Page 144 of Failure to Match

“Do you still think Imogen was talking about him?”

No.

Both my palms were resting flat against his chest now, one right over his hammering heart. “Does it matter?”

Jackson’s throat worked as he studied me. The taut anger in his features had slowly started to wane, giving room to... uncertainty, maybe. “Molly said you read through her journals.”

Damn. She’d told him everything then. I chewed the inside of my lip, nodding.

He paused for a beat. “What did you learn?”

When I didn’t respond, he said, “I wasn’t aware she kept diaries and now she won’t tell me where they’re hidden. I have no idea what you know, and I need you to tell me. All of it.”

“I’m not sure if—” I swallowed, hesitating again. It didn’t feel right for me to start listing out all the abuse he’d suffered as a kid.

“It’s the least you could do after sneaking in heretwicewithout my knowledge or permission, don’t you think?” he said bitterly. “The first time I could excuse. I’m fully aware of how cunning the Harrison sisters can be. They look homey and innocent, and they’re clever enough to utilize it to their full advantage. When I say that Molly couldn’t take the guilt, I mean she planned this all out and then pretended like she couldn’t take the guilt. She knew full well I’d never bring you in here, and that you’d never confess to your crime, so she forced our hands.”

Somehow, I was both surprised and not surprised by that. The sisters had to be cunning to get away with years of hiding everything they had from Richard—all of it regarding his only child, no less.

“However,” Jackson went on, “you weren’t tricked into the second trip. You did it willingly, knowing that if I wanted youin here, I wouldn’t have locked the door. So, tell me what you know. I’ve spent a good hour searching for the cursed things with no luck, and she won’t tell me where they are. It doesn’t matter how many times I threaten to fire her.” He paused to look around again, eyes squinting with suspicious displeasure. “She probably snatched them before confessing. Clever little witch,” he grumbled.

He had every right to be angry. He had every right to kick me out and fire the twins. I understood what their intentions may have been, but if Jackson hadn’t wanted me to know about his past, his trauma and abuse, that was well within his right.

“I’m very sorry,” I said. And I meant it. “I shouldn’t have snuck in here the first time, let alone a second.” It wasn’t about being “tricked” into it, either. “You’re right. The door was locked, and I knew that meant you wouldn’t want me in here. I’m really, very sorry, Jackson.”

He was silent for a long moment. “Just tell me what you know. I’m owed that much, am I not?”

“Fine,” I agreed, even though the mere thought of reciting any of it made my stomach lurch. “I know... I know that…” I trailed off, my gaze dipping down to where my fingers had started fiddling with the crisp collar of his shirt.

Where was I even supposed to start?

“I, um... I know that you’re good at art.” Nope. No. That didn’t even comecloseto the truth. I cleared my throat as I fought to contain the emotions swirling through my chest. “Scratch that. I know that you’reincredibleat it, because this—” I gestured to my surroundings. To the furniture and books and every other thing that had a piece of his soul etched into it. “This is quite possibly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, Jackson.”

He was so,sobeautiful. I couldn’t get over it.

I also couldn’t look at him anymore.

“I know that Richard was a monster and that you deserved better than both him and Beatrice. Hatred doesn’t even begin to describe what I feel toward them.”

I was tempted to tell him how glad I was that his father was dead, but that seemed just a tad insensitive.

Mabel had promised me that they’d buried him a few feet deeper than needed, ensuring a smoother, shorter trip down to hell. He fucking deserved it.

“I know how helpless Mabel and Molly felt when Bensen was fired. I understand that, no matter how hard he tried and what evidence he provided, no one would do a damn thing to protect you. Not when they found out who your father was.”

It was so cruel and unfair that it made me want to scream.

Richard had made one phone call—one—and Jackson had been dismissed from the hospital and sent home. Law enforcement and CPS had been instructed by their supervisors to close the case, and that had been that. Bensen had fought for weeks, until Richard had served him the legal papers.

He’d been given two options: continue screaming into the void and go bankrupt, or shut up. I couldn’t blame him for giving up, for choosing to protect his own family, even though Molly had mentioned how much guilt he still held onto.

“I know how sorry I am,” I continued. “I regret so many things I’ve said to you, knowing what I do now. I judged you too quickly and was so insensitive about your situation, and I’m honestly so angry at myself. I don’t care what Minerva’s reasoning is, no one should be forced into a relationship or a marriage they don’t want.No one. And I would’ve seen it earlier if I hadn’t been... I was just so burnt out. I couldn’t see or think straight, and... I can’t blame you for what you did or how you acted. I would’ve rebelled too, if I’d been in your shoes.”

For the first time since I’d started talking, I braved a glance up at him. His jaw was still tight, but his eyes were pure glass.My throat thickened painfully. I cupped his cheek and stroked it soothingly with my thumb. If he cried, I’dlose it.

“It wasn’t all your fault,” he managed quietly. “I didn’t have to be such a dick.”

I continued to caress his cheek, and when he put his hand over mine and turned his head to kiss my palm, my heart cracked in half.

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