I cringe. “Dad…I haven’t even got to the main stuff yet. That was just a warm up.”
“You can’t tell me it gets much worse than that?”
“So much worse.”
I cringe again. “Well…Noah, Tully, and I sort of broke into Gina’s home and found mine and Rivers’ birth certificates.” I look across at dad, looking into his eyes which are so much like Ari’s, absolutely hating what I have to do next. “Dad,” I sigh. “Gina lied. You’re not my father. Anton is.”
His mouth drops open as though he’s going to say something but no sound comes out so I give him a moment, reaching over and taking his hand as a lone tear slides down my face. “How can you be sure?” dad questions in a devastatingly broken tone.
“There was a DNA test done a few days after I was born. She knew, dad. They both knew and still decided to give me up anyway.”
Dad leans forward, elbows on his knees as he sinks his face into his hands. “I can’t…I can’t deal with this right now, Squish. I…I can’t be thinking about this while your sister is still out there.”
“I know,” I tell him. “I didn’t intend to hurt you or to make this harder, but you needed to understand why I went to him. He can find her. He can bring her home so much quicker than any of us could. He has the money to throw around and he’s in the pocket of every cop in town. He’s resourceful and I believe he will find her.”
“How can you be so sure? Why would he want to do a favor for you? You’re the kid he threw away.”
I ignore the way that comment stings and get on with it. “Because I have something he wants.”
Dad’s head turns in his hands as he takes me in slowly. “What could you possibly have that a man like Anton would need?”
“Me, dad. He wants me.”
Dad’s back straightens as he watches me with deep confusion. “Excuse me?”
“After the summer, if he finds Ari and brings her home, then I’m to move into his home where he can train me to one day take his place within his business. He’s only willing to give his position up if he has a blood relative to step into his shoes and with Rivers now away in the military, it leaves only me.”
“No,” dad says, shaking his head. “You can’t do it. We’ll get her back another way.”
“I’ve already agreed, dad. I have no choice. It’s her freedom or mine and I’d rather she be home with you than out in the world with Kelly. I’ll be ok. So what? I’ll probably see a few things that no eighteen year old girl should ever see, but I’ll be safe. I’ll be under Anton’s protection and I’ll be happy because Ari will be home with you. It’s going to be ok, daddy. You have to believe that it’s going to be ok.”
Dad shakes his head as he gets up off the couch. “I’m sorry, Henley, but none of this is ok.”
With that, he walks straight out the door, letting it slam shut behind him.
Chapter 5
“Come on,” Tully says, getting up from the couch and grabbing my arm. She hauls me up behind her with a loud groan. “I’m sick of this. You’re wasting away sitting here like this. I’m getting you out of the house.”
“No,” I say, snatching my hand back out of her tight grip. “I can’t. Not when things are like this. We still have no idea where Ari is and dad hates me. He hasn’t talked to me in days. It’s like I’m a stranger living in his home.”
“You can and you will,” she tells me, setting her jaw in a firm line and trying to pull that ‘I’m so fucking intimidating’ bullshit with me, but she should know better by now. That won’t work on me. “Your doctor gave you clearance yesterday, your head is fine, and you’re being a complete bitch being holed up in here. It’s been four days; you need some fresh air.”
“I don’t want fresh air. I want to stay here in case the phone rings and if…”
“And if what? If she comes back?” My eyes cast down, giving me away. “Henley…she’s five. If by some miracle she managed to get away, it’s highly unlikely that she’ll know her way back and not to mention, people don’t call landlines anymore; that’s what your cell is for. Besides, you’re not being helpful when you’re like this. You need to take a break and get a little air before you start pushing people away.”
“I’ve not been that bad.”
“Yeah…you have. Now find yourself a pair of shoes. We’ll go for a walk and you can clear your head.”
I shake my head as I pull myself up off the couch, the very place which my ass has been taking residence for the past four days. How could this bitch make me do this? There’s nothing worse than having to get up and be a part of society when all you want to do is curl up on the couch and be a nobody.