Page 20

Chapter 20

Constantine

“Lennon and Jamie’s last name, what is it?” I asked when he’d kept quiet, slowly eroding what was left of my patience. You almost died. I almost lost you. Those words kept spiraling in my head, and I’d snap if I didn’t hit stop on my thoughts and right damn quick.

He rested his palms on the counter and released a deep breath. A lock of his dark hair fell across his face, and he didn’t bother to brush it away.

You need a haircut. I shook my head at that thought, and while waiting for him to breach the quiet and answer me, I took out my phone. I needed to relay everything he said to Izzy in case it helped with her research into Jamie’s crew.

“Kelly. That’s their last name.”

My brows shot up, not because he’d finally been honest, but at the familiarity of that name . “Any relation to Dylan Kelly?”

He finally made eye contact, and he nodded. “That’s Lennon’s uncle on her mother’s side. He’s who she’s been living with in New York.” He added, probably assuming I’d ask, “They kept their mom’s last name.”

Now we’re getting somewhere. “And where does Jamie live?”

“He’s been staying with Dylan, too.”

“Any idea why they went to a hotel instead of back home after the rave?”

“I talked to Lennon on the phone an hour ago. She told me Jamie and Daniel felt it’d be best to lie low after what went down. Jamie asked Dylan to get them a suite at a hotel.”

“Dylan with them, too?” I texted my sister, then looked up at him, checking his eyes for a lie.

“No, and I’m telling you the truth,” he defended, correctly reading me.

“Fine.” I swallowed. “Keep talking. Start from the beginning. Where’d you meet Lennon in the first place?” I asked while reading Izzy’s response to the messages I’d sent.

Izzy: The plot thickens.

Me: Tell me about it.

Izzy: Not sure if this family connection to Dylan is a good or bad thing yet. (I need to dig some more.)

“I met Lennon online before we moved here,” Colin relented, pulling my focus back to him.

“Online?” I wasn’t following. “You’re a kid. What are you doing meeting girls online?”

“ Not a kid. And everyone meets online these days, not just old farts like you.”

He could’ve used worse words, so I let his insult slide. “Which app? How?”

“Why?”

“So I know which company to take over and shut down.” Not a bluff. “I’d like to know what app facilitated bringing my son into a life of crime.”

I could always invade his privacy and check for the app since I’d cloned his phone, but I was trying to behave. And, oh, he had no idea how much I was trying.

“Say that again,” he said after a quiet moment, his words snatching my attention to the fact that he was staring at me, mouth agape.

I replayed what on earth I’d said that merited repeating. It slammed into me later than it should have. “My son.” I probably breathed those two words into existence, doubtful any sound came with them.

I turned away from him, needing a few seconds to catch my breath and cope. I couldn’t let him see any signs of weakness from me. Not when the repercussions were so severe.

“Lennon and I have been dating for eight months. Our anniversary was the other day.” Nice deflection on the app. “We met because . . .”

Because what? I swiveled around at his lack of follow-through. “Because what?” I asked out loud that time.

“Just forget it.” He pushed away from the counter, stood, and walked into the living room, forcing me to follow. “Anyway.” He shrugged off whatever had bothered him. “I had hoped we’d move here one day, then Mom landed the job, so Lennon and I took things to the next level once I was here.”

God help me, did I want to know what that level was? Probably not.

“And like hell am I breaking up with her.” He whirled around, a dare to object in his eyes. “So you can forget that. I love her.”

Love? Such a big word for a kid . I kept that part to myself, not looking to antagonize him further.

“Just tell me you’re always safe. You use protection, don’t you?” I couldn’t believe those words came out of my mouth, but I had no choice but to check if that was the level he was referring to.

“Don’t worry, I know condoms aren’t one hundred percent, and?—”

“I’d strongly advise you don’t finish that sentence,” I warned, working to keep my cool and not go full-on dad mode about sex and safety when he’d known me for all of five minutes. It’s my fault.

“I only met her brother and the rest of Jamie’s friends last month. She was worried her brother wouldn’t like me. I didn’t know they were part of a gang until then.” He smartly changed the subject away from sex, and I was grateful.

“When? How?”

“We were all chilling at a club for her brother’s birthday.”

“A club? You have a fake ID?”

“So. Who doesn’t?”

His nonchalance was aggravating, and the sharp, stabbing pain in my chest grew with every word he spoke.

“You’ll be handing that ID over to me today.” I curled my hand tight around my phone, using it to try and ground me, to keep me from verbally unleashing on him the way my old man did back when he found out I’d done the same at his age. Payback, all right. “How often were you sneaking out while your mom thought you were in bed?”

“I hope you’re not suggesting you’d have done a better job than her at keeping an eye on me. Don’t you blame her if that’s what?—”

“I’m not accusing her of anything. In fact, I’m relieved to see you have some sense and are defending your mother and taking ownership for your poor choices.” That was something, at least.

He stared at me quietly, and I’d take the lack of a flippant or nonchalant response as a win.

“Just keep talking,” I said after a frustrated sigh. “I need to know how deep you are in this mess.”

He puffed out his cheeks before letting the breath sail free. “Jamie made it clear I wouldn’t be able to continue seeing Lennon if I didn’t help him occasionally.”

“So, he calls the shots about her life, not her uncle?”

“Pretttttty much. Lennon says everyone lives off Dylan’s dime, but Dylan’s clueless about what Jamie is up to. I haven’t met Dylan, either. He’s always traveling for work.”

Right, Dylan’s independently wealthy. But was he really not part of their crew? Maybe not. Daniel only mentioned Jamie when we’d interrogated him.

“I don’t know much, I swear.”

That wasn’t necessarily bad, but I was concerned that he still knew just enough to endanger him. “No clue who Jamie answers to, then?” I had to take a stab and ask.

“Sounds like you know more about Jamie than I do.” He grimaced. “So no, I don’t know. I didn’t even know there was a ‘someone’ Jamie answered to,” he added with air quotes. “There. Satisfied?”

Hardly. “Where are Jamie and Lennon’s parents? Why is she living with her uncle and brother in the first place?”

His brows pinched along with his mouth.

“What is it?” What was it he didn’t want to tell me?

He rolled his eyes, and I knew I wasn’t going to love what he had to say. Or maybe he was irritated that he had to say it in the first place. “Lennon and I met in a chat room on that app. A chat room for kids without parents. Well, in my case, without a dad.”

Fuck. That pain in my chest doubled in size, and I tightened my grip on the phone even more.

“There. Are you happy now?” he snapped out. “We met because of you. So, feel free to blame yourself.” He immediately spun away from me, his shoulders hunching forward as he tore his hands through his hair.

He couldn’t make me feel any worse than I already did. If he needed to be mad at me, I could take it.

I shoved my phone in my pocket, deciding I’d update Izzy later to give Colin my undivided attention like he deserved.

I was tempted to attempt a hug, but something told me he’d blow a fuse if I did. It felt like he’d placed me squarely in enemy territory.

“Lennon hasn’t seen her father in a decade. She doesn’t know where he is, and her mom has an addiction problem,” he said in a more somber, less angry tone. “She’s in rehab in Dublin.”

“You realize how messed up it is that her brother’s selling drugs, and yet their mom?—”

“I know.” He whipped around to face me. “Trust me, she knows, too. What’s she supposed to do about her brother’s choices? She’s only sixteen.”

Like you. Too young to be living this type of life. My fault.

“Her mom lost custody of her last year, and her uncle stepped in to take care of her, bringing her over to the U.S. But like I said, he’s as MIA as her dad. Jamie was already bunking at Dylan’s before she moved here,” he said without me prompting, which I appreciated. “A few other random guys live there too whenever Dylan’s gone, which is like ninety percent of the time. I’ve never been to their pad, but Lennon says it’s become like a dormitory. And trust me, I’m not a fan of Lennon sleeping in a house with randos.”

Don’t blame ya. “Daniel O’Brien one of them?”

He visibly cringed, then nodded.

Everything was finally clicking in place. I had a feeling that, unlike Dylan, Jamie and Daniel came to visit from Dublin at some point and never went back. It would explain why they weren’t in any American database.

“I didn’t know Daniel was the type to hit a woman. I’m not down with that. Like fuck no.” He slashed his arms in the air. “I’m suspended because I swung at that asshole for hitting his girlfriend.”

The attorney’s son. Yeah, about him. “You really are like me,” I muttered, probably too low to hear.

But when he angled his head, pointing his attention straight at me, I realized maybe he had. “Are we done now?”

“Not even close.” I tore a hand through my hair. “What kind of favors did Jamie force you to do so you could stay in Lennon’s life?” I tried to offer him patience, even if I had none left. “Yeah, I didn’t forget about that.”

He scrunched up his face in obvious disapproval of my question. “Fine, fine,” he relented.

Smart choice.

“I’m good at lifting things.” He held out his hand to silence me, obviously expecting a lecture. “I’ve never stolen anything from someone who didn’t have it coming.”

“Including me, huh?” I bit out, then shook my head, angry at myself for snapping. “Just so I’m clear,” I said, tempering my tone, “I’m glad you did.” But before he could respond, I let my emotions get to me again. “You lied to me this morning. You said you didn’t work for Jamie.”

“I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell the truth.” His outstretched arm flopped to his side.

“Be sure to use that excuse in court because the next time you?—”

“There won’t be a next time.”

I wanted to believe him, but I had to face the fact that I didn’t know him well enough to trust his word.

“I didn’t lie. I was never paid. Favors and blackmail aren’t exactly work.”

I supposed he had a point. As I processed that, another thought slammed into me. “Was the fight at the rave staged? Did anyone bother Lennon, or did you provoke that guy and swing first? Did Jamie need you in that room upstairs with him? He knew he couldn’t get you an invite, so he devised a more creative way.”

Those three steps he walked back, bumping into the coffee table, sent me five forward.

“Fine, yes, you’re right,” he rushed out as if playing defense. “It was all planned. I hit that dude so I could go up there. Lennon accused him of grabbing her ass on the dance floor, which didn’t actually happen, giving me a reason to fight.”

The last thing I wanted was to be right. “What’d Jamie want you to steal?”

“I didn’t have a chance to steal anything. You showed up, screwing Jamie’s plans.”

And I could breathe again. “I told you this morning what those men would have done to you had I not been there.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t know they were mafia until you told me. Jamie left that part out. He said they ripped him off, and if they didn’t accept the terms of some new arrangement he was trying to make with them, he needed me to steal something off the main dude.”

“That main dude would have cut off each of your fingers and used them as darts just for sport.” I let that ugly but realistic truth sink in before asking, “What’d Jamie want you to steal?”

“Just some guy’s wallet. He didn’t explain why, and I knew better than to ask. He just said if I did this favor for him, I wouldn’t have to do any more after that. He’d leave me alone. Let me date Lennon in peace.”

Wallet my ass. Like hell that was all it was about for Jamie. “Yeah, you could say it would’ve been your last time stealing for him because the Sicilians would’ve killed you. If not for that stunt you pulled with the fight, then for stealing from them.”

“Then use my fingers for darts, huh?” He rolled his eyes, and the fact my son wasn’t understanding the reality of the mess he’d stepped into was going to send me over the edge. “You’re being dramatic.”

I invaded his personal space, needing to make myself crystal clear. “You do not screw with the mafia. Do you hear me?” I pointed at his chest without touching him, my jaw locked tight as I stared him down.

He stumbled and would’ve gone into the glass coffee table if I hadn’t been fast enough to catch his arm and haul him upright. I overcorrected, and he lost his balance, falling against me. He shoved at my chest as if worried I might chance that hug I’d die to have from him.

“Yet, those mafia dudes are afraid of you . Make it make sense.”

I couldn’t, not without explaining my family’s history, and why his aunt was murdered, and the messy truth of my life after that. It’d be too much for anyone to hear, not just him or Juliette. Hell, it was my life. I had to live it. Most days, it was too much for me.

“Even if what you’re saying is true,” he began when it was clear I wouldn’t answer him, “wouldn’t Jamie and Daniel get burned if those mafia guys found out I stole from them? They’d assume they asked me to do it.”

“By the time the Sicilians picked you up for questioning,” I said with the least abrasive tone I could summon, “Jamie and Daniel would be long gone from the States. No more selling drugs on street corners for whoever calls the shots. They saw an opportunity to get out on their own, and they took it.”

Now Daniel’s remarks in our interrogation room made more sense. He was worried Jamie would find out about his impromptu mugging attempt happening so close to their plans, jeopardizing their meeting with the Sicilians.

Daniel must’ve thought he had no choice but to tell me about the rave and hope the mafia would take us out, saving him all around.

“But Daniel was too scared to admit to Jamie he’d been questioned by me, so Jamie was clueless I’d be at the rave. And clearly neither of them knew I was your father.” Hell, I just found out. “So, I showed up and ruined their plans.”

“And saved me,” he added, which was the most crucial part. “But what could be in that guy’s wallet that's valuable enough to risk everything for?”

“Leave all of that for me to handle. For now, I just need you to stay away from Jamie, Lennon, and all of them. Am I making myself clear?” I didn’t plan to let him go into the city without me anyway.

“No freaking way am I staying away from her. And if you think she’s anything like her brother, she’s not.”

“I don’t care if she’s an angel. It’s not safe for you to be involved with her.”

I also knew if someone told me to stay away from Juliette, I’d lay them the fuck out.

At his scowl, I adjusted course and remembered to temper my voice again. I was a work in progress at this dad thing.

“For your mom’s sake, can you stay away from her until I can ensure everything is safe? Texts and calls only, and don’t tell Lennon I’m your father or where you’re staying.”

He didn’t have a chance to answer because we were no longer alone. I turned to see Juliette hanging back, quietly observing us.

“Everything okay?” She glanced back and forth between us.

“Oh, things are great. Perfect,” Colin said sarcastically while facing me, and his eyes said it all: Go ahead, call me out, and I’ll do the same to you.

I didn’t have it in me for round two of that conversation with Juliette. Not yet.

“We were just discussing our favorite video games and disagreeing, that’s all,” Colin remarked without sarcasm that time. “Of course he prefers the old version of Call of Duty , and I like the much newer one.”

I slid my hands in my pockets, biting down on my back teeth and fighting to maintain control. I didn’t want to lie, but I sure as hell wasn’t ready to tell her the truth, either.

“And he agreed to get me a new PS5 for the game room so I can prove the new COD is better.” Colin slapped me on the back, catching me off guard.

Playing dirty, kid. “Only if that’s okay with your mother, since you did sneak out while grounded.”

“Oh, um.” She met my eyes, a curious expression there. “If you’re sure, then it’s okay with me.”

I wasn’t sure about a damn thing. I don’t want to lose you both, that’s all I’m sure about. “It’s fine with me.” I looked over at our son. “Consider it a downpayment on one of the birthdays I owe you.”

“You did miss a lot of them, including the big sixteen this past February.” Colin reached out to slap my shoulder this time, patting twice.

Oh, this kid.

“I’ll go order one with your credit card. You haven’t canceled it yet, right?”

Well played. “I forgot, so yeah, go ahead.”

He was already on the move before I had a chance to process what in the hell just happened.

Once I was alone with Juliette, she gave me an awkward smile, which was so much more than I deserved.

“Maybe I should go talk to him? I haven’t, um, had a minute alone with him since we got here.”

“Sure.” I had to text Izzy anyway to fill her in on the rest of Colin’s story. But for whatever reason, I found myself calling out, “Wait.” Yeah, I had nothing after that.

I approached her and placed my hand on the wall by her shoulder. I didn’t mean to continuously trap her with my body. It somehow kept happening.

“I owe you an apology.”

She rolled her lips inward, looking so damn innocent and sweet. “No, you don’t.”

“I do.” For so many things, but I’d start with the only one I could explain. “I’m not great at saying I’m sorry, so you’ll have to give me a second to figure out how to do this,” I admitted. “I can understand your reservations about me and this situation, and I was wrong not to acknowledge them earlier.”

“No.” She set her hand on my chest, and I dropped my gaze to her touch. She had no clue what she was doing to me whenever she put so much as a finger on me. “I shouldn’t have jumped the gun and accused you of wanting to be with me because of that. ”

“It’s a genuine concern. I get it,” I lied, knowing damn well that what I was feeling wasn’t obligation. Not even close.

“Well then.” Why was her lip trembling? “I think it’s safe to say our apologies cancel each other’s out, right?”

“If you say so, sure.” I forced a smile.

“You said something about wanting to see photos, didn’t you? How about after I check in on Colin, we have a look together?”

I pushed away from the wall to give her space, so I could find the breath in my lungs the woman stole by simply being around me. “I’d like that.” I nodded, emotion catching in my voice. “I’d like that a lot.”