MISTAKEN - The Complete First Season

by Peak, Renna

  I couldn’t even look at him, my jaw clenching. “Go to hell, Brandon.”

  “I’m already in hell, Jen.”

  I shook my head and dropped my chin on top of my knees. His narcissism was beginning to wear on my last nerve. I wrapped my arms around my legs and tapped my finger against my chin.

  “I’m in hell because I know I hurt you. And I’m sorry.”

  I buried my chin further into my knees, just staring out the window. I couldn’t let him get under my skin. I clenched my hands into fists, then pulled my legs more tightly against my chest.

  “Jen…”

  I interrupted him. “You shouldn’t have come to the cabin. You should have given it more distance.” I kept my gaze firmly on the water.

  “First of all, this is no cabin. It’s a fucking palace. Second, I gave it as much distance as I could. I don’t think you understand what I’m going through here, Jen. Physical pain. I’ve never felt physical pain being apart from someone. You do that to me.”

  “Boo fucking hoo.” I shook my head against my knees, still unwilling to look at him. I clenched my jaw again, willing myself not to unleash on him.

  “I know you’re dealing with some serious stuff right now. I needed to be here for you. I needed to explain…”

  My eyes darted over to him, then back out the window. I shook my head slowly and adjusted my arms more tightly around the bottom of my legs. “How could I have missed that you would be involved?”

  “Oh, seriously, how could I have been involved with your father’s… whatever you want to call it with you? I was a kid myself when that happened. How can you believe I had something to do with it?”

  I tilted my head and rolled it over to meet his gaze. “Not that. Not me. You had something to do with all of this coming out. Don’t deny it. Someone got my DNA from somewhere.” I turned my gaze back to the window.

  “People can get DNA from anything, a tissue, a glass, a fork… Any time you go out to eat, someone can get your DNA. Anytime you…”

  I shook my head and gritted my teeth. “I’m not stupid.” I shook my head again, staring out the window. “You know what? Never mind. Why don’t you go now? You got what you wanted. Now leave.”

  “I did not get what I wanted. I want you to talk to me.”

  I lolled my head over again, looking right into his insanely blue eyes. “I have talked to you. That’s as far as this goes. I’m done now, so you can go. I don’t have anything left to say to you.”

  His mouth dropped slightly before he tightened it, almost grinding his teeth together. “What do you want to know?”

  “Haven’t we had this conversation? Where you tell me you’ll tell me everything you know, but then you end up leaving out a chunk of the story? I’m pretty sure we’ve had this same conversation on several occasions. I’m done. I don’t want any more of your stories.” My head dropped again to my bent knees and I stared out the window.

  “Do you know who my father was?”

  I let out a sigh through my gritted teeth. “No.”

  “Lance Richardson. Does that ring any bells for you?”

  I shook my head against my legs, biting at my upper lip. “No.”

  He let out a long sigh. “He was an attorney. He was working on a special investigation when he died.”

  “I’m sorry.” I really didn’t see where this was going. I was sure his childhood sucked, but this didn’t seem like the time to be discussing it with me. I took another deep breath, blowing it out and promising myself silently not to fall for any more of his stories.

  “I’m not asking for your sympathy. I’m trying to explain this to you.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “He was working on a special investigation into corruption among a group of senators and congressman when he died.”

  I continued to stare silently out the window. I wasn’t sure what he wanted me to do with this information if it wasn’t for sympathy.

  “I grew up with tales of the Edwards family and the Hennessey family being corrupt. Being evil.” He let out a long sigh. “That includes your father, Jen.”

  I rolled my eyes and turned my head to glance over at him. He stared into my eyes with a longing I had never seen from him. There was pain behind them, suffering and exquisite pain. I softened, but only slightly. “What do you want me to do with this information?”

  He licked his lips and shook his head. “Nothing. I just want you to listen.”

  I turned my head back to the window, nodding. I kept my chin on the top of my knees.

  “My parents were gone a lot. Krystal took care of me when I was little.”

  I nodded again, gazing out at the ocean in the distance.

  “They came home one weekend and said they were taking us out on the boat. Krystal had to go somewhere, so she couldn’t come with us. Which turned out to be good for her, I guess.”

  I turned to glance at him again and saw that his gaze had also turned to the window. I watched him work his jaw for several moments before he turned his gaze to mine.

  “I don’t remember much about that day. I just remember waking up floating in the water with one of those huge, orange life jackets around my neck. Only I hadn’t been wearing one before the accident. I’m sure I wasn’t.” He shook his head and turned back to the window. “My parents were gone. I was alone in the ocean with an orange life vest around my neck that didn’t fit.” His voice had a tremor to it that hadn’t been there before. “It was terrifying.”

  The fear of the water. There it was. I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them to glance over at him. “Thank you for telling me.”

  He turned back to meet my gaze. “I’ve never shared that with anyone, not even my grandmother. They found me unconscious. I don’t have a lot of memories of that day, just the one where I woke up alone in the water.”

  I nodded, pressing my lips together. I wished I could hold him. I wished that I could walk over to him and put my arms around him and just take his pain away. If only it were that easy.

  “They never found my parents. The boat was completely destroyed and they said they were ‘presumed dead.’ They never even looked for them. Just presumed them dead.”

  There was something so vulnerable in him, it made my heart skip a beat. I dropped my feet to the floor and turned my body in my chair to face him. I longed again to just hold him.

  He took a long, deep breath. “My grandmother was convinced that the Hennesseys and the Edwards family were behind the accident. I grew up believing her. It became my mission in life to take them down. Everything I’ve done, I’ve looked for how it might get me a step closer to breaking them.”

  My mouth twitched. “And that’s why you’re here?”

  His brow furrowed and he looked into my eyes. “No.” He shook his head. “No, that’s not why I’m here.”

  “But that’s why you got involved with me when you found out who I was? You thought I could get you closer to your cause? To take down the Hennesseys?” I shook my head. “You know, Brandon, I don’t have any more connection with the Hennesseys than any other person on the street. I’ve been to the compound twice in my life. They wouldn’t know me if I came up and bit them.”

  His eyes narrowed and he shook his head. “They know you, Jen.”

  I shook my head. “They wouldn’t even let me get married there. There was never an invitation extended…” My mouth dropped open. Things were finally beginning to make sense. “Oh.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  “Daniel found out, didn’t he? Is that what this is about? This thing with my father? Daniel was so pissed off that we weren’t getting married in Maine. He went on and on about it…”

  “We don’t have to talk about this.” His brow furrowed again and he turned back to the window.

  “That’s it, though, isn’t it? He found out somehow that I wasn’t a Hennessey. And that’s why we weren’t invited to hold our wedding on the fucking grand estate in Maine, which was so not a big deal to me.” I
let out a short, loud sigh. “You two dipshits realize that this isn’t going to even make a chink in the Hennessey family armor, right? This is an embarrassment to my father and nothing more. It’s not even going to bring him down. He’s slithered out of worse…”

  “Jen, what’s going on with you and your father right now has nothing to do with me. You’re not far off the mark, otherwise.”

  “Right. Of course. And then when you realized you had fucked Patrick Davis’ daughter, then you were really on to something.”

  He shook his head, staring out the window. His jaw set and he pressed his lips together. I saw his nostrils flare a little and his face reddened. “The Jenna Davis I knew about had dyed blonde hair and was more comfortable at parties and having her nails done than she was in yoga or watercolor class. The Jenna Davis I knew about was a prissy little bitch that lived on her trust fund and wouldn’t be caught dead sharing a tiny one bedroom apartment with her college roommate. The Jenna Davis I knew about wouldn’t have volunteered her time to play piano for dying people and she sure as hell wouldn’t have been on the beach building sand castles with little kids.” He raked his hand across the stubble on his jaw, shaking his head. “How many times do I have to say this, Jen? You are not Jenna Davis.”

  My face burned crimson and my voice deepened. “But that’s where you’re wrong, Brandon. I am Jenna Davis. I’m just not a Hennessey. And that’s the difference.”

  He rolled his eyes heavenward. “You really see yourself as the tabloids present you? Because I don’t see you as that person at all.”

  I shrugged, looking out over the patio to the clouds that were beginning to form over the sea. My body tensed and I felt the corner of my eye begin to twitch. “I don’t know how the tabloids make me look. I don’t pay attention to them. I never have. It isn’t who my parents raised me to be.” I pretended to pick lint from my shorts. “You didn’t deny it, though.”

  “Didn’t deny what?”

  “That you’d found the holy fucking grail when you realized who I was.”

  He worked his jaw back and forth, staring out the window. “I won’t deny it. The thing with Daniel didn’t go how I’d planned.” He shook his head. “He just wanted you. He couldn’t see the bigger picture, what else could have been accomplished.” His eyes swept across the window and back over to me. “He didn’t know how to use the information he had to its fullest advantage.”

  Goosebumps formed over my arms, and not in the way they did when the sight of him aroused me. A cold bead of sweat dripped down my back. My voice was barely above a whisper. “And what would that have been?”

  His eyes went back out the window. “This thing is just the tip of the iceberg.” He turned back to face me. “And you had to go and complicate it.”

  I lifted my eyebrows, my eyes widening in response. “This is my fault? What did I do, other than be born to some woman my father was having an affair with?”

  He shook his head. “No, not that. You complicated everything when you made me fall in love with you.”

  8

  I rolled my eyes back toward the window, my jaw tightening. “Whatever, Brandon. You have a really weird way of showing that.”

  We sat in silence for a long moment.

  He finally spoke. “Jen, it wasn’t what you think. The thing with Robin.”

  I pulled my knees to my chest again. “I don’t care.”

  “You care. I know how I would feel if I saw you with another guy. You care. I know you do.”

  I shook my head behind my knees, staring silently out the window. I hated that he was right. I hated that I cared.

  “You’re pissed. You should be.”

  I licked at my lips. “Whatever.”

  “I’m an asshole. A douche bag.”

  I felt my cheeks begin to burn again. I stared straight ahead out the window, refusing to meet his gaze. “Yep.”

  “Get pissed off at me, Jen. I deserve it.”

  I let out a puff of air. “I am pissed off at you.”

  “No you aren’t. You sit there with that blank look on your face. That perfect ‘I don’t give a shit’ smile. Get mad at me. I deserve it.”

  I glanced over at him. He had his elbows on his knees, leaning toward me. I looked back out the window without a word.

  “You think I cheated on you. Be pissed at me. Tell me how mad it makes you.”

  I gave my head another slight shake. “We never talked about it. About being exclusive. You didn’t cheat.” I pressed my lips together. “I don’t care.”

  “Bullshit. You care. You want to punch me. You want to kick me, slap me. I deserve it. Come take a shot at me, Jen.”

  I sucked my lower lip into my mouth and shook my head again, staring out at the water. “You’re wrong. I’m over it. I’m fine.” I took in a long breath and looked over at him. “It is time for you to go now, though. I don’t have anything left to say to you.”

  “You have plenty to say. You’re just burying it.”

  I nodded, not really agreeing with him. “Yeah. What I have to say now is that it’s time for you to leave my house.”

  “No. Not until you get angry. Not until you tell me how much you hate me for kissing another woman.”

  I closed my eyes and gave my head another shake before opening them and turning to meet his gaze. “I don’t hate you. I hate myself. Now please. Please, just go.”

  He leaned back into his chair, his hand rubbing at the stubble on his chin, staring at me with those ocean blue eyes.

  My upper lip twitched as I watched him, almost daring him.

  He stood up in front of the chair. He rubbed his chin again. He almost looked amused. “Take a shot at me.”

  I let out a shaky breath. “No. I just want you to go. Do I need to get Cade?”

  He shook his head, pursing his lips. “No. Come punch me. Slap me. Whatever you want. Get it out.”

  “I don’t have anything to get out.” I stood up and walked toward the desk on the opposite end of the room. I took the laptop from the cupboard and walked back to the bar separating the kitchen from the living area. I plugged the computer in under the counter and opened it to turn it on.

  “What are you doing, Jen? You don’t need to look at any of that stuff…”

  I turned to face him. “My dad’s interview should be on in a few minutes. It’s almost four.”

  He cocked his head slightly to the side. “The news shows don’t start until seven, Jen.”

  “Seven eastern.” I opened the browser on the computer and typed in the URL for the network.

  Brandon dropped back into the cushioned seat in the living room. I took a seat at the bar and went to the page where the interview would be broadcast online. I pushed the computer back a little and put my elbows on the counter, resting my chin in my hands while I waited.

  Cade came out of wherever he had been hiding and opened the refrigerator. He looked over and gave me one of his crooked grins. “How’s it going, kiddo?”

  “Fine.” I motioned with my head, tilting it toward the living room behind me. “Thanks for letting him in.”

  He lifted his shoulders into a shrug and dug around the fridge, finally pulling out a can of soda. He walked to the other side of the bar across from me and opened the can. “What I wouldn’t give for some cookies right now.”

  “Cora said you were eating them faster than she could bake them. Where did she go, anyway?”

  “Store, I think.” He lifted the can to his lips and took a drink. He set the can down in front of him and leaned in closer to me, lowering his voice. “Kiddo, listen. I know you probably haven’t heard this from many people, but Richardson is one of the good guys.”

  I lifted a single eyebrow, frowning. My own voice lowered so that I wouldn’t be overheard. “You’re the first person who has said that to me, Cade. Everyone hates him.”

  He lifted a shoulder in another shrug and took another drink of his soda. “Look, kiddo. If the shit comes down, I’d want him on my side e
very time. That’s all I’m saying.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t even know what that means.”

  He lifted an eyebrow, mirroring my expression. “It means that if I had to choose who to have on my side when the war starts, I’d choose him.” He took another sip from his can before continuing. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys when you’ve been in the middle of the bad guy’s camp for so long. That’s all I’m saying.”

  I glanced back at Brandon, still sitting in the same chair on the other side of the house. I looked back at Cade. “You’re sure?”

  His head barely bobbed in response. “I’ve been at this a long time. They pay me and I do my job. He’s one of the good ones. I don’t say that about many people, either.”

  I looked back at Cade. “What do you say about me?”

  He twisted his lips and shrugged his shoulders again. “You’re confused. If you had all the facts, you wouldn’t be. You…” He lifted a finger and pointed at me. “You’re not a sheep. You’ll choose the right side.”

  “The right side of what?”

  He winked and lifted his can to his lips before turning to go back to the den.

  I closed the laptop and went back to where Brandon was sitting. I sat down on the couch, the seat closest to where he was sitting.

  He turned to face me, lifting an eyebrow. He rubbed at his chin again, tilting his head slightly.

  My body tensed. “Tell me.”

  “Tell you what?”

  I tried to still the quivering in my chin. “Tell me about Robin. What’s your excuse for that one?”

  His lips pulled up into a small smile. His eyebrow lifted higher. “You don’t think you’ll get angry if you hear?”

  I set my jaw, clenching my teeth together. “I’m willing to risk it. Just spill it.”

  His grin widened. “I’m sorry, Jen.”

  I glared over at him, my face reddening. “I know. I heard you before. Just tell me. I can handle it.” I wasn’t sure that I really could, but it sounded plausible.

  He made a sound through his nose, the smile never leaving his face. He looked into my eyes. “I did some work for her.”