Her Dark Side

Chapter Twenty Four

"The other day, Jack, why did you let me go?" I ask referring to when he first found me in the car park. Those evil men that worked for D.A.R.E had tried to take me but he had stopped them and even given me a chance to get away.

"I don't know." He moans. "That's the one question I can't answer, okay? I had a moment of weakness and all I could think of you was all the times you were so loyal to me. I put away my own dark side and gave you a chance, which was blown."

"That's it?"

"I guess so. The blind moment was over pretty quick and I knew it was meant to be, me doing my job I mean. So I told you to meet me again where I would take you back to D.A.R.E not that that even worked out but still."

Wow. Somewhere deep down, there's still a few cells in his sorry body that have feelings for me.

Not that it matters anymore.

"Okay that was my biggest question. Tell me about Robert." I demand with a hand gesture to tell him to hurry it up. I just need to get out if here before any of Jack's men turn up or just as bad, guys from my agency.

He sighs deeply. "Like I said, there were two reasons. One, he kept getting in the way. Every time I was about to get to you, he would be there to protect you even though he was on my side as well as yours."

I scoff. "Figures."

"Does it?" His eyebrows shot up.

"Wow, you're supposed to be all knowing, Jack." I snort. "Robert loved me." I eventually continue when Jack's confused face doesn't let up.

He doesn't say anything but stares blankly at a patch of grass by my feet. "Yeah, then I guess it does figure." He finally agrees in a daze. "What is it with that charm of yours? Sucking men in all the time. I'm glad I broke away."

I feel a stab at my chest. "You know, I would have remained loyal to you Jack, all our lives." I cry, really hurt. "I loved you."

"Yeah and I loved my job. Things happen."

I feel another stab but it's not as bad. The pain begins to ease when I try hard to let myself forget all that stuff from the past. "Things happen." I quietly agree before my head snaps in his direction. "What was the second reason?"

Jack suddenly looks uncomfortable and tries to adjust his collar. He clears his throat and prepares himself to answer. "Well, reason two is, uh."

"Jack!" I warn, making my hand twitch on purpose.

"He was going to reveal my real identity!" He exclaims, sounding strangled. Both August and I look to him sharply.

"What." I snap.

He sighs again. "He was going to reveal my real identity." He repeats much quieter. "My... my real name is Beck. Beck Delatti."

I nod slowly, trying to process what I've just heard. I take a heavy seat on the soft grass beneath me, keeping the gun on Jack. August swivels around a bit to make sure Jack still won't be able to get a glimpse of Jack. "Why didn't I see that coming." I muse, chuckling darkly. "What a Jack Myers or should I say Beck Delatti thing to do. Have a secret identity."

"I would say something reassuring like, I would have told you eventually but... I wouldn't have." He shrugs. I grip the gun harder in my hands absently, thinking hard about everything I've been through with a basically fake person. My entire life was a fraud.

"Please tell me you left me to join D.A.R.E for a selfless reason like not wanting me to live a lie without even knowing it." I plead, following my thought pattern.