“The night you killed him. Be a fucking man and own that shit.”
He looked ready to argue but something in him gave up the fight. “I was going after the book that night and planned to hand it over to someone I owed.”
“Who?”
He shook his head. “Not important.”
I gritted my teeth and forced myself to move past his secrets while praying he wasn’t lying to me. “So you sent Mian to finish the job without even telling her exactly what she was getting herself into?”
“It’s like I told you. She would have found a way with or without my help. She thought I was going after money.”
“And you didn’t bother to tell her different.”
“She was in a bad way and needed cash. Mian’s a smart girl. Even if she didn’t find a safe full of cash, I knew she’d take something worth some value.”
“So you sent her in blind and you callthatprotecting her?”
“Mian has no skills as a thief. She’s a good girl. The chances of her getting caught were high, but there was nothing I could do to stop her behind bars. Her safest bet was you. I knew you wouldn’t hurt her.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Ididhurt her.” I kept my smile at bay when his face paled.
“What did you do?” he urged through his shaken voice.
“Nothing that will scar.”
His fist slammed on the table top as he leaned close. “I trusted you,” he spat.
“Like my father trusted you?”
“Youknowwhy he died that night,” he gritted. I wanted to kill him on the spot. He was still excusing himself from blame. “Let my daughter go. She doesn’t deserve your wrath.”
“I’m not sure about that, but it doesn’t matter anymore. Mian is in even bigger trouble, and I’m going to get her out of it. I just came to warn you that once I do, I’ll be keeping her.”
“Trouble? What kind of trouble?”
“Did you know that her son’s father is Aaron Staten?”
“Impossible.”
“Why not? Your daughter is a beautiful girl.” He looked as if he wanted to kill me for noticing.
“Because she’d never go for that prick, much less—” He stopped and looked away. He was clearly having a hard time accepting the thought of a cock between his daughter’s legs. The thought made me want to put a bullet in someone so I could only imagine how he felt. I decided to change the subject for both of our sakes.
“The senator wants her dead.” I dropped the bomb in his lap but didn’t wait for the explosion. “I’m not going to let that happen.”
His eyes were rimmed with red as he stared at me in disbelief. “You would do that for her? Why?”
“You were supposed to protect her, and at the very least, love her enough to keep her from doing something stupid.”
“Itried.”
“And you failed.” I rubbed my chin as we locked gazes. “But that doesn’t matter now. You had your chance, and you won’t get another one. She’s no longer yours.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He spoke so harshly spit flew from his mouth.
I leaned forward so there was no mistake. “It means, I’m her daddy now,” I growled.Chapter Forty-SixOld habits die hard.
MIANI felt likea dog that had been let off the chain for the first time. The first place I went sniffing was after my son. After Angel had scarred me for life, he didn’t bother to lock me up. At first, I figured he was too pissed off to realize his blunder until Z passed me in the hall with a bright smile and one of his chin lifts.
After searching the house from top to bottom, I couldn’t find a trace of my baby or Angel. I did, however, find Lucas lounging in the den.
“Where’s Angel?”
He looked up from drinking milk from the bowl of cereal he had just eaten, and reluctantly, I had to admit to myself how cute he looked with his milk mustache.
“Out.”
“Fine. Where is my son?”
He set the bowl down on the coffee table in front of him and leaned back, resting his arms along the back casually.
“He’s out, too.”
God, I wanted to kill him. “Where did he take my son?”
‘To get some fresh air.”
“You mean, keeping him from me.”
He shrugged. “You can’t be trusted, girl.”
“That is not for any of you to decide. He ismyson.”
“And you’re Angel’s prisoner, which means your son belongs to him unless he lets you both go.”
“You meanwhenhe lets us go,” I corrected with suspicion in my gut.
“Sure.” His lips tilted.
I stalked to the back of the couch and placed my hands on his powerful shoulders. I leaned down to whisper in his ear. “I’m free now,” I reminded him. “You should watch your back.”
I felt the muscles in his shoulders stiffen, but I didn’t stick around for the aftermath. Without Caylen to find or a working phone to call for help, I retreated upstairs in defeat. It was my intention to return to my cell, but somehow, I stood in front of the door to Angel’s old bedroom.