Anton nods and I nudge Noah, indicating for him to start moving towards the door, but he stands his ground, his gaze focused heavily on Anton. “Why’d you let me go?”
Oh, fuck. Does he really want to talk about this now when I have a little girl in my arms who’s desperate to get home? Hell, the last conversation they had ended with a gun being drawn. I don’t need that shit in my life, especially not when I have Ari up on my hip.
“I have made my reasons quite clear,” Anton says, indicating towards the door. “Now, would you please see yourselves to the door before I’m forced to help you there?”
I hastily nod and go to move, only Noah is once again blocking my way. “It’s because of Lacey, isn’t it? Your niece.”
Anton’s body stiffens and it’s clear as day that he’s outside of his comfort zone right about now. “What do you know of Lacey?”
“I know that she had leukemia just like Lily did and I know that she was across the hall from my sister, but more importantly, I know that it was Lily who gave her the strength to keep fighting. Without my sister, your niece would have died right along with her and that’s why you let me go. Not because you saw the errors of your ways like you suggested and not because I’m your daughter’s boyfriend. It’s because my sister saved your niece, isn’t it?”
Anton’s jaw clenches but Noah’s not giving in. “Answer me. You owe me that much.”
“I owe you nothing,” he shoots back at Noah. “I took you in and gave you something to work towards. Without me, you never would have had the money to get that car you love, or financially help out your family. You couldn’t have afforded those tattoos or the life you choose to lead. I made you what you are today.”
“I would have found a way without you.”
“You really think so? You think anyone else in this town would have given you the time of day. You would have ended up just like the rest of them. Losers with no hope and no future. I gave you the tool to make something of yourself. I taught you how to have a backbone and made sure you saw the world for what it is.”
“You’re fucking twisted if you think for one second that you were doing me a favor. Me and Rivers, we both would have been better off without you.”
“Don’t you think for one second that you know what’s best for my son, boy.”
“I do know what’s best for him and clearly he does too,” Noah says. “He broke out and got away from you just like he always wanted, and now you’re going to drag Henley down into the same darkness that Rivers has struggled to get out of his whole life.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Anton tells him. “I protect what’s mine and I’ve only ever done what was best for him.”
I raise my chin. “You didn’t protect me,” I argue. “You gave me away when I was only a few days old.”
“I sure as hell did,” Anton says. “You wouldn’t have had any life living with me or Gina. We did what was best for you and gave you a father who would have loved you in the way a little girl needs.”
“And what about Rivers? Why didn’t you give him away?”
“Because he’s my firstborn son and from the second he was born, it was his duty to stand by my side, take on the Mathers’ legacy and make our empire so much more. We were going to be unstoppable until he turned his back and joined the Marines.”
I shake my head. “He did what he had to do to keep himself away from you.”
“Don’t be fooled, Henley. I’ll get my son back no matter what it’s going to cost me. His place is here by my side and until that happens, you’ll be stepping up.”
“And if he never comes back?”
“Then that certainly says something about your future, doesn’t it?”
I glance up to Noah, knowing exactly what he’s trying to tell me. I’ll be stuck here forever unless Rivers comes back and my gut is telling me that it’s very likely, not unless we can somehow take Anton down. But looking around me at this massive empire he’s built for himself, taking him down is not going to be a stroll through the park.
But then, could I really take down the man who gave me away to have a better life and save my little sister? Maybe he’s not the villain we’ve always thought he was? One thing is for sure though, he’s done things in his life which he deserves to be locked up for, and a few good deeds for his daughter isn’t going to outweigh the bad.