"Well, he seems like a cheery fellow." Sylvia barely waited for the guard to close the door before she spoke.
"I'm sure working in this place brings out the warm and fuzzies of his personality."
Sylvia snorted as she took a seat at the metal table. "I'm not sure that burly guy knows what the words warm and fuzzy mean."
She was probably right. The guard––who didn't say his name––looked more like a grizzly bear with a thorn in his paw. I would even hedge a bet that the frown lines on his face were permanently etched there.
I waited until another guard shuffled Mason into the room before I took a seat next to Sylvia.
"I see you brought a friend this time." Mason held out his arms so the guard could cuff him to the table. "I haven't changed my mind, so this little visit is a waste of time."
"That's not why I'm here. I have some news to share with you." I watched the guard leave before turning my attention back to Mason. He didn't look the least bit interested in being here with us.
"Oh yeah. Did you finally get your head out of your ass and decide to stop wasting your time with me?"
"I never waste my time. Not then and not now. I still believe the two options I gave you were fair."
Mason scoffed, "Right. Because the options to either testify against my family and enter witness protection or go to prison are every man's dream. And you wonder why I made my own option."
I raised an unamused brow. "And how did that work out for you?"
"Pretty damn good for seven years and I would've made it longer if it weren't for the stupid taillight."
I shook my head. "It's always the little things that bring criminals down. But like I said. That's not why I'm here."
"Fine. Then how about you tell me why youarehere." Mason didn't take his eyes off me. Except for a quick glance when he first walked in, he had yet to give Sylvia a lick of attention.
"Local PD is waiting for DNA confirmation, but early reports look like your brother was murdered."
I watched Mason closely for any reaction. I had to give the man credit; he either learned to hide his emotions over the years, or his brother's death didn't mean shit to him.
"Sucks for him. Pops is going to be pissed."
"That's all you're going to say? Pops is going to be pissed?"
Mason lifted his shoulder slightly. "What do you want me to say? We both know there’s no love between me and my brother. Or me and my pops for that matter. They both hated me and vice versa."
"True, but Lex's death means you're next in line to take over the Dunkin family?"
Mason threw his head back and laughed hysterically. It was several long moments before he was able to get himself under control enough to answer. "You really think my father is going to let me take over after the shit I pulled? I ran for a reason. I want nothing to do with that life, and the only thing my father sees in me is disappointment."
I leaned over the table. "So, then, testify. Bring your father down and get rid of the Dunkin crime family for good."
For a few seconds, it looked like Mason was actually considering it, but then he shook his head. "No. Cutting the head off the snake won't do any good. Another snake will just take his place, and there will always be someone worried that I'll come back to take my rightful place."
Leaning back in the chair, I crossed my arms over my chest. "So you're going to what? Spend the rest of your life behind bars?"
"I never said that." Mason had a smirk on his face that I didn't like. The man was up to something. I just had yet to figure out what it was.
I decided to switch up the topic. "Anita paid me a visit. She wants to talk to you." Mason's smirk fell off his face fast, and the satisfaction I felt knowing I did that was probably unhealthy. "You remember Anita, right? Slightly unhinged woman and Nova's best friend."
"Yes, I remember her." I couldn't tell if the disdain in his voice was for me or Anita, but I was about to find out.
"What's Anita's last name again?" I figured if anyone knew it, Mason would. He and Nova dated for years before her disappearance.
"I can't recall her ever telling me." His smirk was back.
"Are you sure? Anita was Nova's best friend. Almost like sisters from what I remember. You expect me to believe you didn't know everything about the one person who was closest to your girl?"
