Honest Betrayal (40 page)

Hunter folded his arms, trying to understand what the doctor was ‘not’ saying. “What is really wrong?”

“There is a possibility that your wife may lose her leg. Her temperature is an indication that she has septicemia, which is caused by the spread of bacterial infection in the blood. We are also very concerned that she may be in the early stages of gangrene.”

He flexed his hands. “Can I see her?”

“I’m afraid not. Right now she is being prepped to go into the OR. The surgery will take several hours so I’d suggest you relax in the surgery waiting room. The nurse will call you to let you know when the operation is over. By the time you come back she should be coming out of anesthesia.”

“Thank you.”

The doctor smiled then left. The three men stood in silence then Stephen said, “I can’t imagine Brenna without her leg.”

Byron turned to Hunter. “Do you know how much a surgery like that will cost?”

Hunter kept his voice cool, his gaze a piercing onyx. “I can take care of it. This is none of your business.”

“Brenna is my business. I love her. You just own her for a while,” he said with disgust. “I know her. Have you ever seen her cry?”

“No,” Hunter said softly. “But I’ve never made her cry either.”

“That’s because she doesn’t love you.”

“Brenna is loyal to me.”

“But she loves me.”

Hunter paused, a raw pain gripping him. He folded his arms then let them fall.  “Did she say that?”

“She doesn’t need to.”

“That means no,” Stephen said.

Byron shot him a glance then returned his gaze to Hunter. “She feels sorry for you and that’s the only reason why she’ll stay by your side. Why don’t you do what’s best for Brenna instead of yourself?” He shook his head then walked away.

Hunter stood—the whites of the floor and ceiling seeming to blend together. Did she still love Byron? Was he being unfair?

“Sometimes I wish I could get a different lawyer,” Stephen said.

Hunter slowly walked towards the waiting room, feeling as though his legs were made of wood. “No, you wouldn’t want that.”

Stephen looked at him confused. “Why not?”

“Because he makes a good argument.”

***

Stephen didn’t want to leave Hunter alone. He didn’t like how calm and detached he seemed, but he couldn’t avoid going home. He groaned when he opened the door and saw Fiona sitting on the couch surrounded by a box of tissues.  “Hello,” he said.

She sniffed.

He pet Lillian and made sure she’d been fed then sat next to Fiona and stroked her back. “You’re not going to talk to me?”

“Oh? So now you want to talk?”

He gathered her close. She rested her head on his chest and whispered, “You know it really hurts me when you leave without telling me where you go.”

“I just had to get away.”

“From me?”

“From everything.”

“Why?”

“Just because.” He brushed her tears away.  “Don’t you ever just want to get away?”

“No. I wish you’d talk to me more.”

“I want to talk to you, but…you judge everything I say.”

She sat up. “I do not.”

“You don’t like any of my ideas.”

“That’s because they don’t make sense. Look where your latest idea got you.”

He stood. “Brenna’s in the hospital,” he said tired.

“I’m sorry. Is she going to be okay?”

 “I don’t know.” He headed to the bedroom. It was the only other way of escape.

***

Lewis Yancey prided himself on the seventeen years of service he’d given to the Randolphs. The latest affair had been organized with every detail in mind from the shine of the crystal chandelier to the table setting. The scent of the glazed salmon and thinly sliced russet potatoes in cream sauce filled the air. He listened to the light sounds of ice in glasses, a baby’s cooing and the low murmur of polite conversation, pleased that everything was perfect. What he hadn’t prepared for was Hunter Randolph slipping into the room as silently and quickly as a shadow. His appearance was so unobtrusive that a few moments had past before his presence was seen and little by little the polite chatter died.

“Isn’t this nice?” Hunter said watching the group with a malicious grin.

Lewis made a move ready for action but Orson shook his head. The older man calmly lifted his drink. “I don’t believe anyone invited you.”

“I didn’t need an invitation.”

“Are you drunk?” Angelina demanded.

“No. I don’t have the same tendency as some.”

She hung her head embarrassed.

“You’re not welcome here,” Daron said.

Hunter physically removed Daron—chair and all—from the head of the table, took a chair from the wall and sat facing Orson. “I don’t care.”

Daron sat outraged then stood and approached Hunter. Hunter sent him a look of such venom that Daron took a step back, grabbed his chair and squeezed between Angelina and Ruby.

Hunter rested his hands on the table. “I wanted to share with everyone what Grandfather’s been up to.”

“No one is interested,” Curtis said.

“It’s not about me. Everybody knows about me. Grandfather made sure of that. I’m a lesson. It’s best to keep yourself in line or you’ll end up like me. Not a pretty picture I know.”

Orson set down his utensils and clasped his hands. “The moment you learn to behave yourself you have a position waiting.”

Hunter reached for a roll as though Orson hadn’t spoken. “No, I’m here because of my wife.”

Curtis glanced at his father then said, “If your wife wants to leave you it’s no one’s fault but your own.”

Hunter broke his roll in half. “True, but I didn’t put her in the hospital.”

A chilled silence whipped through the room.

Orson looked bored. “You’ve got your mother’s flair for the dramatics.”

Hunter pinned him with a stare. “I haven’t started yet.”

Ruby grasped her chest appalled. “What happened?”

Hunter kept his gaze on Orson. “He made her fall.”

Orson shook his head. “She tripped.”

“You took her cane and made her fall. She is in the hospital now because she fractured her pelvis and may lose her leg.”

“That has nothing to do with me.”

“You made it happen.”

Orson signaled to Lewis. Hunter noticed the signal and said with deadly patience, “I will leave once I’ve said my piece not before.” He rested his palms on the table. “Why did you visit my house when I wasn’t there?”

“You mean
my
house. You don’t live there anymore.”

Hunter raised a brow. “Afraid to answer my question?”

Orson bristled at the suggestion. “I wanted to have a private chat with your wife.”

“Why?”

“She was meddling in family business, calling places she shouldn’t and other things. Did you know she was trying to find out about your mother?”

“No.”

   “Did she tell you what I told her?”

“No.”

Orson grinned. “I’m not surprised.”

Audrey finally spoke up, staring at her husband with fear. “Orson, please—”

“No, he wants answers. Let’s give him some.”

Ruby rushed up to Hunter and grabbed his arm. “It doesn’t matter now. Leave. Forget about us.” She lowered her voice so that only he could hear. “If you need money—”

“Curtis, get your wife under control.”

Curtis glared at her. “Ruby, sit down.”

She gripped Hunter’s arm tighter. “You don’t belong here. You never did. You—”

“Ruby!” Orson bellowed his voice rattling the glasses.

She reluctantly released her grip and returned to her chair, looking much older than Hunter had remembered.

Orson met Hunter’s gaze across the elegant dinnerware, his gaze sharp enough to cut the distance. “Here’s your family history. You had a brother. You killed him by strangling him to death when he was an infant. Your mother found you and saw what you did and she went crazy.”

“That’s not true,” Hunter said. He turned to his father and Ruby, desperate to hear them deny it, but neither would meet his gaze. Angelina stared at him with pity and Daron with triumph.  He swallowed suddenly feeling sick. “You told Brenna this?”

“Yes, she was so shocked by the news that she lost her balance and fell.”

He felt his throat closing. “But she told me—”

“She was trying to protect you from the truth.”

He couldn’t believe it. It couldn’t be true. Did Brenna see him as a murderer? Did she fear that he would go crazy too? Did they all already think he was crazy? He stared at Angelina and Daron and thought of Brenna and Byron. Would people always be planning and whispering behind his back? A rage so fierce he could nearly see it flooded him and he pushed himself away from the table. He glanced at Angelina again and saw the fear in her gaze that had always been there when she looked at him. He gripped his hands into fists. Brenna was different even after she found out about his past; she’d never looked at him like that.

He took a deep, steadying breath. “Brenna didn’t trip. She wouldn’t lie to me.”

“She doesn’t lie?”

“She doesn’t lie to me.”

Orson shrugged. “What if she did fall?”

Hunter paused then moved which such speed he nearly reach Orson before Lewis could act. Lewis fired a warning shot that whizzed past Hunter’s ear. Hunter spun around. Lewis pointed the gun at his chest.

 Hunter stared down at the gun. He’d forgotten that all of Orson’s help carried weapons. He had a lot of enemies to look out for.

Orson slowly rose to his feet, his tone cordial. “Hunter, there’s no reason to be so stubborn. I admit that I miss having you around. We were good friends. You just let a woman get your priorities all mixed up.” He walked up to Hunter and rested a hand on his shoulder. “How would you like your old life back? You could be sitting at the head of this table one day. Isn’t that what you’d always dreamed of?” He turned and rested his arm on Hunter’s shoulders as he’d done when Hunter was younger. “Think of all the power you could have,” he said in a soft coaxing voice. “Power is a wonderful thing. You could guarantee that Brenna’s brother gets off, you could give Brenna the best medical care in the world.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “And you could wipe that smirk off of Daron’s face once and for all. You’d like to do that, wouldn’t you?” He turned to him. “We haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I’m willing to forget that. You just have to be willing to trust me and trust what I say. And I say Brenna tripped.” He smiled. “What do you say?”

Hunter’s gaze slowly surveyed the room. With a few words he could be a part of this again, he could have the money, the prestige and the power. All he had to do was obey. He met his grandfather’s gaze and said with quiet defiance.  “I say she fell.”

 Orson stepped away from him, barely controlled fury in his eyes. “I could crush you like a bug.”

“Yes, but I’ve learned that people always try to crush the things they’re afraid of.”

“I know about that little company you’re trying to run.”

“And I know all about yours.”

Curtis stood. “I think it’s time you left.”

Hunter looked at his father for a long moment until the tension in the room grew unbearable then said, “Yes sir,” and walked out as quietly as he’d entered.

Ruby met Hunter in the foyer as he opened the door. “You’ve caused a lot of fuss in there.”

He raised a mocking brow. “Did you come here to scold me?”

“No,” she said quickly. “I’m sorry to hear about Brenna. Send her my love.”

His dark eyes bore into hers. “She’d probably prefer something more genuine like a basket of fruit.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I’m sorry about all that’s happened. You’re better off without us.”

The sight of her tears softened him and he lowered his gaze. “What he said about me, was that true?”

“Just leave.”

He glanced up at her. “I guess the only one who’ll tell me the truth is my mother. How can I find her?”

“Forget about her. Forget about all of this.”

“How can I find her?” he repeated.

She spun away. “You can’t.”

He grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him. “Why not?”

“Because she’s dead.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“What did you say to him?” Curtis asked as he and Ruby drove back to their ranch in Virginia.

“I told him his mother was dead,” she said in a quiet voice.

“What else did you say?” he pressed.

“Nothing.”

Curtis nodded. “Good.”

 Ruby was silent a moment then said, “We have to tell him the truth.”

“He knows what he needs to.”

Her tone became more adamant. “He doesn’t know what’s important.”

 “Do you really want him to find out about us?” he demanded in a tight voice. “When you married me you knew what would be involved.”

“I didn’t expect it to come to this. I didn’t think Orson would toss him out like that.”

“Hunter’s always been an outsider.”

“He shouldn’t be. He’s part of this family. He’s your own flesh and blood.”

Curtis shrugged without empathy. “He didn’t play by the rules.”

Ruby turned her face to the window, staring at the bright red and white of car lights rushing past. “And Orson sets the rules, right?”

Her husband sent her a callous glance. “You should know. You helped him set them.”

 “Things can change.”

“Not in this family.”

Ruby looked down at her hands that she held clasped in her lap. “Do you think Orson hurt that girl?”

“I know he did. But there’s nothing we can do. There’s no way to prove something no one witnessed.”

Ruby shivered from an inner terror. “He went too far this time. There wasn’t hurt in Hunter’s voice, there was rage.”

Curtis shot her an uneasy glance. “Are you afraid of him?”

“I’m not sure who to be afraid of.”

“Hunter can’t do anything to us, Orson can.”

“But Hunter still deserves the truth.”

“He doesn’t deserve anything.”

Ruby took a deep breath then said, “If you won’t tell him then I will.”

Curtis checked his rearview mirror then glanced behind him before he merged into another lane. He then rested his arm on the back of Ruby’s chair. “No, you won’t darling,” he said softly. He lifted a strand of her hair. “Because that would be a big mistake.”