Chapter 182

“You have no right,” Dad says, his own face twisting with anger.

“I have every right, as someone who cares about Esther, to speak up when I see her being mistreated. And you, sir, are mistreating her.”

“How dare you!” Mom gasps.

“Is she or is she not your daughter?” Miles asks them both, shifting his annoyed gaze from one to the other.

“She is,” Mom says.

“Of course, she is,” Dad adds.

“Then why, in all of hell, does she need your permission to be included in this family?” Miles asks.

“Miles, it’s okay,” I try to say, stepping toward him. I appreciate what he’s trying to do. Actually, I feel even more blooming affection for him, in his wanting to defend me. But these are still my parents. They deserve respect.

And I really hate to see them fighting, even if it’s over their sometimes harsh treatment of me.

“No, it isn’t, Esther. Too many times, I’ve seen you come back from this house a shell of the person you were before you went in. It takes time for you to then build yourself up again, just for it to happen in a loop. Over and over. I know you won’t say anything because you love them, but I don’t. And I won’t hold my tongue while you are treated like shit.”

Dad steps closer to Miles. He puffs himself up like he does when he’s trying to be intimidating. It’s jarring, seeing him do it to Miles. Miles doesn’t cower, but he does shift his focus back to Dad.

“You are an unwelcome guest in my home, Hamilton. I know your father. Perhaps he would like to know the kind of son he’s raised, barging into people’s homes, raising his voice, disrespecting his elders –”

Something about the way Dad is talking to Miles unnerves me. It’s one thing to have him say these things to me. I’m his daughter, I’m build to withstand his lectures. But Miles is only here because he helped me with Thea. He is more deserving of respect than what Dad is showing him, even if he has scolded my parents.

“Who is disrespecting who?” I demand.

Dad stops short.

I don’t defend myself with him. I never have before.

But I won’t let him talk to Miles like this.

“Miles and I went searching for Thea after only a phone call. It’s because of Miles and his security that we were able to get her back her without issue. He… and I… are the reason she is here right now. Yet you are going to call him unwelcome?”

Dad blanches slightly, but his features stay firm. “He can’t say the things he’s saying to me…”

“He can if they are true,” I say. I swallow down the hurt, the little girl inside of me who wants to make her parents proud no matter what. I love my parents, but its past time for me to start standing up for myself. “Now might not be the time, but it’s all true, Dad. You and Mom are always putting me second. Sometimes I feel like a stranger when I’m with you. I don’t feel like I belong…”

“Esther,” Dad says, taking a step toward me. He stops himself, glancing back at Thea, who is entirely ignoring the scene in front of her, sobbing to herself. He hardens, looking back to me. “We need to talk about this, but you are right. Now is not the time.”

With another glance at Thea, he says, “You can stay if you want. You both can. But you must forgive if Thea has the whole of my attention tonight. We nearly lost her again.”

I nod. The promise of a future conversation seems like more than I could hope for, so I accept it. I’m not without understanding. Thea was missing. She should be the focus tonight.

Dad turns away from me then and moves back to Thea.

I look to Miles, who crosses his arms. He doesn’t say anything more though, just makes himself comfortable, leaning against the island. Catching my gaze, he dips his head toward Thea and my parents, as if encouraging me to join them.

That encouragement gives me strength and I move closer to Thea. Mom and Dad move over to give me room at her side.

Miles hates this restaurant. He wonders if that’s why Hugo keeps picking it for their meetings, just to keep him on edge. It’s a dark kind of place, always half-empty even during dinner rush. But the tables are mostly private, with tall backs on the booths and dim lighting.

It’s as good a place as any to have a secret meeting to bring down one of the most powerful man in the nation. Edward didn’t used to be. Even as a presidential candidate, he was still fallible. But now that he has the president’s backing, he’s basically untouchable.

When Miles reaches the familiar back booth, he finds Hugo, as always, already there. Miles slides in across from him.

When a waitress comes, he orders a coffee. It’s the middle of the day, but he’s already exhausted. After returning Thea to her parents, he and Esther stayed there until well after 5am. At this point, Miles is running on fumes and caffeine. When he left the office, Esther had fallen asleep at her desk. He didn’t wake her.

“I’ve set up another meeting with Mr. Carpenter for this evening,” Hugo says. “I had trouble reaching you last night to set up times. I trust you will make room in your schedule.”

“For this? I’d give up meeting with the King of England.” It’s a joke. Meeting the King isn’t on Miles’s schedule, but he hopes it properly conveys his seriousness.

It seems too. Hugo nods, face expressionless.

“I have some evidence,” Hugo says. “Not enough to convict him without a confession.”

“I trust you’ll be wearing a wire.”

“Of course,” Hugo says.

“Are you wearing one right now?” Miles asks, lifting a curious brow.

“Should I be?” Hugo says.

“No,” Miles says. “Not unless you want to use my love for Esther against me.”

Hugo grimaces ever so slightly at the mention of my love for their mutual friend. Miles knows Hugo and Esther dated. He also knows Hugo likely would have wanted to continue that relationship, had Esther’s feelings for Miles not gotten in the way.

It makes things awkward between them, certainly, but not insurmountable.

Their shared affections for Esther are the reason they are working so hard to bring down this circle that once caused her so much harm.

Individually, Miles and Hugo are a force to be reckoned with. Together, they could torch down the whole world if they wanted. They would bring Mr. Carpenter, Edward Zimmer, and whoever else hurt Esther to justice. Whether they are part of the Whisperers or not.

“Mr. Carpenter is just the start,” Hugo says, bringing the conversation back to their revenge. “The first domino to fall in the line.”

“A line that leads straight to Edward Zimmer,” Miles adds, his rage fueling him. He’ll have to keep his cool tonight, to keep from breaking Mr. Carpenter to pieces, rather than just enough to get a confession.

“We are in agreement then,” Hugo says. “Not to include Esther.”

Miles nods. “Esther does not need to know about this.”

“Good,” Hugo agrees. “Then let’s discuss strategy.”