Page 86 of Broken Halo

I school my features and slide my hands in my pockets. “What the hell do you want?”

His head jerks. “Is that all ya gotta say to your old man? Did ya even know I was out?”

“I did.”

“And ya didn’t come to see me.” He clucks that damn tongue again. If there weren’t cameras in here recording everything, I might hold him down and rip it out of his mouth so I’d never have to listen to it again. He raises his voice. “What kind of son are ya?”

My phone vibrates and I pull it out of my pocket and look to the screen. Pettit.

“Boy. I’m talkin’ to ya.”

“Yes, you are. Unfortunately, I can still hear you,” I mutter.

Eli – Tracker says Ray’s at MI.

Me – I can confirm that since he’s standing in front of me.

Eli – What’s he want?

“I’m talkin’ to you!” he yells and starts around the table but I hold my hand up and angle my eyes, halting him.

Me – We’re in the conference room off the lobby in case you feel like being a fly on the wall.

I slide my phone back into my pocket, taking a step toward him. “I’ve had eyes on you for years. I knew you were out and I knew you were back. If I don’t look like I’m excited to see you, it’s because I’m not. You should’ve rotted away for another five years for what you did to Ellie. If I don’t speak to you for the rest of my life, it’ll be too soon. Now, I’ve got a job that needs my attention—what do you want?”

“The fuck? You haven’t had eyes on me.”

I lift a shoulder. “Think what you want. I have a meeting and you’ve got one minute before I have security escort you out.”

He narrows his eyes. “You’re working for Kipp? Thought ya had a fallin’ out with him after ya knocked up his girl.”

I don’t lose my cool. It’s something I’ve learned over the last ten years, something I had to train myself to do—to be controlled, strike with my words, the law, or bend it to my suiting. Whatever I do, I do it by using the brain God gave me instead of an over-inflated ego and brute force like my father.

Simply, I had to train myself not to be a Barrett even though I am one, through and through.

But he stepped over the line when he mentioned Ellie.

“Watch your fucking mouth. Do not even think about her, do you understand me?”

“Really?” He knows he struck a chord and he’s more than willing to strum that fucker loud and shrill just to get me riled. “Ya afraid she’ll be in the wrong place at the wrong time again? What’re ya gonna do about it, fancy fucker? It’d be a shame if somethin’ happened to her—again.”

I shake my head and press my lips together before looking to the ceiling. “Thought you’d be used to this, since you’ve lived under constant surveillance for so long.” I lift my index finger and circle it before looking back to him. “You just threatened Ellie Montgomery on surveillance video in the building owned by her family.”

His eyes shoot around the room.

I shrug. “And I’m her attorney and you’re on probation. I think I’m going to have to look into getting a restraining order against you. It’s been awhile since I worked in defense, but I know probation officers don’t look favorably on that.”

His jaw goes hard as he realizes what he’s done. “Just wait a second. That’s not why I came here.”

“Your minute’s almost up.”

“I need help.” It pains him to spit the words, I can tell.

“And you’re coming to me?” I shake my head. “You were always a tool, but this proves how deep your stupidity is ingrained.”

“You’re makin’ a mint,” he notes, lifting his chin to me. “I just got out and need ya to spot your old man.”

I tip my head. “You really think I’d lift a finger to help you, let alone give you money?”

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