‘Jason said you were used to him taking things from you.’
‘Not for a very long time.’ At her enquiring gaze he continued. ‘The last one was my first serious girlfriend, when I was eighteen.’
‘But he’s years older than you!’
‘Twelve years.’ At her horrified stare he shrugged. ‘I’m the youngest and there’s a gap between me and the rest. But we were taught to be competitive at everything. Besting one of our siblings at something was applauded. Losing was weakness.’
‘What did she see in him? She had you and he was so much older. And why would he do such a thing?’
Conall smiled, warmed at Greer’s astonishment that any female would prefer Jason. ‘I was a kid, albeit a kid with big plans. He was already established and very wealthy.’
Still Greer stared.
‘My family isn’t like others. When we were young our father never gave us support or love. He made the rules and we obeyed. People talk about strict disciplinarians but he was in a league of his own.’ Conall had no intention of going into detail.
‘For him, life is about winning at all costs. Triumphing over everyone else. Wielding power and accruing wealth. But he’s short on ethics, happy to bribe or browbeat people. He moulded us into mini versions of himself.
‘He supported all of us until we finished our education. But meanwhile we spent every vacation working without pay, and I do mean working. Jason was a jackaroo on a cattle station my great-grandfather established. I was a chainman for a surveyor working on a new road through the Pilbara.’ It had been one of the harshest yet most beautiful environments he’d ever experienced.
‘He wanted to toughen us up and above all he fostered competition between us. People ask who will inherit his business. What no one outside the family knows is that it will go to the one who has the most net wealth. Everyone’s scrambling to make their own business bigger and better. He set up a perpetual competition between us and believe me, it’s dog eat dog.’
Conall had never shared that with anyone. But it felt good, telling Greer, as if he bared some shameful secret he’d been too scared to reveal, only to find she didn’t judge him for it.
For instead of retreating, she slid her feet out of his hold and moved to sit beside him. ‘You’re in competition with each other? All the time?’
‘For years I was. That was drummed into me—succeed at all costs, beat everyone else, come out on top. It was a way of life for all of us. But a couple of years away from the old man and things changed.Ichanged.’
Conall watched her closely, wondering if she’d believe him. ‘I realised I have no interest in inheriting his money. I know some of the rules he broke, the palms he greased and the people he took advantage of to get that money. I opted out. I go my own way.’
‘But your siblings don’t?’
He lifted one shoulder. ‘They don’t confide in me. We’re not close.’
Greer’s sputter of laughter made his own mouth tug up in a rueful smile. ‘That’s an understatement!’ Then her expression sobered. ‘It’s hard to take in.’
‘You can understand why I don’t discuss it. Even as a child I knew we weren’tnormal.’
Her hand closed, warm around his. ‘You shouldn’t lump yourself with your family. You’re not like them.’
Thank God she thought so! Since she’d pushed him away he’d begun to wonder if she saw the ugliness he’d tried so hardnotto let grow inside him. He strivednotto be like his old man but sometimes, when he was strategising his next commercial move, focused totally on winning, he wondered.
Was it any wonder he hadn’t shared this with Greer?
‘Jason’s trying to stymie your business deals here?’
‘Or somehow cut me out and take my place.’ Conall saw her dismay and curled his hands around hers. ‘It’s okay, Greer. Lee might have invited him to the party but he wouldn’t work with him. Jason doesn’t have what it takes. He’s not me.’
Her eyes danced. ‘I’ve always liked your confidence.’
He was confident all right, when it came to sealing a profitable deal.
But you haven’t been so successful in your personal life, have you?
Greer hadn’t jumped at the chance to marry him. And instead of turning to him when tragedy struck, she’d left him. He’d never felt so alone. Even now their marriage didn’t feel secure. They teetered between needing each other and treating each other like strangers.
No more.
They had so much to discuss, but at least they’d begun talking. Greer had listened and not turned away from the ugliness he’d kept to himself so long. He hadn’t shared that because he felt it tainted him.
