Hyde (Dark Musicals Trilogy)

by Laura DeLuca

  “Headache?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “I’m all right. It’s not that bad.”

  Rebecca raised an eyebrow. “Liar.”

  He sighed and pressed his fingers against his eyes. “Okay, you’re right. It feels like my head is about to explode. It helps a lot when you rub my neck though. Sometimes I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  Rebecca almost argued that he wouldn’t have any problems with headaches at all if it wasn’t for her. Back in high school, Rebecca’s friend Debbie had lost her mind and gone on a murderous rampage, killing several people. She had tried to kill Justyn too. He had survived the gunshot wound to the shoulder, but the old injury was still painful. The nerve damage often caused headaches, which were aggravated by stress, and Justyn had been very stressed out lately about their money issues. The conflict with Steve was only making matters worse. Rebecca had a feeling her fiancé was hurting a lot more than he was letting on. Of course, Justyn didn’t want to whine too much around Tom. He knew he would get teased mercilessly.

  “Did you hurt your shoulder when you … ummm … fell?” Rebecca asked cautiously.

  “You mean when that jackass tripped me?” Justyn sneered. “It’s actually been bothering me a lot lately since I’ve been carrying trays around twelve hours a day. But Steve’s little sabotage certainly didn’t help.”

  “Why don’t I come spend the night at your place tonight?” Rebecca suggested. “So I can give that shoulder the attention it deserves.”

  Justyn smiled. “I have missed having you beside me at night. It’s the one downside to summer vacation.”

  “I know, but this is the last summer break before we move to New York permanently. I think my dad would’ve been devastated if I didn’t spend it at home.”

  Justyn sighed. “I think your dad is already devastated because you’re marrying a juvenile delinquent.”

  Rebecca rolled her eyes, even though she knew it wasn’t far from the truth. “He doesn’t hate you nearly as much as he used to,” she teased.

  “Humph.” Justyn snorted. “Lucky me.”

  “Let’s not worry about my dad right now,” Rebecca told him. “Let me concentrate on worrying about you.”

  Rebecca pulled him closer so she could massage his sore shoulder. She slipped the rubber band from his hair and ran her fingers through it before moving down again to his neck. His muscles were so stiff and tight, even working at the kinks the whole ride home didn’t seem to loosen him up much. He looked exhausted after they left Tom and Carmen on their doorsteps and he finally had to take back the wheel. He dropped Rebecca at her house next so she could change and grab some fresh clothes for the morning. She decided to take her own car and meet him back at his place since they had to head in different directions early in the morning. Luckily, her parents were asleep. She was relieved to escape without any confrontations with her father. She left a note on the fridge letting them know where she would be so they wouldn’t be worried. A few minutes later Rebecca pulled her sedan into Justyn’s driveway.

  Before she turned off the engine, Justyn’s mother was already holding open the back door. Darlene was almost shockingly beautiful in her lacy black nightgown. She had recently turned forty, yet there wasn’t a hint of gray in her raven-black tresses or so much as a single laugh line around her dark, piercing eyes. Her long curls were currently pulled back in a thick French braid. She flipped her hair over her shoulder as she gestured Rebecca inside, gave her a quick hug, and then went back to the herbal tea she was steeping in a diffuser on the counter.

  “Where’s Justyn?” Rebecca asked.

  “My grumpy son slunk up to his bedroom a few minutes ago after telling me I needed to stop treating him like a child.” Darlene put her hands on her hips and huffed. She was trying to sound annoyed, but it was easy to hear the underlying concern and the not-so-subtle hint for information in her words. “I only asked if he was feeling all right. He seemed a little out of sorts. Of course, that appears to be a permanent condition for him this summer.”

  “Don’t take it personally,” Rebecca assured her. “His shoulder is bothering him, but I think it was one of our co-workers who really ruined his mood tonight.”

  “Perhaps this Steve needs a little lesson in karma.” Darlene’s eyes flashed for a minute after Rebecca filled her in on the incident. Then she shook her head. “But, no. It’s not my place to get involved. I’m sure Justyn can resolve the issue without my interference. In the meantime, I made him some willow bark tea. Perhaps you can imply it was your idea, so he doesn’t think I’m trying to coddle him.”

  Rebecca nodded. “Sure thing.”

  “Thank you for humoring me.” Darlene gave her a small smile and then studied Rebecca for a minute. “And what about you, Becca darling? Is everything all right? You seem … I don’t know … different somehow.”

  Rebecca shrugged. “I’m good except for the occasional bout of stage fright.”

  “Okay then.” Darlene handed her the warm mug but didn’t seem entirely convinced. “I won’t hold you up any longer. I’m sure you must be tired.”

  Darlene winked at her, as though to imply she knew sleeping was the last thing on her mind. Rebecca blushed, and headed up to Justyn’s bedroom. She let herself in after tapping to announce her arrival and found Justyn lying on the bed in nothing but a pair of black sweatpants he had cut down to shorts for the summer. His bare chest, though not the perfectly cut six-pack Steve was always flaunting, still boasted some impressive muscles. The sight of him left Rebecca breathless with need every time, no matter how many years passed.

  Justyn patted the bed, and she clicked the door shut behind her. The mug she set down on his nightstand was instantly forgotten as soon as she snuggled up beside him. She couldn’t resist the urge to trace the sexy tribal tattoo on his right arm. Instead of the familiar scent of patchouli and sandalwood she was used to, she caught a whiff of lavender, which she knew was good for easing headaches. It made her worry about him all over again. With the utmost gentleness, she kissed the scar on his left shoulder, wishing the simple gesture could take all his discomfort away. The action made him shiver with pleasure, and he pulled her closer and pressed his lips against hers.

  “Are you feeling any better?” she asked once they parted.

  “Of course. You’re here now.”

  Rebecca narrowed her eyes, unconvinced. “Darlene said you snapped at her. That’s not like you.”

  Justyn rolled his eyes. “Sometimes Darlene still treats me like I’m five,” he said, sounding annoyed. Then he sighed. “But I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. I don’t like making her worry all the time. I promise I’ll apologize in the morning.”

  Rebecca nodded in approval. “I think she’ll appreciate that. Oh, and she … I mean we thought you might want some of her magic tea. Though sometimes I wish you’d pop a few aspirin like a normal person.” She brushed his hair out of his eyes. “I hate to see you hurting like this.”

  Justyn crinkled his nose in distaste. “That poison doesn’t fix anything. It only covers up the symptoms. Besides, there are much more homeopathic remedies for headaches.”

  “Like willow bark?”

  “Actually, I was thinking of something a little more hands on.” He rolled onto his stomach and gave her a conspiratorial grin. “I was reading this article the other day. Some scientists believe making love increases your serotonin levels, which can help alleviate the pressure that causes headaches. It’s kind of like an all-natural pain reliever.”

  “Why, Lord Justyn, are you trying to con me into having pity sex with you?”

  “Oh, so now I have to con you?” he teased. “And here I thought it would be mutually beneficial.”

  Rebecca giggled. “I suppose it would be a pity not to take advantage of it any time we can get alone together. I feel like all I’ve done since we got home is work.”

  “You know what they say about all work and no play…”

  Justyn inched a little
closer and nibbled gently on her ear, sending shivers up and down her spine. All the while his hands explored her curves, coming to rest just outside her upper thigh. She felt her breath start to come faster, and a throbbing built deep within. After so many years, he knew exactly how to make her blood burn. She felt herself shudder with the sudden demanding force of her need.

  “I have to agree,” Rebecca whispered, breathless. “So by all means, let’s put your new theory to the test.”

  Justyn pressed Rebecca back against the pillows, and she instantly knew his desire matched her own burning urges. He covered her mouth with his own, and their tongues curled in a passionate dance even as her hips arched against him. Before long, they both found the release they sought in the heat of each other’s arms, and for least a few hours, all anxiety was eclipsed by ecstasy.

  Chapter Six

  The bright sun snuck in through the blinds when Rebecca finally opened her sleep-encrusted eyes. She instinctively turned to reach for Justyn, but her hand found only rumpled blankets and pillows. With a loud yawn, she stretched and pulled herself up in the bed. She had to blink a few times to shake away the lingering grogginess. When her vision cleared, she noticed Justyn was bent over his computer, already showered and dressed for work. The black dress pants and plain black shirt he wore, though uniform for the country club where he worked as a server, wasn’t much different from his everyday ensemble. All that was missing were the silver chains and the occasional fishnet. To meet the dress code requirements, he even had to forego his piercings and black nail polish during working hours. Between the professional attire, his longish hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, and his eyes glued to the monitor, Justyn resembled the serious Dr. Jekyll more than ever. He was so intent on whatever he was doing he didn’t even notice Rebecca was awake until she slid out of bed, tiptoed behind him, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “Hey, sexy.” She started to peek over his shoulder at his laptop. “Whatcha doing?”

  “Nothing interesting,” he told her with a shrug.

  Justyn lowered the computer screen, but not before she noticed he was in the middle of writing an email to someone. It made her curious, but Rebecca didn’t want to be one of those annoying, nagging girlfriends who had to know what her man was doing every single second. So she let it go. Really, she didn’t have time to worry about it. When she glanced at the clock, she saw it was already eight, which meant she had only an hour to get dressed before she had to be at work. She gave Justyn a quick kiss on the cheek and left him to his computer so she could shower and change. A half hour later, she was pulling her hair back in a braid and getting ready to run out the door. Justyn was only a step behind her. They both waved to Darlene and her hippie husband Matt as they headed out.

  “What about breakfast?” Darlene called. “I made you veggie omelets.”

  “No time,” Justyn and Rebecca replied in almost perfect unison.

  “Sorry, Darlene,” Justyn added. “We appreciate it, but we’re going to be late for work if we don’t get out of here right now.”

  “Well, all right then.” Darlene sighed. “But I really think you kids are working too hard.”

  “Yeah, man, you’re young!” Matt gave them a good-natured wink. “You should be skinny dipping and making love in the waves. You’ll have plenty of time for working after you’re done with school.”

  A few years ago, that sort of comment would have made Rebecca blush scarlet, but she had gotten used to Matt’s free love policy. In fact, she found it somewhat endearing. Rebecca smiled at Justyn’s stepfather as she watched Darlene drop a second omelet on his plate.

  “Well, Matt, I sure hope you’re hungry. I made enough eggs for four.”

  He brushed his long dreadlocks to the side and rubbed his hands together expectantly. “Honey, you know I’m a bottomless pit. Load up the plate.”

  Matt smacked his wife on the rump as she walked past, and Darlene giggled and squeezed his shoulder. That was the last thing Rebecca saw as she scampered out the door. She barely had time to give Justyn a goodbye kiss before they jumped into their perspective vehicles and drove away. Not that it mattered much. Justyn hardly acknowledged her at all the whole morning. He kept checking his cell phone—she presumed—for the time. She understood he was anxious about cutting it close for work, but it still made her feel abnormally emotional.

  A few minutes later, Rebecca was so frazzled, she forgot all about Justyn. She was dealing with a full house and a restaurant that was severely short staffed. Although she was making great tips, she didn’t get even one second to catch her breath. She hustled around the floor, dropping off orders and refilling coffee mugs as quickly as her feet would carry her. She didn’t have time to get anything to eat, but she downed a glass of orange juice in between tables for an energy boost. She was completely exhausted. Way more than she should have been after getting a full six hours of sleep. That was more rest than she got most nights in college. She was going to pump herself full of caffeine, but for some reason, when she poured a cup of coffee, the smell of it made her feel sick to her stomach. She settled for the orange juice, but the acidy drink wasn’t settling quite right either.

  “You look like crap,” Carmen observed toward the end of their shift when things were slowing down. “Those aren’t bags under your eyes. That’s a full set of luggage.”

  Rebecca grunted as she approached the pick-up station. “Thanks Carmen. That confidence boost was just what I needed to brighten my day.”

  Carmen shrugged. “I’m only being honest.”

  “Well, next time, feel free to … to…”

  Rebecca stopped in mid-sentence with a plate of sunny side up eggs and bacon in her hand. The smell of the greasy, undercooked bacon wafted to her nostrils, and it might as well have been rancid meat. The tater tots beside the eggs pierced their fragile coating and gooey, yellow yolk ran down the sides of the plate. The meal wasn’t very appealing, and Rebecca’s stomach did a convulsive flip.

  “Oh God,” she exclaimed.

  Rebecca dropped the plate back down under the heat lamp, covered her mouth, and darted through the dining room. In her haste, she almost ran over an elderly woman stepping out of the bathroom, but she didn’t stop to apologize. As it was, she barely fell on her knees in front of the porcelain bowl before the orange juice decided to make a surprise reappearance. She hadn’t eaten anything else all day, but she continued to dry heave for several minutes even after her stomach was empty. When the retching was finally over, her belly was still sore, and she felt a little woozy. She sat on the floor of the stall with her head between her legs for at least five minutes. She probably would have stayed there permanently if Carmen hadn’t come in to check on her.

  “Becca?” she tapped on the stall door, “you okay in there?”

  “Ye-yes.” Rebecca’s voice was so raw she had to clear her throat before she could continue. “I’m okay, Carmen.”

  “Well, are you going to come out of there sometime this week or are you too busy admiring the linoleum?”

  “I’m coming. I’m coming.”

  Rebecca forced herself to drag her exhausted body to its feet. Her legs still felt a little shaky, but at least the awful nausea had passed. With trembling hands, she pushed open the stall door. She found Carmen watching her through narrowed eyes.

  “Did you throw up? Again?”

  Rebecca rolled her eyes and shrugged. She really didn’t want to talk about it for fear it would cause an instant replay, but she knew Carmen wasn’t going to let it go.

  “You can’t blame it on nerves again,” Carmen continued, concerned. “Not unless you were nervous that someone was going to complain about their eggs being runny.”

  “Oh please,” Rebecca moaned. “Don’t talk about eggs.”

  “You really should go home, Becca,” Carmen insisted. “You must have the flu or something. Unless you’re pregnant.”

  Carmen chuckled to herself, but Rebecca suddenly felt her face drain of
what little color it had left. She had to grab hold of the sink to keep her legs from going out altogether. She knew Carmen was only joking, but her words invoked a panic in Rebecca unlike anything she had ever known. She started counting on her fingers because her mind couldn’t handle the simple math without assistance. When had her last cycle been? It was a few weeks before she had wrapped up the production of Phantom, not long before her engagement. That was early May, and they were already into the third week of June. She was definitely late. Over three weeks late if her calculations were correct.

  “Oh my God,” Rebecca whispered.

  The smile froze on Carmen’s face when she saw Rebecca’s reaction. “Whoa, I was only kidding. You’re not … you’re not really pregnant, are you, Becca?”

  “I-I don’t know,” Rebecca stuttered.

  Rebecca started to feel sick again. She also felt the juvenile urge to burst into tears. She wished for one minute that Justyn was there to console her. Then she realized if he were part of this insane conversation, Carmen would probably be picking them both up off the floor. As it was, her best friend was turning almost as pasty as Rebecca felt, which wasn’t an easy feat with her cocoa skin. Rebecca could see her own pallid reflection staring back at her in the bathroom mirror. Her mouth still hung open, but she shook her head. She couldn’t be pregnant. She and Justyn were always careful, always responsible. Of course, they wanted to have a family someday, but first they had to graduate from college and establish their careers. There would be plenty of time for babies later. Much, much later.