Hyde (Dark Musicals Trilogy)

by Laura DeLuca

  “Justyn, I—I…” Rebecca stuttered for a moment, because she had technically been spying, even though it hadn’t been her intention.

  “You what?” he demanded. “You didn’t find what you were looking for? Would you like to check my emails? Here, just in case you missed them on my phone…” He grabbed his backpack from the floor, pulled out his laptop, and threw it down against the desk. The rough landing caused a few of his gargoyle statues to fall over. “Hold on a minute. Let me get you my journal too.”

  Startled, Rebecca stood and backed away from the desk. “Justyn, stop it! Why are you acting like this?”

  “Because acting is what I do best, Becca! Just like you. You did a great job of acting like the concerned, loyal fiancée. But apparently when it comes right down to it, you don’t trust me anymore now than you did when we first met! Remember back when you thought I was a homicidal killer?”

  “I do trust you, Justyn!” Rebecca countered, starting to feel a little angry herself. “Even though you’ve been sneaking around and keeping secrets from me, I’ve stood by you through everything! But you have to give a little too, you know. I mean, who is this Dash guy, and what does he want from you?”

  Justyn was silent for a moment, and she swore she could hear his teeth grinding. His fingers massaged his temples, and his breath came out slightly ragged. She noticed his hand was pressed against his bruised side, and Rebecca felt a pang of guilt for quarreling with him when she knew he was hurting so badly. But he’d started this argument, and Rebecca could be just as stubborn as him when she wanted to be. She tried not to let her sympathy show. When he recovered, he stalked over to his desk and yanked open the bottom drawer. He pulled out a stack of what appeared to be playing cards, except they had odd elemental symbols on the backs in the shape of flames, skulls, water drops, and trees.

  “You want to know what your drug-dealing boyfriend has been up to?” he roared. “Well, I’ll tell you, Becca. I’ll tell you everything. Dash is a high school kid. One who is obsessed with these.”

  Rebecca flinched and lifted her arms to shield her face when Justyn threw the whole stack of cards her way. They fluttered harmlessly to the ground at her feet, but the action still terrified her. Justyn had never been anything but gentle, even in times when she had deserved his wrath. Rebecca had no idea what happened to her sweet fiancé, but this maniac before her certainly wasn’t her Justyn. He was turning into another man. Rebecca couldn’t help it. She started to weep and shied away when a second batch of cards went flying.

  “Justyn, enough … please…You’re scaring me.”

  “No, you wanted an explanation, and I’m giving it to you,” Justyn continued, ignoring her tears. “These are collectible trading cards called Realms of Magic. They’re older ones that are out of print, and they’re worth a lot of money to people who are into the game. I was selling them online to pay for your ring. That’s how I met Dash. He was excited and wanted them all but didn’t have the funds to pay up front. Since he was local, we made arrangements for him to pay in installments and get a few decks at a time.”

  “Why wouldn’t you just tell me that to begin with?” Rebecca dared to ask. “Why the big secret?”

  Justyn gave a sarcastic chuckle. “Are you asking me why I was ‘sneaking around’, as you so eloquently put it? I can explain that too. You see, I didn’t want you to know I was having trouble making the payments on the ring. I was also trying to avoid letting our good friend Tom know I was one of the stereotypical dorks who played fantasy games in his mother’s basement when I was in junior high!” Finally, the rage ebbed a little. He fell exhausted into his desk chair and put his head in his hands. He was trembling almost as violently as Rebecca. “That’s the whole story. So now you know everything. I hope you’re happy.”

  Rebecca stood there, not even blinking for most of the tirade. Justyn had never raised his voice or spoken so harshly to her before. It was terrifying to see him so angry. It was worse, however, to see him in so much pain. One hand was clutching his bruised abdomen, and she knew when he complained to Darlene about a headache, it was more than a simple ruse to get away. The waves of emotional turmoil that flowed from him were even more intense. It was an agony Rebecca couldn’t ignore. Swallowing back her emotions and her tears, Rebecca waded through the collectible cards covering the carpet and put a hand on Justyn’s shoulder.

  “Justyn, please … don’t be this way. I love you. I don’t want to fight with you, especially not after everything that happened tonight.”

  Justyn’s only response to her heartfelt pleas was to swipe his hand across the desk, knocking everything from his laptop to his statues onto the floor. The resounding crash was deafening. The computer monitor cracked, and a gargoyle head rolled at her feet. Again Rebecca trembled despite herself. She took an inadvertent step back when Justyn lifted his head, but when he spoke, his voice had returned to its normal sarcastic calm.

  “No. I don’t want to fight either.”

  He stood from the chair and yanked out a black T-shirt with a zombiefied version of Shakespeare on it. When he lifted his arms to pull it over his head, he flinched and moaned, but Rebecca didn’t dare try to console him again.

  “Wh-what are you doing?” she asked softly.

  “I’m leaving.”

  “Leaving?” Rebecca blinked a few times. “What do you mean you’re leaving? Where are you going? Its three o’clock in the morning!”

  Justyn grunted. “Despite what you obviously believe, not everything I do is your business.”

  Justyn stomped toward the door and practically pushed Darlene out the way when she came running down the hall. “What’s all the shouting and banging about?” Darlene demanded as she tied the string on her silk robe. “I thought we were having an earthquake.”

  “I’m borrowing your car,” Justyn informed her before he flew down the stairs two at a time. Rebecca had no idea how he moved so swiftly with his injuries, but a few moments later, they heard the front door slam and the sound of the engine revving. Through the window, Rebecca saw Darlene’s golden Suzuki inching out of the driveway. The tires screeched as Justyn turned the corner and vanished from sight.

  Darlene glanced at Rebecca’s tear-streaked cheeks and sighed. “Do I even want to know?”

  Rebecca didn’t think she could handle rehashing the argument again so soon, so she simply shook her head. Darlene understood her need for silence. Instead of pressing her further, she came over and gave Rebecca a hug.

  “My son can be a little hotheaded sometimes,” she confessed, as though Rebecca didn’t know that already. “Remember it’s hard for people, especially men, to feel helpless. Sometimes they lash out at the wrong people, but if there is one thing Justyn is good at, it’s eloquent apologies. I’m sure once he has time to cool off, you’ll be on the receiving end of one of those pretty speeches.”

  Rebecca tried to smile. “I know. And I’ll forgive him if he forgives me.”

  “Good then. Now try to get some sleep, darling,” Darlene suggested. “You need your rest now and so does that little one inside of you. Don’t worry about Justyn. He’ll be back before you know it.”

  Rebecca knew Darlene was right, but all she could think about was the fact that Justyn might be hurt worse than they thought and wouldn’t be able to get back home. Instead of going to bed, she went to grab her handbag, intending to find her cell, so she could beg him to come home.

  She realized before she even found her bag that it was useless. Justyn’s phone was still on the floor somewhere in the pile of collectible cards and broken statues. She had no way of getting in touch with him to ease her frazzled nerves, but she did find something in her purse that made her feel a little bit better. Rebecca had forgotten she’d tossed the geode Justyn had given her so long ago into her bag. She stroked the cool surface of the crystals inside the cavern. She knew each point and each rainbow, and it was a comfort to feel the familiar stone in her hand.

  Clutching the geode to he
r chest, Rebecca finally laid down on the bed. She thought about what she would say to Justyn when he came back, if he came back. As much as she wanted to be angry, she knew she was partially to blame. She had to create an eloquent apology of her own, and she thought she had an idea that would finally make Justyn believe he wasn’t alone. Rebecca yawned as she planned out her speech.

  She intended to stay awake until he got home, but she was both physically and emotionally drained. Before she knew it, she had drifted off into a dreamless sleep. When she opened her eyes again, it was morning. The sun was sneaking in through the cracks in the blinds, and Justyn was lying beside her on the bed, staring at the ceiling. He had changed into the shorts he slept in, so she had to assume he’d been there for a while.

  “Justyn?” she whispered, still groggy, “where were you? When did you get back?”

  He didn’t answer right away, and Rebecca thought maybe he was still angry with her. Finally, he shrugged. “I drove around until I calmed down.”

  Rebecca leaned over and brushed the hair out of his eyes. The cut on his face looked puckered and sore, but it paled in comparison to the black-and-blue bruises all over his bare chest. It made her gasp despite herself, and the sound startled him. He jerked up in the bed, obviously not a good idea in his condition. He grimaced when he tried to move. Rebecca could never bear to see him in pain, and she instantly wrapped her arms around him and ran her finger gently along his back. It was one of the only places on his anatomy not terribly discolored. She hoped her touch would be a comfort, but Justyn pulled away.

  “How can you be so sweet to me after the way I treated you?”

  “Justyn, it’s okay. I know—”

  “No, it’s not okay!” Justyn interrupted. “Gods, Becca. I’m so sorry. I really don’t know what came over me. It was like I was a different person … just like … just like Hyde.”

  “Shhh,” she soothed. “I know you didn’t mean it. You’re scared and you’re hurting, and you lost it for a minute. It happens to the best of us.”

  Justyn shook his head. “No excuse.”

  Rebecca pushed on despite his negativity. “I know it seems like everything is falling apart. But you’re not alone, Justyn. We’re going to get through this. Together. But you have to let me be there for you. You have to stop pushing me away.”

  Rebecca leaned over to rub his shoulders, but he shrugged off her hands. “I don’t deserve your sympathy, Becca. Besides, I’m the one who’s supposed to be taking care of you! You’re pregnant, and I’m screaming at you like a lunatic. I made you cry. I swore I would never do that. I feel like such a failure.” He lifted her hand and touched the diamond ring on her finger. “If I can’t manage to take care of you, how am I supposed to be a father to our child?”

  “Listen to me, Justyn.” Luckily, Rebecca found the geode still beside her in the bed. She lifted the stone so he could see it. “Look at this. Do you remember it?” Justyn nodded. “This was the first rock you gave me, and it means a lot more to me than any diamond. I don’t need a ring to know you love me. If we can’t afford it, we give it back. The material things, they’re superficial. I only care about you.”

  Justyn shook his head. “You deserve better than what I can give you. Especially from a prison cell. I don’t understand how you can still want to marry me at all. You’d be so much better off without me.”

  Rebecca sighed. She was never very good at giving pep talks. Justyn was much better at making flowery speeches, but he had taught her that a few lines of a song could often convey feelings better than mere words. So again, Rebecca borrowed Emma’s lyrics. Even when Jekyll was at his worst and tried to push her away, Emma refused to desert her fiancé. Rebecca wasn’t going to abandon her lover either. Gently, she lifted Justyn’s chin and forced him to look into her eyes before she began the soft ballad.

  “We built a dream together when we were very young.

  From a love we knew was destined, all these fantasies have sprung.

  It’s too late to turn back to the life we knew before.

  Just whisper that you love me and the dream will still endure.”

  “I love you, Justyn,” Rebecca whispered when she finished the refrain. “Nothing is ever going to change that. And I do want to marry you. In fact, I don’t want to wait until two years after graduation like we planned. I want to marry you now. As soon as possible. I was thinking maybe next week.”

  Justyn’s mouth actually dropped open, and Rebecca couldn’t help but feel pleased that for once she had taken him by surprise. “Next week? That’s crazy! We can’t pull together a big wedding that fast. And what about your parents? You aren’t even talking to your dad because of me, and I know you want him to be th—”

  “I don’t care about any of that,” Rebecca interrupted. “A big wedding was my mother’s dream, not mine. The only people who need to be there are you and me, and maybe Darlene, so she can perform the ceremony. She is a licensed reverend as well as a high priestess, after all. We don’t even need a fancy dress. I mean, it’s not like you haven’t seen me in fancy wedding gowns a hundred times already.”

  He smiled. “That’s certainly true.”

  “See. So the only thing we need is the license, and that only takes a few days…”

  “You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?” Justyn was still a little flabbergasted.

  “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. I want to make our commitment official. I want the whole world to know we’re a united front. I want you to marry me, Lord Justyn.”

  He smiled. The first genuine smile she had seen in way too long. “All right then. I guess we’re getting married next week.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Are you guys seriously gonna get married on Monday?” Tom asked. “Dude, that’s only like three days away.”

  Rebecca nodded. “I want to do this before I get too fat to fit in a wedding dress.”

  “You’ll only be even more beautiful when your belly starts to grow,” Justyn assured her.

  “Speaking of dresses…” Carmen flipped her black hair and gave Rebecca a hard stare. “Girl, you and I have some serious shopping to do this weekend. As your best friend and maid of honor, I can’t have you walking down that aisle dressed like … well, dressed the way you usually do. The fashionista is taking over effective immediately.”

  Rebecca laughed, too happy to be offended. Carmen always was the stylish one, and Rebecca was glad to hand over the responsibility. It wasn’t like she didn’t have a million other things to do. She really had no idea how they were going to pull it off. Luckily, even though it had been her idea, Justyn had taken over most of the planning. He was still having trouble finding another day job since the country club let him go, so he had more time on his hands than Rebecca did. She tried not to let herself think about what that meant for their finances. Rent was a bridge they could cross when they got to it. One day at time. That’s what Darlene kept telling them, and they were learning to listen. Rebecca’s mother was chipping in and helping as much as she could when she wasn’t working, but so far Rebecca hadn’t worked up the courage to talk to her father about their hastily planned nuptials.

  “Did I hear someone say wedding?” Fernando peeked his head around the corner, a goofy grin on his face. “Darlene mentioned something to me about that a few minutes ago out in the dining room. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that woman so excited. It certainly is delightful news. But I have to wonder—have you given any thought to your reception? Even a small ceremony calls for a celebration afterward.”

  Justyn shrugged. “We’ll probably have a little get-together at my house. We’re keeping things pretty simple.”

  “Well, that’s entirely unacceptable.” Fernando shook his head. “Cold sandwiches and pigs in blankets are hardly a wedding feast. I have a much better idea. The restaurant is closed on Mondays. You can have the reception here.”

  Rebecca’s mouth fell open. “B—but, we can’t possibl
y afford that.”

  “Oh, p-shhh.” Fernando waved his hand in dismissal. “This season has been the best of my career, and I know I have you two to thank for that. We’ve had a full house every night. People are flocking in from all over the tri-state area to see the wonder duo. Hosting your reception is the least I can do in return.”

  “Well, you could double their salary,” Tom teased.

  Fernando kept smiling and ignored him. “Of course I expect front-row seats to your Broadway premiere, and I get lifelong boasting rights. Long after you leave this little theater behind, I’ll have the honor of saying Tamilio’s was where Lord Justyn and Lady Rebecca made their professional debut.”

  “I hope it’ll be something worth boasting about.” Justyn shook Fernando’s hand. “Thank you, Fernando. I have no idea what to say…”

  Fernando gave a goodhearted belly laugh. “You can say I’m invited to the wedding.”

  “Absolutely.” Rebecca leaned over and gave her boss a quick hug. “It wouldn’t be the same without you.”

  They thanked him again before he was called away to check on things in the dining room. Rebecca watched him go and couldn’t help but smile. For the first time in weeks, they had something to celebrate. They still had the threat of jail time hanging over their heads, but for a least a little while, she decided not to worry about the uncertainty of the future. They had plenty of time to strategize after the honeymoon.

  Even Justyn was more excited than he had been in weeks. He actually beamed as they discussed plans for the nuptials while they waited backstage for the show to begin. Not even his sore body and mangled face had ruined his good mood. In fact, he was almost cheerful as he used a blob of fake skin leftover from their production of Phantom to protect the wound on his cheek before covering it up with makeup. When he was done, it was impossible to tell he’d been in a fight at all, except for the fact that he grimaced each time he moved too fast. Tom’s fat lip had proven a much larger challenge. Since they were unable to camouflage it, he had to position himself on the stage in a way that hid the right side of his profile as much as possible.