Page 10 of Antonio Miles

“I should thank you for your hospitality,” I said. “Though, I confess, I didn’t expect this.” I waved my hand to indicate the opulent surroundings.

Seth’s mouth ticked up at the corner. “You’re very welcome, my dear.” He poured coffee into a second cup and slid it across the table to me. “But I suspect you have questions.”

I looked at Antonio. He maintained his poker face, but his knuckles had gone white around the coffee mug. I was supposed to make this easy for them, to say thank you, accept the food, shelter, and the security, and go along with whatever they decided to do with me. Unfortunately for everyone involved, that wasn’t going to work for me. “Who tried to hit Haven?” I asked. “And why do they want me?”

Seth didn’t blink. “You come to the point quickly. Good.” He looked at Antonio, then back at me. “The first answer is Iron. The second answer is less clear. By simply surviving, you’ve made some powerful enemies. I believe Iron is acting on behalf of someone else, but my men are still mapping out the network.”

I took the cup but didn’t drink. “Is there a third answer?”

“Yes,” he said. “You’re a convenient leverage against my son.” He said it with zero judgment. “There is no shortage of people who would like to test the Miles family. Some think the best way is through those we have an interest in.”

I could feel Antonio’s stare, but I didn’t look at him. “I’m of no interest to Antonio.”

Seth actually chuckled as he shook his head… almost like he thought I was too cute for words. “He disagrees, I think,” he said, nodding at Antonio with a grin so much like a wolf in a fable my stomach turned over. “My son doesn’t make a habit of bringing home women he doesn’t care about. Not for any reason.”

I risked a glance. He kept his jaw locked and didn’t confirm or deny. I set the coffee mug down. “That’s not my concern. I need to know how long I’m a target.”

Seth sat back in his chair and considered me. “Realistically? Until we put Iron in the ground. Or until whoever’s paying him stops caring about you. Which could be never.” That was about what I expected, but confirmation did not make it better.

“I want to see the files,” I said, abruptly changing the subject.

Seth raised an eyebrow, glancing at Antonio again. “What files are you referring to?”

“The stuff my sister got. I want to know who was coming for me that night, and what they’re willing to pay. And then, I want to know what happens to the women who don’t make it to Haven and who bought them.”

He drummed his fingers once, then stopped. “You don’t trust us to protect you?”

I shrugged. “I want to know what’s coming. If you can show me, do it. If you can’t, then don’t pretend I’m safer here than anywhere else because I’m telling you right now, knowledge is power, and I’m through being weak.”

A long, thick silence followed. Seth’s gaze sharpened. “You remind me of someone.” He didn’t elaborate. Instead, he leaned back and turned his attention to Antonio.

“If she wants this, I’m not going to deny her,” he said. “Have Kass see to it.”

Antonio gave me a curious look, like he couldn’t quite figure me out. “Do you want the raw data or the summary my team created with clear ties to each individual we’ve currently identified?” That surprised me. I didn’t expect either of them to give in this easily.

Seth rose from the table. “Antonio, we’ll talk after you get Miss Garrison settled.”

Antonio didn’t speak until the sound of his father’s footsteps faded. “You blindsided him,” he said.

“I won’t be a pawn,” I said. “Never again. I don’t like surprises.”

He actually smiled. “Neither does he.”

“Will you really let me see what you have?” I asked. “Because I want the actual names.”

“It’s already on the way,” he said. “Your sister had a lot of really good information. So far, we’ve verified everything she collected.”

I drank the coffee, black and hot, and watched him over the rim of the cup. For the first time since I’d been taken from Enclave Éclipse, I felt the momentum swing solidly in my direction. I might not know much about the men in this house, but I knew both were powerful and got what they wanted. If anyone could do something about this whole fucked-up mess, I guess it would be the Miles family.

I finished my coffee and stood to leave the table. Antonio moved to my side and guided me out of the kitchen with a hand at the small of my back. He walked me to the suite he and Seth had assigned me. The hallway was wide enough for us to walk side by side.

The wood floors were old but had been expensively refinished and preserved for durability. The walls carried framed sketches and paintings. A few small sculptures sat in various nooks or shelves.

Halfway down, I saw a painting that didn’t fit. It showed a sunrise, all oranges and wet blue, the paint laid in beautiful, textured lines accenting the color gradients and swirling clouds. It hadn’t been framed, but rather the stretched canvas leaned on the floor against the open door of what looked like a small study.

I slowed to look, but Antonio kept moving. He must have realized I wasn’t with him because he slowed, turning to look for me. “You like it?” he said, when he realized what caught my attention.

“Who did it?” I asked.