“He could try killing you in your sleep, though,” Aria piques in, her voice radiating with worry. She squeezes dad’s hand harder, and the only thing he does in response is kiss her forehead.
“I’m too tough to be killed in my sleep. Sometimes, I swear, you two seem to forget that not only am I your father, but I was the one who taught you everything you know. Do you truly believe I have no tricks up my sleeve?”
“Point taken,” I slump into the chair, stretching my legs and putting one ankle over the other, arms folded in front of my chest. “But seriously, how are you?”
“I’m impatient, Arlo,” the tone of his voice changes, and it makes me instantly straighten up in my seat.
Hudson is a fantastic father, the best one I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing, but he is scary as fuck when he wants to be. His domineering presence is something I cannot ignore, and when he uses his commanding tone with me, I know he’s not my father at this moment — he’s my boss.
“I know.”
“Then do something about it,” he says, his voice slow. “I’m missing Noah like crazy. All I want to do is be next to her, all the time, and wait for her to wake up. You need to stop playing around, son. I need you to pull Ghost out of retirement, and set the entire world ablaze if need be.”
“Fine. Done.”
He quirks a brow. “Then, I can expect results soon?”
“Before Aria graduates, all of this will be over.”
“That’s still four months away,” Dad drawls out, and there’s a certain glint in his eyes that genuinely terrifies me. Just a little reminder that he is still the boss of me, unfortunately.
“My biggest priority is to find the mole, and to get that damned agent off our backs.”
“He’s still persistent, isn’t he?” Dad asks, his brow ticking in annoyance.
“Yes,” I groan. “I can’t hand over all the evidence on Paul because he’s already in prison and we know the evidence will go missing. Also, all his associates are dead, with the exception of Nelson, because I’m keeping him alive until Mom wakes up.”
“Does Blair know when, and how she wants to execute her revenge?”
“She has an idea,” I glance away, to the wall on the right. It’s filled with images of Mom and Dad, from various fazes of their lives, all glued to the wall. “I think she’s just not truly ready yet.”
“She’s never going to be ready for it,” he says. “This isn’t something one can prepare for and then do it. She’ll have to force the demons inside of her head to work for her, not againsther, and then cut the cord. If she continues to wait, who knows what’ll happen?”
He’s right. It’s a sensitive topic I’m yet to bring up with Blair, but he makes a good point. If we continue waiting, it could all go to hell. I’m not keen on forcing her hand, as it’s something I’ll never do, but it’s a conversation that needs to happen, and it has to happen very, very soon.
“You’re right,” I sigh. “I’ll see what I can do about it.”
“Good. You have three months to get it done. I hate this fucking prison.”
“I promise, you’ll start seeing results soon.”
“Good, because as soon as this is over, and your mother wakes up, I’m whisking her away and keeping her to myself for at least a full fucking year.”
I quirk an amused brow. “Oh, really?”
Dad scoffs. “I’d say we deserve it. You can hold the fort for that long, can’t you?”
“Obviously,” I drawl out. “Anywho, we don’t have much time left here. I’ve been feeling odd these past few days.”
“Odd, how?” He asks, his voice immediately filled with worry.
“I can’t place it. It’s like my gut is telling me something terrible is coming our way, it’s why I came here today. You taught me to trust the feeling, so I will.”
“What do you think is going to happen?”
“I don’t know, but it’s going to be bad. I need you to be ready, because if I end up needing you, I’m pulling you out.”
Dad nods. “For what it’s worth, I trust your judgement. But unless it’s absolutely necessary, leave me in here. Someone needs to keep an eye out for Simmons.”
