His Queen

Hailey's Brother

“Are you sure about this?”  Cleo asked confidently. Hailey wished she had that confidence, but it had to be different feelings right now.  

Sitting out in front of a large mansion, Hailey felt sick to her stomach. But she couldn’t back out now, not after the past week of trying to find him. “No, but we’re here now. And besides, I want to see him, I just...I want to know he’s okay.”  

Hailey had asked Sean if he knew how to find someone. And since he had friends in police departments, she asked if he could track her brother down for her. But now she regretted it, because seeing the house meant he was okay by some degree, right?  

No need for her to pop up and ruin whatever life he had now. But Cleo had told it to her flat the night before. “You want to see him because he’s your older brother and part of you wants to see if he’s okay. That’s not a bad part, it’s a sweet part, a part reserve for family. I’m going if it’s not clear by the way.”  

Hailey promised Cleo she’d be fine if she hadn’t wanted to go. But Cleo wasn’t letting Hailey pull up on a guy, blood or not, she hadn’t seen in years. Despite being clearly well off now, Cleo knew that made him trustworthy.  

Hell, some of the rich could be the most deprived. Getting out of the car together, Cleo walked at Hailey’s pace. Going to the door, Hailey waited, and then knocked. Cleo blew out a breath, “God I can’t believe your new boyfriend helped you track him down. It’s so sweet.”  

Hailey rolled her eyes, blushing she grumbled, “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s, my friend.” Cleo chuckled as she looked at her sister amused, “Yeah, a friend who has been texting you since we got here. He’s so worried about you.”  

Not able to deny that, Hailey said nothing as suddenly the door opened. A butler stood with a stoic expression, his skin so white it looked unnatural. Older by a few centuries, he looked them over in his crisp uniform tiredly, “We’re not interested,” He said stiffly, and he started to close the door.  

But Cleo stopped him, “Actually sir, we’re here to see someone we believe stays here.” Raising an eyebrow, he looked them both over like the words they’d said were preposterous. “Very well,” He sighed, “And who might that be?”  

Hailey breathed out, “Theo?” Looking at Hailey, the butler took her in more closely before waving her in. “Fine, fine, come in.” He said briskly. Coming into the house the grand house was almost as impressive as Tyrone’s grandfathers.  

But only almost.  

Sat in a living room, adjacent to the grand staircase, there was silence and then footsteps. Looking up, Hailey’s breath stuttered out as she saw her older brother. Sandy brown hair, and on his light skin swag, the handsome man towered over everything as he came closer.  

Theodore Washington, or Theo, was only twenty-three, but his presence was intimidating. The same green eyes sweeping over the uninvited guests, they jumped back to Hailey with an almost accusatory look. “Hailey.” He greeted quietly.  

“Hi, Theo.” Hailey greeted back nervous as hell. She’d practiced everything she was going to say, but now it all sounded stupid. So she tried to be polite first, “Sorry to just barge in, we would have called but-.”  

Snorting, Theodore shrugged, “But I doubt you have my number. And if you did, I would have saved you a trip.” Confused by the almost hostile tone in his voice, Cleo said, “Hey, look I don’t know you but-.” Theo’s eyes would have cut her if they were knives, “No you don’t, so how about you leave this between family?”  

Ready to beat the brakes off this asshole, Hailey quickly snapped, “Don’t talk to her like that! AND she is family.” Theodore laughed mockingly, “Oh please don’t tell me Peyton actually had another kid.”  

Hailey sighed, “This is our step-sister. She is family Theo.” Theodore sent his sister a cold look, “Maybe to you, but she is nothing to me.” Cleo wasn’t even insulted. She didn’t think she wanted to be anything to this prick. 

Not wanting to fight with her combative older brother, Hailey tried another route, “Um, so how have you been-.” Groaning, Theo threw his hands up, “Okay that’s enough of THAT. Just tell me how much?” Hailey was confused now, “What?” Cleo’s heart sank in her gut as her worst fears came true.  

Theodore looked his sister over like she was beneath him, and he’d treat her as such. “Look you didn’t need to come with the doe eyes pretending like this was going to be a tearful reunion.” Hailey’s heart raced as Theodore reached into his pocket and pulled out his checkbook.  

“So how much is it going to take for this to just end?” Hailey thickly spoke over the lump in her throat, “You think I want money?” Theodore laughed mockingly again, “Wow she trained you good.” Hailey took the insult because for a while, her mother had almost succeeded in ruining her.  

But this? This wasn’t being a b***h to girls or breaking boy's hearts.  

This was her brother who looked at her and saw their mother. And what he saw, was ugliness. “Look I don’t need you to embarrass yourself, Hailey, just how much does she need?” Shaking her head, Cleo hissed, “Hailey let’s go.”  

Hailey looked at her brother confused, “Mom didn’t send me, I came because-.” Theodore met her eyes with a thunderous expression, “That b***h is not my mother! That w***e pushed me out and left me to die.” Wincing at the harshness of his words, Hailey wasn’t prepared to hear the rest.  

“So how about you stop the lies and go join her. Her shoes are the only ones you’re going to be good for.” The anger that took over Cleo was enough to have her in jail. But instead of showing her ass, she stood and held out her hand, “Hailey we’re leaving. Now!”  

Hailey looked at her sister who told her seriously, “You don’t deserve this.” Hailey took Cleo’s hand who pulled her out. Theodore watched and as Hailey turned and looked at him, he felt a chill go up his spine.  

They were outside when he heard, “Who was that sweetie? Jefferies said you had visitors.” Looking at Maddison, Hector, and Ava, Theodore felt instantly guilty for his actions. Taking off outside, Theodore saw they were long gone, and he sighed angrily at himself.  

It was on the side of the road, his sister felt the same. Hating herself for not being able to understand. She didn’t know what she’d personally done to upset Theo, maybe it was her looking so much like Peyton. 

Maybe he blamed her for being the one she kept. Her life hadn’t been as splendid as he might imagine, but at least she wasn’t abandoned. Whatever it had been, sent his blood boiling on max high.  

And in return, he’d hurt Peyton to her core. Sobbing in Cleo’s arms on the side of the road, Cleo shushed her. “It’s going to be okay.” Peyton shook her head crying, “No, it’s not. My mom is an addict who won’t stay clean if we let her out of the basement, my dad is an asshole, and my brother hates me! What does that leave me with?”  

Cleo shrugged helplessly, “I’m sorry it’s not much, but you got me.” Hailey shrugged helplessly, “But I don’t deserve you either. I was so awful to you, I don’t deserve your forgiveness, or you being my sister.”  

Sighing, Cleo hugged Hailey tight, “Family isn’t always blood Cleo. Sometimes it’s the people who have your back and love you no matter what you do and say. And I love you okay?” Hailey nodded tearfully, and Cleo asked, “But, I have to know why did you want to see him so badly? It’s pretty obvious on f*******: dudes just fine. If that’s all you wanted...why did you need to see him?” 

Fidgeting with her necklace, Hailey confessed, “So something happened, something I haven’t told you about yet...with my dad.” Surprised by the Cleo echoed, “Your dad?” Hailey nodded slowly and then realized something else she should own up to before Cleo actually saw her.  

“And because of that something happening with my dad...something happened with my mom to.” Cleo froze and as an icy fear filled her veins, she realized since she got home, she hadn’t heard a peep from Peyton.  

“Oh god, please tell me you didn’t kill her.” She prayed. Hailey chuckled warily, even though nothing was funny, “Of course not.” She said so offhandedly, Cleo looked at her still suspicious.

 Hailey hummed guilty before confessing, “But I might have broken something.”  

Cleo slammed her head down on the horn.