Chapter 10 – THE GLASS WALL
The visitor’s room at the state penitentiary was cold, sterile, and smelled faintly of bleach.
Silas stood behind me, a silent, imposing shadow, his presence alone making the two armed guards at the door stand a little straighter.
I sat in the hard plastic chair, staring at the thick plexiglass window.
The heavy metal door on the other side buzzed open. Liam walked in, handcuffed, wearing an orange jumpsuit. He looked exhausted, defeated. His eyes lit up with a desperate hope when he saw me, but that hope vanished instantly when he saw Silas standing directly behind my chair.
Liam picked up the heavy black phone on his side of the glass.
I picked up mine.
“Hannah,” Liam breathed, his voice staticky through the line. “You came. Did you bring Leo?”
“No,” I said flatly. My voice didn’t shake. I looked at the man I had grieved for so long, and I felt absolutely nothing. No anger, no sadness. Just pity.
“Please, Hannah. I’m his father. I deserve to explain—”
“Explain what?” I cut him off, my voice cold. “That you were a coward? That you got into bed with the mob, got caught, and decided to let an innocent woman die to save your own skin? And then you let your wife and child believe you burned to death in a car crash?”
Liam flinched. “I was trying to protect you from them! From him!” He pointed a shaking finger at Silas. “He’s a killer, Hannah! You’re raising our son in the house of a mafia boss!”
“The man standing behind me,” I said, my voice rising with absolute certainty, “took a bullet for my son. He stood in front of a bomb for my son. You wired the bomb.”
Liam closed his eyes, tears leaking down his scarred cheeks. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“I didn’t come here for an apology,” I said, sitting up straight. “I came here to tell you to never contact us again. You are legally dead, Liam. And as far as Leo and I are concerned, you’re going to stay that way.”
“Hannah, please—”
“Leo has a father figure now,” I said, glancing back at Silas. Silas’s dark eyes met mine, a fierce, unwavering vow shining in them. “Someone who actually shows up. Someone who protects his family instead of abandoning them.”
I hung up the phone before Liam could say another word.
I stood up, not looking back at the glass. Silas wrapped his arm around my shoulders, tucking me securely into his side.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly as we walked out of the prison and into the bright sunlight.
I took a deep breath of fresh air. “I’m better than okay. I’m free.”
Silas smiled, opening the car door for me. “Good. Because I have a surprise for you when we get back to the house.”
“A surprise?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Is it a new vacuum? Because I’m officially retired from maid duties.”
Silas laughed, a rich, deep sound that made my heart flutter. “Get in the car, smartass.”
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