I’m led down to a chair and told to sit patiently. I don’t know why I feel so nervous but when the guard steps away, my fingers begin tapping. Maybe it has something to do with the whole ‘maximum-security’ thing. Maybe it’s knowing the men on the other side of the glass, the ones with tattoos on their faces and gang-related bandanas who all leered at me as I walked through the room, having all done something sickening to land themselves in here. I’m literally sitting in a room among murderers.
I’m sure Anton will fit in just perfectly with these guys. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Anton already knew them all. Perhaps he’s the reason half of them are in here.
I’m too busy wondering about the other men sitting around me to notice Anton approaching our table and before I can give myself another second to mentally prepare, he’s dropping down in front of me with a proud smile.
Anton leans in and takes the phone before slowly bringing it to his ear, his smile growing further across his face as he does.
I sit there staring at him before remembering that I’m going to need the phone too, otherwise I won’t be able to hear shit. Though, now that I come to think about it, maybe I’m not here to hear anything at all. Maybe I’m just here to tell Anton how it’s going to be and then get the hell out.
No, that’s just going to leave me with unanswered questions, and I’ll end up back here when I really don’t want to be making another trip.
With that sorted, I grab the phone and press it to my ear, wondering when the hell this thing was cleaned last. I can only imagine the type of people who would have been sitting in this chair before me.
“Henley Mathers,” Anton says proudly. “I was wondering when you were going to come and visit your old man. It’s been two weeks already. I was expecting you a while ago.”
“It’s Bronx.”
“What?”
“My surname. It’s Bronx. My name is not Henley Mathers or Henley Rivers, it’s Bronx. I had it officially changed. So, if you’re going to address me, then I expect you to do it correctly.”
Anton’s eyes narrow on me and it’s clear as day that he does not approve of me officially changing my name. “I don’t care what your name says on paper. You’re my daughter and my blood runs through your veins. You’re a Mathers and you always will be. No piece of paper is going to change that. Though,” he adds as an afterthought. “I could probably get that piece of paper changed.”
Over my dead fucking body.
I sit in silence, not wanting to respond to his bullshit and he quickly gets the hint. He lets out a sigh and gets on with it. “What are you doing here, Henley? Not sure if you’ve noticed, but I can’t exactly do you any favors at the moment.”
“I’m not after a favor,” I tell him. “I’m after some answers.”
“I don’t have time for answers.”
“Really?” I say, indicating to the dull room around us and reminding him exactly where he is. “Because it seems as though you have all the time in the world.”
Anton raises a brow before sitting back in his chair and acting as though nothing can touch him. “You know, I’m very aware that it was your boyfriend who squealed to the cops.”
I sit back in my chair, mimicking his stance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tell him. “You told Noah that a condition of his release was that he keep his mouth shut and he stood by that. Not sure if you noticed but Noah’s an honest guy, unlike the ones you surround yourself with.”
A flicker of doubt flashes through Anton’s eyes and I let out a discreet breath of relief. He has no idea who spoke with the cops and was just taking a wild guess. Either that or he really wants to believe that his own daughter wouldn’t lie to him, and if that’s the case then he’s in for a rude shock because I’d protect Noah a million times over the scum sitting before me.
“What is it you want to know?”
“There are a few things,” I tell him.
“I thought that much,” he murmurs. “Why don’t you start with the easy things and work your way up?”
I nod, for once finally being on the same page as the guy. “Was it your actions that sent Kelly to prison?”
Anton’s face scrunches up in confusion. “Kelly?”
“Aria’s mom. My little sister. The mother of the girl I asked you to find.”
Recognition flashes in his eyes and he shakes his head. “Funnily enough, I had nothing to do with that. You requested that I make her pay and I did that with a good old-fashioned terror inducing threat. It was fun actually. I got to go back to my roots. I haven’t done that shit in years. Worked like a charm too. You should have seen her face. Fucking priceless.”