Sure enough, Wyatt is hollering my name through the house like a crazy person.Why do I have such an idiot for a brother?
Drawing in a deep breath, I turn back toward the front of the house, walk past the stained oak planter with some kind of greenery, and step out onto the front porch where Holden has Wyatt in a chokehold.
It’s too cold for this. It’s too cold, it’s too late, and it’s snowing like crazy again.Why?We really don’t need more snow.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I stare at my brother, wondering where his life went wrong. Alice is right… he wasn’t always like this.
“You’re dating a liar,” he barks. “A liar who stole sixty thousand dollars from the company he claims to love so much.”
Holden tightens his grip and I roll my eyes.
“Wyatt! You’re so drunk! What’s wrong with you? Why did you drive here?” I step toward him, but I don’t smell alcohol this time.
“I’m not drunk.” He elbows Holden in the ribs and pushes free from his grip. “I gave Holden a chance to tell you before tonight. He didn’t, so… now you know.”
I’ve never been more embarrassed for my brother. I don’t know what’s happened to him. He’s completely lost it.
I cross my arms over my chest and shake my head before glancing back at Holden. “I’m so sorry about this. I’ll take him home.”
“He’s not lying, baby.” Holden stands tall and strong in the center of the porch, his gaze fixed on mine as though he’s trying to speak directly to my heart.
I narrow my gaze, confused as hell. “He’s not lying about what?”
“He’s not lying. I stole sixty grand from Blackrock. It was ten years ago. I had Wyatt launder the money through a casino in the Springs.”
My mouth drops open, and though it’s cold enough to stop your heart, I feel my body heating up. “What? No. If you’d have stolen that much money, you’d be in jail.”
He shakes his head. “It was a slow process. Took nearly a year to transfer all the funds.” Holden glances back at my brother. “He took a lump sum as payment for help and used it to pay your tuition. Truthfully, I’m probably the reason he ended up with a gambling problem.”
I don’t know what to say. I’m sick, nauseous, seeing both black and red simultaneously.
“What?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” He steps toward me. “I put it in the past a long time ago, and obviously it’s not something I talk about.”
“What did you do with the money?” The words feel stuck in my throat. “Why did you take it?”
The wind howls through the eaves as Wyatt steps forward with a sigh. “You remember Alice’s heart surgery? The one she needed shortly after her parents died?”
My cheeks flush and I glance up at Holden. “Oh my God! You stole the money to pay for it?”
He nods once. “She’d been canceled from their insurance, and I sure as hell didn’t have enough money on hand for a surgery. She needed the operation within the year or she,” he exhales deeply, “wouldn’t have made it.”
“Fuck, man.” Wyatt slaps Holden on the shoulder. “As you’re saying this out loud, I realize how fucked up I am.” Wyatt grits his teeth and then releases a sigh. “You turned your back on me, you started dating my little sister, but I forget that Alice wouldn’t be here today without what we did. I shouldn’t have said anything, no matter how pissed I am.”
“It needed to be said.” Holden lands his rough hand on my elbow. “I’ve paid the money back little by little over the last ten years.”
I’m not sure the crease in my forehead could get any deeper. “And no one noticed that there was an influx of money coming in?”
Holden tilts his head to the side. “Our clients tip fairly regularly so no one thought anything of some extra money getting added.”
I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to think. I don’t know how I ever believed Holden was such a good guy. He literally stole sixty thousand dollars. I’m pretty sure people go to prison for life for that kind of stuff.
“I should go.” I step sideways into the house and grab my coat off the hook before swinging my purse over my chest.
“I fucked up.” Wyatt reaches out for me as though he wants to apologize. “I’ve been so fucking angry about what went down with everything… I’m not thinking straight.”
I reach my palm out toward him. “Give me your keys.”
