Page 33

Chapter 33

Juliette

We passed multiple police cruisers speeding toward the mall, their red and blue lights flashing. A handful of seconds was all that stood between us and being caught in that mess back there if Constantine had not left the garage in time.

I pulled Colin against me, holding his head to my chest as if he were six, not sixteen. The both of us were trembling and breathing quickly.

“Are you okay?” Constantine adjusted the mirror, his gaze meeting mine. Steady and calm. So much calmer than I felt.

I swallowed. “You used your body as a shield for us. You were ready to take a literal bullet for me back there.” Did that answer his question?

“But are you okay?” He cut through my thoughts, sidestepping my concerns.

“We’re all alive and safe.” That was the best I could give him. “But you . . .”

He switched lanes before his focus returned to me in the mirror. “This is what I do. But you two never should have been in any danger.”

So confident and unwavering. So, everything I wasn’t.

“We can’t lose you.” The words slipped out before I could stop them.

His grip on the wheel noticeably tightened. A soft shake of his head, followed by a quiet, “I know,” as he took the allegedly fake badge from his pocket.

“How did you know they weren’t real cops?” I asked, still clutching Colin, hoping the tremors wracking his body would soon stop.

“No one reported what happened at the rave to the police or Feds, so only someone there would know about it. I’ve been keeping tabs.” He scrutinized the badge before tossing it onto the passenger seat beside him. “It’s a knockoff. Not much better than a toy. They weren’t even crooked. Just liars.”

That should have made me feel better, but it didn’t. Because that meant two men pretending to be police had tried to take our son.

“I’m sorry. We never should have left the house. This is my fault. I was having a good time with you both. I got distracted,” he apologized, and guilt was the last emotion he needed to feel.

My stomach twisted, and before I could interject, Colin did it on my behalf. “No, I’m the one who begged to go out today. You warned us.”

“Don’t you dare blame yourself.” His father shut down his guilt before I could, his tone leaving no room for argument.

At a red light, he made a call and relayed what happened.

At the end of his explanation, he added, “I need you to destroy the CCTV footage showing we were ever there.” A pause. “No, the Glock I used isn’t registered to me. They won’t get a match on ballistics.” Another beat. “They had to have been tailing us. I wasn’t driving. I must’ve missed it.”

Back to blaming himself. I was still too busy bouncing between shock and denial, too numb to stop him.

“I took their wallets. Hold on.” He shifted the phone to his shoulder and flipped them open, scanning for IDs. “No distinguishable tattoos. Standard American accents. No, wait, I think one had a Boston accent. Mid-thirties. Both bearded, so they could be younger than they look.”

The wallets and badge, all of it felt forgotten as he pulled through the green light.

“I need security outside my door. Every entrance to my building, too. I also want—” He stopped talking for a few seconds, then responded, “You’re right. Okay, we’ll pack up and go there. Their place is more secure. Send a security detail to escort us. I’m not taking chances.”

Go where? Whose place?

My pulse hammered as I tried to keep up, but his words blurred by and never stuck.

“I want Enzo and Alessandro to come today.” Another brief pause. “Yeah, Maria and the kids should stay back in Charlotte, I agree. Once our escort is at my place, we’ll meet you at Mom and Dad’s.”

This was too much. Happening too fast and becoming far too real.

I forced myself to focus on Colin, still clinging to me. Taking care of him outweighed my own panic.

You were almost kidnapped. My stomach lurched, bile rising in my throat.

Constantine’s voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. “No, definitely don’t tell Ma why we’re coming. Make something up.” He ended the call and shoved his phone in his pocket.

I inhaled shakily. “Change of plans?”

He nodded. “Change of plans.”

Colin, still dazed, lifted his head. “There’s blood on your sister’s shirt. I’m sorry.”

Constantine glanced back at me, his voice softening in contrast to how he’d spoken on the phone. “It’ll come out.”

But I wasn’t so sure anything from today would wash away.

Colin lifted his head, dragging a shaky hand down his face before meeting my gaze with watery eyes. “You could’ve died because of me. I’m so sorry, Mom.” He blinked back more tears and turned to his father. “And you could have, too. I’d have lost you all over again.”

Like that, my mind fell into that dark place where Colin could spend the rest of his life without his father because of Constantine’s “this is what I do” life.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Constantine said firmly, adjusting the rearview mirror to catch his eyes. “I promise you’re not losing either of us.”

How can you make that promise?

Colin exhaled. “I never really thought anything I did was all that dangerous. You know, hanging out with Jamie and those guys. Even after what I saw you do at the rave and everything you warned me about yesterday . . . it never sunk in. Not until now.”

I pulled him closer, pressing his head to my chest, trying to steady him.

“I didn’t know you were my dad at the rave, so it just, well, hit differently compared to what went down in the garage.”

“You’re both okay. That’s all that matters.” At a red light, he turned in his seat, eyes locked on our son. “You had my back. You helped me handle that guy. You kept your mother safe. Me safe, too.” His nostrils flared, conviction thick in his voice. “Hey, look at me.”

Colin hesitated, then did as he asked. My heart could only handle so much.

“You’re my son, you got that?” His voice was raw that time. No longer measured and calm but full of emotion. “We made a good team back there. Not that I ever want you fighting alongside me again, but I’m damn proud of you.” He reached back, cupping his chin. “And your mom was ready to go after those men to protect you.” His eyes flicked to mine, something deep and unshakeable passing between us before he turned back to Colin. “You’re the best of us.”

The weight of his words hit, breaking something loose inside me. That dark place faded, replaced by one thought, one feeling: family .

“We’re stronger together than apart,” I murmured.

Colin shuddered against me, probably as choked up as I was.

Constantine nodded, facing forward as the light turned green.

“Dad?” Colin’s voice was soft, almost broken.

Constantine startled slightly. “Yeah?”

“Thank you. For not letting them take me. For knowing they weren’t real police when I didn’t. And most of all . . . for keeping Mom safe.”

Oh Colin.

“You never need to thank me for protecting either of you.” He’d said practically the same thing to me yesterday about Colin. “I’ll always keep you both safe. You have my word.”