because it was a silent freaking admission!

Hunter sighed and jumped out of the car. She watched him pace in circles a couple times before he made his way back and stood before her, holding out his hands. He helped her to her feet and he wrapped his arm around her. "I have so much I want to ask you, but I won't right now. I want to know about those four years we were apart and I want to know why you wouldn't tell me from the start how angry you were. But I think both our minds have been tested to the limit today."

She nodded, her mind swarming with the revelations from the past few hours. What she wanted to do was go in the apartment, fire up the laptop and find out if she wasn't really Rusty Lange's daughter. The not blood related comment echoed in her mind. And what did they know about Carrie?

"I do want to say one thing. Look at me, angel," Hunter pleaded. "I'll spend forever showing you I'm not going to leave you. I'm sorry I pulled away. I'm sorry I'm an idiot and can't get my crap together. I hurt you more than I ever imagined I could hurt anyone, and I hate it." He gently raised her bruised arm. "I see this and it's a painful reminder that I'm a stubborn ass. I'm hiding behind my own fears. When we get home, I'll do what it takes. You have my word." He said it with such sincerity and assurance that Becca knew it to be true. Hunter never meant to hurt her on purpose on any occasion and she knew it. His demons were coming to light and no one, including him, knew how to deal with it. "I don't want you to be afraid of me. It kills me."

She didn't want to be afraid, either. Feeling the way she did now, Becca understood. She had her own demons. She hardly ever let them show to anyone, including the man who knew her best.

"I had no idea what you went through on that first trip without me. I had no idea about Vince being pushed into your life because I didn't make it." There was agony in his voice.

Wait, how did he know that? Her grandparents didn't say that specifically! Then it dawned on her. Rissi. She had to have told him.

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm sure they would have found another reason to push Vince and I to marry."
Becca couldn't believe she'd just let that out. She covered her mouth with her hands, choking back an angry cry. Why couldn't she keep her anger in check?