Chances (Mystic Nights #1) (18 page)

She narrowed her eyes at them before speaking. She hoped she wasn’t breaking her mother’s confidence, for what was said between her and her mother and about past relationships was something she held close to her heart. Only her mother treated her like an equal. Her siblings all babied her because she had been so sick as a child. But from the expression on her brother Jonathan’s panic stricken face, she knew her mother would forgive her. So, she let out a breath and spilled. “Peter and Mom have a history. Before she met our father.”

Joseph clutched his chest.

Jonathan blurted out an expletive.

Dawn continued. “They dated in high school, but she broke it off before she went to college. When she came back to the reserve with you two, he tried to pick up where they left off. But she was not interested in renewing the relationship. Mom said he even proposed to her and wanted to adopt the both of you.

“Oh, God no,” Joseph made a face.

Dawn nodded in empathy. “She didn’t want anyone. She wanted to raise the two of you, and then get the reservation formally recognized. She spent a lot of time traveling back and forth to Washington, and when she was home she just wanted to spend as much time with the two of you as possible.”

“I remember, migitjoo kept us when she went out of town. That was a tough couple of years. She was gone a lot.” Jonathan voiced those words.

Joseph added, “Yes, we had just moved back here and it was our first year on the reservation.”

“But Mom got the Senate approval. She came back a hero,” Joseph remarked. They were all proud of the woman their mother was.

“And pregnant,” Dawn reminded them.

They both smiled at her. “With you and Eve.” Joseph pulled a lock of her hair like he’d done when she was small.

Dawn glowed under their praise. “Apparently Peter tried one more time after that. But Mom was so head strong and independent. She was raising her kids. She was still trying to get the state to approve our First Nation status. Funny that the federal government granted it first. But she did that too. It took sixteen years, but she did it. Peter left for a while, but came back years later. He never bothered her anymore. Only after she brokered the deal with that company in Malaysia to build Mystic Nights, he started to come around again. He wanted to head the project. He had a business degree, she a law degree. He was furious when the council chose her over him. That’s when he ran for a seat on the council. So he still gets to have a say in how things are run here.”

“I wish Mom had told us this.”

“I don’t think she thought you would want to know that kind of stuff. Mostly I got the story in bits and pieces.”

“The pieces definitely fit together.” Jonathan’s mind tried to wrap itself around all he had just learned. Again his stomach rolled. Peter now had a motive, Simon’s was greed. And Aliya’s betrayal, well he still had to figure that one out. But everything else fit. And as much as it pained him, he would bring them all down to protect what his mother had created. All of them. Even the woman he loved.

“There is one other thing,” Dawn interrupted his thoughts.

When both brothers were looking at her, she went on. “His status. His father is western Pequot, but his mother’s eastern. I don’t know if this will help or not, or even if it is important, but he lost out on Foxwoods and Mohicans. He’d already be a millionaire by now if he was part of that tribe.”

Jonathan had more than enough information now to know that Peter was behind it all. Greed. Jealousy. Unrequited love. Check. Check. Check. That plus the man was an egomaniac who felt wronged by his people, and that he was owed more than what was his lot. Jonathan now knew for sure that Peter was the mastermind behind it all.

Joseph’s comment reiterated what he was thinking himself. “Well, he has all kinds of motive, that’s for sure. What about Simon?” he asked Dawn, not expecting her to have an answer, but shocked when she did.

She let out a sound of disgust. “You boys really need to get out on the floor more. You miss all the good gossip. This is just a rumor, but I heard his cancer was back. Remission didn’t last too long and he has been talking about some new age therapy that isn’t covered by his insurance. Or maybe he did it because he just wants to enjoy what time he has left.”

At that moment there was a subtle knock on the door. “Come in.” Jonathan called out. It was his weekend Secretary, Glenna, and she just came bustling in.

She gave him a perplexed look noticing the disarray in the office. And she hadn’t expected to find over half the family hunkered down inside. “There are two men, a Mr. Bruno and Mr. Wilder to see you, sir.”

“Show them in, Glenna. Please. And could you please have the kitchen send up a tray of bagels and fruit. Some coffee, too. Lots of coffee. It’s going to be a long day.” Glenna backed out quickly to complete her tasks. Jonathan turned to his brother. “Joseph, please go do what I’ve asked you to, and Dawn. I think, no, I know, I could use your help after all, with the accountants. You know them. That will help too.” He put his arm around her small shoulder and directed her towards the door. “Nothing like having family to support you when your back is against the wall.”

Dawn beamed and waited with him as Joseph slipped out the door. She stood with her brother as Wilder and Bruno entered. Jonathan greeted each of the men introduced by his sister, and then all four walked to the conference room together where Risolli was doing his thing.

When Jonathan shut the door on the group in the conference room, he clapped his hands once. “Let’s catch those crooks,” he muttered to himself as he headed back to his office. Dawn was working with the accountants, Joseph was handling security issues and customer issues. If his sister, Eve, wasn’t in New York wooing a client, he’d have her using her special skills too.

But now it was his turn. He needed to deal with Aliya and Peter. Who first, he thought, as he passed by his secretary. “No one goes in or out of that conference room except Joseph and you.”

“Yes sir,” came Glenna’s quick reply.

Who first?
He passed right by his office door and headed to the bank of executive elevators.

His decision was made by the time he reached the ground floor level. Aliya.

He needed to know if she was involved.

Peter was a given.

‡

A
liya was shocked
by the unexpected arrival of Jonathan and from the looks of it he was in a hurry. She was just putting away her dishes when she heard the squeal of tires. Glancing out her window, she saw his car, a black Mercedes, pull up in her driveway shortly before noon. She had just gotten back from her parents, where she had brunch, and was tidying her home which she had neglected of late. Her plans were to get back on her computer and continue her search for alternative locations for the dance studio she wanted to open. She found several locations for a studio. Peter had done some research for her and sent her a note of apology, which she appreciated. And promised he would fight for her to have the space on the reserve. No strings. She hoped he would come through. The price tags on the properties that would suit her needs were astronomical, but two of them looked good. The leases on them were affordable and within her budget. She could always purchase the place later, or rent to own in the lease agreement on one of them.

Both were within ten miles of the reservation. Inside the envelope had been the hand written note. It stated she should not jump the gun, and that she would have his full support on the old bingo hall on the reservation. She knew she had Myrtle’s vote. It was up to either Josephine or Jason to make it a done deal. Peter promised to work on them for her.

She hurried to answer the door wondering what brought Jonathan here in the middle of the day. When she opened it, she was even more shocked by the expression on his face. He looked angry. And it was directed at her.

She instantly felt fear. It caused her stomach to roll with trepidation.

“Hey, I’m surprised to see you. I didn’t expect to see you until later,” she opened the door further but he was already pushing past her.

“Yeah well, I’m a bit surprised myself. I saw your little tête-à-tête with Simon in the hallway this morning. Are you sleeping with him and Peter, too? Or are you just doing their dirty work?” he accused.

He hadn’t known what he was going to say once he got here, and those words just came tumbling out. Her face was one of shock, or disbelief. She took several steps back. “Or is the deal to just fuck with me and keep me distracted?”

Aliya’s back was up against the wall. His words stung. It was like he had slapped her. And she felt her stomach roll once more. She lifted her hand by instinct and slapped Jonathan across the face. Hard. She found her courage. “How dare you? I . . . I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

When it looked like she was going to strike again, Jonathan’s hand whipped up and caught her wrist. He held it and pulled back twisting her arm painfully in his steel like grip.

“Let go,” she whimpered in disbelief.

“Nice act, Aliya. I could almost believe you.” He dropped her hand like it burned him and turned around. He eyes glanced towards the table at the yellow envelope and papers beside it. He saw her computer screen showing a strip mall in downtown Mystic, with a price tag of a half a million dollars on the screen. He tilted his head towards the screen. “So, is that how much it cost to fuck me? Fuck with me!” he restated.

Aliya twisted her head at the direction he was looking. She was confused. She had no idea what he was talking about. He turned to face her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him so she was flush up against him. “Tell me the truth.”

“Please let go of my arm. You’re hurting me,” she winced in agony, but more from the words than the actual physical pain she was feeling.

Jonathan loosened his hold, but did not let go. “You made a fool of me, Aliya. All for money. I fell for it too. Maybe the rumors about you are true. And all your care about is yourself and your dancing. It’s probably why you dumped that poor guy in New York, ran off to Vegas, and then aborted his child.” Tears immediately sprung to her eyes, but he wasn’t buying it. Not anymore. The proof was there on the table and on her computer screen. “I can’t believe I saw a future with you,” he spat the words and released her as he saw her face fall and the tears began to fall like diamonds from her eyes.

What a fucking actress! The woman looked ill. She paled, and clapped her hand over her mouth. But instead of the lies and quick retort he expected, she turned and ran past him. He followed her as she slammed the bathroom door open and began to retch in the toilet just making it in time.

He opened the door and peered down at her in disgust. “I guess you do have a weak stomach. But the rest of you is cold.” She was clutching the basin as she heaved. He felt no sympathy in the moment. His anger was too great. “Your sins are catching up to you, Aliya, and I just came here today to tell you I’m not going to let you get away with it.” He watched Aliya’s shoulders shake as she cried over the bowl. She looked up at him after she finished and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Her eyes were question marks.

She started to shake her head in denial. And she was still crying. God, he wanted to throttle the little actress. She was making it so believable.

“I really . . . I don’t know what you are talking about, Jonathan. I really wish instead of accusations you would explain yourself.” She began to rise, but he stepped back laughing at her request, and she collapsed onto the floor. She saw nothing but revulsion in his eyes.

The nerve of the woman.
“You really have some balls, Aliya. You are the one who has explaining to do. If not to me, then the police. I’ll have all the evidence I need in a matter of days. Maybe even by tonight.” He turned in disgust.

“I really . . .” Her words stopped as he turned into the hallway, and he heard her retching again. He paused. She wasn’t faking that. He had just a moment of doubt until he heard her behind him.

“I really don’t know what to say, Jonathan. What you want to hear. But there is one thing I can tell you.” He waited in the hallway. “I think I’m pregnant.”

His heart turned black in a second. His world tilted
. Pregnant? How? They had always used protection. Hadn’t they?
Well, it wasn’t his. His mind quickly flashed to New Year’s Eve. That first time. He wasn’t sure, and then the second time, the condom, when he’d thrown it away had seemed damaged.

He turned and looked at the heap on the floor that was Aliya. She grimaced and retched some more.

Was it possible?
He paled. Then took a step back, but still gazed down at her.

“If you are, is it mine?” he accused.

She rose on unsteady feet. She stood before him. Again her hand whipped back and he caught it this time before the blow came.

Her heart stung, and she wanted to make him feel it. She tried to twist out of his reach, but he held on like iron. “Listen to me, Aliya. If you are pregnant, and if it’s mine, you won’t be raising this child. I will get custody, full custody while you rot in jail. And for all I know it could be Simon’s or Peter’s. I’ve seen you in compromising situations with both of them. You’re not fit to raise a child. You disgust me.” With those parting words he flung her hand away and turned on his heel.