Chapter 20
Win
“You can’t tell me that you’re surprised your mother might be capable of murder.” A dry laugh followed my half-brother’s words.
I met his gaze, which was startlingly similar to my own, and wondered why I felt the urge to blurt out my worst fears to the young man I swore I’d have nothing to do with. I had no idea how Channing got me to agree to come to Alistair’s townhouse for dinner. I had to do a whole song and dance to make sure I wasn’t followed, because I still didn’t want anyone to know where Winnie was. It was probably because she invited me right after I convinced her to go down on me in my executive bathroom while we were taking a shower after demolishing my desk. She used my niece as bait, claiming that Winnie really wanted to see me. However, once we reached the stylish home, Channing and Winnie became engrossed in some anime show Alistair had introduced them to.
When the younger man offered to get me a drink, I accepted and followed him to the secluded garden on his building’s rooftop. It was a private, calm oasis in the heart of such a busy city. I begrudgingly told him, “You have a beautiful home.” It was far more tranquil than the manor.
Alistair sipped his drink and watched me over the rim of the glass. His eyes crinkled at the corners when he grinned. His expression reminded me so much of Archie, it made my heart twist. It was weird to have so much animosity for someone I could see myself, and my brother, in.
He failed to respond to the compliment. Instead, he asked, “Did you know your father was deathly allergic to peanuts?”
It was such a random change of subject that I had to take a moment to keep up. “How do you know that?” We’d always had a chef on staff. My mother never cooked. I didn’t even learn how to make the basics until I was in charge of Winnie’s care. I couldn’t recall my father ever having an allergic reaction to anything. But he always traveled with an assistant who handled every aspect of his life, including his meals. I couldn’t remember the last time I ate anything as basic as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It seemed to be a cabinet staple that was missing from my childhood.
“My father fed me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich one time while my mom was at work, and I almost died. No one in my family has allergies, so I always thought it was weird that I was the only one who did. After I learned I had Halliday blood, I did a lot of research. The same thing happened to your father when he was young. His school wasn’t careful about allergies and provided peanut butter in a snack. He nearly died, and your grandparents shut down the school. It’s a well-known fact in the upper circles of society. Peanuts were pretty much banned from all the places he frequented.” Alistair chuckled, but there was no humor in the sound. “Colette wasn’t his first choice for a wife. The Hallidays hand-picked her, but he had his eye on someone else. Someone no Halliday would approve of. He wanted to run away with her and leave the family fortune behind.”
“The same way Archie did.” I couldn’t help but make the connection.
My half-brother nodded and kicked his feet up onto the edge of a large fire pit that looked well used.
“Your dad never made it out of the Cove. He had an allergic reaction and ended up in the hospital for weeks. There are rumors that his allergic reaction was so bad that the lack of oxygen when his airways closed caused serious damage to his organs. By the time he was back on his feet, the girl he loved so desperately had disappeared without a trace. He wanted to track her down, but Colette was by his side twenty-four-seven. Between his physical weakness and his parents’ persistence, there was no way he could avoid getting hitched to your mother. And when her parents died in the midst of all that, he felt responsible for her. I know how intelligent you are, so I won’t bother asking if you can come up with someone other than Colette who would benefit from poisoning your old man in such a timely manner. If you ask me, the timing of your grandparents’ accident is weirdly coincidental. Things lined up in a perfect way to give your mother exactly what she wanted.”
I chugged back the amber liquid in my crystal glass. The liquor and suspicion made my brain buzz. “How do you know all of this? No one in my family has ever talked about my father nearly dying from allergies.”
Alistair laughed again. This one sounded even more bitter than the first. “A few weeks before your dad died, someone brought tainted food to my college dorm room. I ordered from a place that was well aware of my allergies. I failed to check it before I dove in. After the first bite, I went into anaphylactic shock almost immediately. Fortunately, I had a roommate who was pre-med and knew exactly how to use an EpiPen. I was hospitalized for several days, but I could’ve easily died. I was just a kid. I was completely clueless about the world and the Hallidays. I couldn’t have been any less of a threat to Colette. When I tried to track down the delivery person, the restaurant was shut down, and the ownership changed hands. There were no records left behind. I don’t eat anything that isn’t prepared by my private chef anymore. I’m never going to give your mother an easy opening again.” He tilted his head to the side and stared at me. “No one in your family talks about what happened to your father. The Hallidays could’ve stopped Colette at any point, but they didn’t. Imagine knowing your parents would rather have you dead than married to someone they don’t approve of.”
The liquor loosened my tongue just enough to taunt, “Isn’t he our father?” After all, his parentage was the reason he was on my mother’s radar.
“I don’t know that I want to claim such a coward. He did what the Hallidays wanted but kept sleeping with simple, kind women. Women like my mother. He knew what Colette was capable of and did nothing to stop her. Sure, it’s possible your father died from prolonged heart failure. But if you’re asking if I think Colette Halliday can commit murder to get what she wants — the answer is unequivocally yes.”
I tapped the side of the crystal glass and stared at the sky. It was dark, but the lights from the city turned everything a dark, muted gray. I was really starting to hate everything about that damn color.
“Why are you so determined to connect with a Halliday if you think my mother tried to kill you? Isn’t it stupid to provoke her?”
Alistair dropped his feet and leaned toward me. “Colette is only a Halliday through marriage. I think everyone forgets it was a name she was given, not one she was born with. I’m more of a Halliday than she is. Why should I let her stop me from learning about where I came from?” He snorted. “She has you to control. That should be enough for her.”
Feeling particularly exposed, I couldn’t help reminding him, “I gave you money when your sister was sick. My mother doesn’t get the final say in everything I do.”
“If that was true, you wouldn’t be fake married to Channing. You would’ve had a normal relationship and asked her to marry you because you love her. Anyone with functioning eyes can see you are down bad for her.”
I couldn’t refute his astute claims. “Channing thinks I’m a menace. I haven’t been very kind to her. Our family history isn’t conducive to simplicity between us. Even without my mother in the picture, a normal relationship isn’t in the cards.”
“Give it all up.” Alistair’s tone was suddenly serious. “Get rid of everything that makes being together difficult. Your father was willing to do it. So was Archie. Channing deserves a man willing to choose her over everything else. I had no intention of being associated with the Hallidays until my sister got sick. If I hadn’t needed the money, and if my parents managed to work things out, the only thing I would’ve asked for is the chance to get to know you better. I went into design because of you, Win. I admired you long before I learned we were related.”
I lifted my eyebrows and watched the younger man thoughtfully. “Could you walk away from everything now that you know what it’s like to have more money and power than you ever imagined?” Who in their right mind would willingly go from extraordinary to ordinary?
My half-brother sat back in his chair and gave me a bright grin. “Winnie told me that Channing said that having more is always better than not having enough. There is some truth to that, but my life was turned upside down when I found out I had another parent. I think we should strive to have just enough to be happy. The more money and power you accumulate, the further away you get from what you actually want.” He had a point. Channing was always perfectly content with her ordinary life, which is why I found her to be extraordinary. “It doesn’t matter if your relationship with Channing is real. Colette won’t accept it. She’s been in danger ever since you started to show the slightest interest in her. Eventually, you’re going to have to choose.”
Alistair climbed to his feet and patted me on the shoulder when he walked past me. It was almost time for dinner to be served and he left me alone with my thoughts and the faint stars struggling to shine through the light pollution.
Most days, I felt like I could cover the sky with a single hand. Not today. For once, I realized how ridiculously small and irrelevant I was. I pushed to my feet and turned to head inside. My steps faltered when Rocco called me.
I walked toward the balcony and looked down at the sprawling city below. My voice was strained when I answered the call. “I’m assuming you found something.” He wasn’t the type who let something go once he sank his teeth into it. It was one reason we worked so well together.
“The medical facility is abandoned. It looks like the place was emptied and scrubbed clean in a hurry. I’m tracking down anyone who was on staff. So far, there are no records of employment or government license. Is it possible your mother was running a ghost business all these years?”
I suddenly wished I were a smoker. Or that I had another drink in my hand. “I’m fairly certain I’ve been living my entire life in the dark. I don’t think there is a line my mother wouldn’t cross to make sure everything and everyone acts according to her wishes.” I closed my eyes and rubbed them with my free hand. “While you’re trying to locate the employees, see if you can find anyone who worked at the main hospital in the Cove before my parents were married. Someone mentioned my father was incredibly ill right before they got engaged. It seems like my mother might’ve been manipulating things behind the scenes long before Archie and I were in the picture.”
Rocco sighed. “I told you it wasn’t wise to move home after your dad died. Things have been off in your family for a long time.”
I chuckled and opened my eyes. It was well past time I needed to see things clearly. “I’m what is off.” There was no excuse for blindly following the path laid out for me before I was born. Sure, it was paved with gold and lined with any extravagance a man could ask for. All I had to give up was a mind of my own.
Rocco’s low laughter filled my ear. “Never would’ve thought billionaires had bigger burdens than the average Joe. I’ll keep poking around until I have something solid.” There was a pointed pause before he asked, “Are you positive Conrad is your mother’s insider? That’s a lot of years of friendship to throw away if you’re wrong.”
“And if I’m right…” There was no telling how much of my day-to-day life was being guided by my mother’s specifications. I followed Conrad’s directives without question because I truly believed we were cut from the same cloth.
“If you’re right, I can bury him in a hole so deep, he’ll never be found.” I couldn’t tell if the former military man was serious or not. I decided it was in my best interest not to ask questions.
I hung up the phone and stepped into the townhouse. The sound of laughter greeted me as soon as I opened the door. Winnie sounded lighter and more cheerful than I’d heard in a long time. She sounded like a kid who knew how to have fun. If I didn’t act now, she would have joy stolen from her the same way I did. I couldn’t allow that to happen.
When my gaze met Channing’s, I noticed her eyes were brighter than the stars outside. The way she smiled at me made me feel like a million bucks. It was insane that the weight of her smile carried more weight in my heart than my money.
I ruffled Winnie’s red hair and dropped a kiss onto Channing’s. My half-brother caught my eye and gave me a knowing wink. He gestured to the table full of food and encouraged everyone to eat.
Halfway through the meal when Winnie asked, “How much longer am I going to stay in the city?”
I stiffened involuntarily. Channing noticed my reaction and leaned over to bump Winnie’s shoulder with her own. “Are you bored? We haven’t even gone to my favorite pizza place yet.”
Winnie bumped her back. “I’m not bored. But going back and forth to school is a hassle. I have to get up so early to be there on time.” She gave me a wide-eyed look. “It wouldn’t be so bad if I could travel by helicopter.”
Alistair let out a low whistle. “You have a helicopter. Impressive, Mr. Halliday. I see I’ll have to up my corporate game to keep up.”
“He has a private jet as well. I flew on it once when Uncle Win took me to Paris.” Winnie was just stating facts, but her revelation made Channing look like she was sucking on a lemon.
“For now, you can commute by car. Once I get some personal things ironed out, we’ll discuss if it’s better to keep you in your school or move you to one in the city.” Thinking about all the choices I hadn’t been allowed to make for myself I promised her, “Let us know what you prefer, and I’ll do my best to accommodate your wishes.”
Winnie nodded, but her playful attitude faded. “Are you going to explain what’s going on? I keep asking Aunt Channing, but she won’t tell me anything.” She pointed at the young man at the head of the table. “Neither will Uncle Alistair.”
I felt a pang in my chest when she referred to someone else as ‘Uncle.’ That was an honor specific to me for so long, I wasn’t sure I wanted to share it.
Sensing my internal struggle, Channing chimed in. “I told you that you aren’t using a helicopter unless it’s an absolute emergency. We’re dealing with some complicated adult stuff you don’t need to worry about right now.” She smoothed Winnie’s hair that I’d ruffled. “You remember that your uncle and I are going to protect you no matter what, right?”
My niece reluctantly nodded.
Channing grinned at her. “Trust us.”
Winnie pouted in protest until Alistair poked his fork onto her plate to steal some of the potato tarte tatin she’d been hoarding to eat at the end of her meal.
The tension snapped that easily.
It sank in that this was the first family dinner I’d ever experienced. I wanted to memorize every moment, because it might be my last shot at something so normal and heartening, when all the ugly secrets my family had silenced over the years were given a voice.