Page 43

Chapter 43

Constantine

“You really did show up exactly when Colin needed you. A few days, even a few hours later, and he could have been . . .”

I pulled Juliette into my arms, not wanting her to finish that sentence.

Resting my chin on her head, I caught Enzo’s eyes as he quietly stared at us, processing what this all meant starting with Daniel O’Brien—a punk twenty-three-year-old that stupidly tried to mug my intern who brought Colin into my life, and in doing so, obstructed their plans.

“What are we going to do?” she asked once I let her go, and we faced the others in the room.

I ignored the “we” part of her question because what I planned wouldn’t involve her. “No one is getting their hands on our son. No deal will be made. You don’t have to worry about that.” It was a promise I’d be keeping. No one, not even the Devil himself, would take my word away.

“I’ll let Mom know to eat without us. We’ll prep for the extraction of Jamie and his team from the hotel. We roll out in thirty. It’ll be dark by then,” Alessandro said, and I gestured with my head for the others to leave with him. I needed a minute alone with Juliette.

Alessandro shut the door as he left, and I appreciated the opportunity to focus all of my attention on Juliette without the fear of prying ears.

“We’ll take Jamie and his crew to our security office in Chelsea for questioning. I’ll have Enzo bring Lennon here, so Colin doesn’t worry about her safety.”

She smoothed the back of her hand across my cheek. “Thank you. That will mean a lot to him.”

Before I could respond, the door swung open. So much for a few uninterrupted moments to put to rest Juliette’s fears.

Hudson shot me an apologetic look for intruding before sharing, “My man on overwatch just called. Someone took out the power at the hotel. By the time he went in to check, the hotel room suite was empty. They were either taken out the back, or they left on their own. CCTV footage was also killed, so we’re in the dark.”

“Colin saw the footage in my office. He must’ve told Lennon we had eyes on the hotel, so she would know she was safe. Either she told Jamie, or Jamie’s mirroring her phone.” The way I am Colin’s. Not that I’d had a reason to check it.

“What happens now? Do you think Lennon’s in danger?” Juliette asked as I went over to the desk, put on my hat, and then picked up my laptop.

“We’ll find her.” I packed as much confidence in my tone as possible. “Assuming Jamie’s working with the mercenaries who came after Colin today, there has to be more of them. They’re more than likely meeting somewhere to strategize the next steps.”

“But if they’re not working together? And those men took Jamie since they couldn’t get Colin today? What does that mean?”

I wasn’t ready to answer that. Because if Lennon wasn’t safe, that changed everything for Colin. Which, by default, changed everything for me.

“We’ll talk to my brothers and figure it out, I promise.” I took hold of her arm, steadying her and myself, before we followed Hudson out of the office and down the stairs.

At the last step, she stopped abruptly, facing me. “But what if someone took Lennon so they can draw out?—”

“Colin.” My stomach bottomed out. “Colin!” I barked out his name, my voice sharp enough to cut through the house.

Juliette was already moving.

She ran for the dining room, calling his name as I followed. My pulse hammered, and that bad feeling in my gut spread like a disease.

At the sight of his empty chair, I faltered. “Where is he?” I demanded.

My parents exchanged looks, and my mother answered, “Someone texted him. He said he had to take a call in private. He excused himself right after Juliette went upstairs to grab you all for dinner.”

Juliette took off for the guest room, but I knew, I already knew, he was gone.

Balancing my laptop on one palm, I fought the sick feeling of dread and opened my tracking app. “Get my brothers,” I ordered Hudson, my voice steel despite the panic threatening to take hold. “Tell the guys you had rotating outside the hotel in Brooklyn to stand by.”

Hudson disappeared down the hall as my parents stood, questions flying, none of which I had time to answer. My focus was locked on my screen as I pulled up the last message Colin had received.

Juliette reappeared, exclaiming, “He’s not in his room! I can’t find him.”

“I know.” My blood turned to ice as I viewed the video text sent to Colin. I forced myself to breathe. To stay steady. This wasn’t the time for paternal instincts to make me reckless. This was a time for cold, calculating precision. A time for the killer in me to come out, not the father. “He’s already on the move.”

“What? How?” Juliette’s hands pressed against her stomach as if the weight of this might make her physically sick.

“This place is designed to keep danger out,” my father said as my brothers, Izzy, and Hudson entered the room, “not to keep people from leaving.”

“My keys are missing,” Hudson revealed. “And a security detail’s elevator keycard is gone.” He shook his head in apology.

Not his fault.

This was all mine.

I should have seen this coming.

The only way to get Colin away from me . . .

“They have his girlfriend.” The words left me like a gunshot. “He’s been instructed to meet them in Brooklyn. To come alone, or she dies.” I handed over my laptop to Alessandro. “We’re already ten minutes behind him.” I faced Hudson. “Grab our gear. We roll out now.” With as much faith as I could muster, I whispered, “I am not coming back without our son.”