Page 149 of The Best of Us

I let go of a ragged breath. “By the time I get to Dublin, we should have all the answers we need.”

Which I did believe.In Carter, I trust.I couldn’t believe I was thinking that, but it was true. Between Gwen’s cyber skills and Sebastian’s mountain of resources, they’d get to the bottom of everything. Hell, they might even locate Aurora and press her for Lennon’s location before my plane touched the ground. Maybe even save Lennon for me.

With any luck, I’d only need to provide Lennon a ride home and deliver her into my son’s arms. Give him the happily-ever-after I wished I could’ve had with his mom seventeen years ago.

And maybe, just maybe, if everything worked out peacefully, I could get out of this vortex trying to suck me in at every turn and have that happily-ever-after with Juliette now.

“Gwen will soon confirm if Daniel is Carmello’s son and find out if Aurora’s also been in touch with Daniel. Gwen will also know if Aurora arranged a deal with that crime family in Naples. And The League can also talk to Brian Cormac to determine if we were right about Jamie’s involvement in all of this.” I sat upright. “I’m just so damn sorry you’ve been dragged into my world. It’s a place I never wanted you to be.”

At his frown, I realized my shit word choice.

“I mean, I’m glad you’re here with me, I just wish I never had to expose you to this part of my life.”

He shoved away from the door and sat beside me. “Dad?”

“Yeah?” My voice cracked.

He wrung his hands together. “You realize none of this is your fault, don’t you? You didn’t drag me into anything.” He slowly extended his arm, palm up like an invitation to hold his hand, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the gesture. “I saw you forgive your dad tonight. I’m guessing he did some stuff . . . but, um, you don’t owe me any apologies. I’m the one who owes you a few.”

“No, no you don’t.” I took his hand and squeezed it.

“If I hadn’t gone on that app, and if I hadn’t met Lennon because of Daniel . . . well, then I wouldn’t have met you.” His shoulders hunched forward, his head dropping along with them. “So much bad, and yet, out of it has come some good. I don’t know what to think about that.”

I set my free hand on my chest at the sharp pain gathering there with intense force. Please tell me I wasn’t about to have a heart attack in front of my kid? Wouldn’t that be some fucking luck to die on him now?

“Mom used to say, ‘If you want a rainbow, you have to put up with the rain,’ or something like that. I never really understood that until now.” A whistling breath left his mouth as he glanced at me, eyes on the visible scars on my forearm closest to him.

“Well, my life has been one giant never-ending storm,” I confessed in a hoarse voice, doing my damnedest to get through this. “And then you and your mother came along and saved me.”

He was quiet before killing me with his question and sad voice. “Are you sure I’m not a disappointment?”

It hit me that he was hanging on to that thought like I held on to my guilt.

I couldn’t be a hypocrite. I had to do the same if I was expecting him to put his doubts to rest.

“Never say that again,” I murmured, shifting his way to cup his cheek with my free hand. “You’re the furthest thing from a disappointment.”

He sniffled, lifting his eyes to meet mine. “Then, in that case, am I . . .your rainbow?”

A single tear battled its way forward and down my cheek as I shook my head, swallowing. “No,” I rasped, dropping my forehead to his. “You’re mysun,the light disrupting the darkness in my world.”

Chapter50

Juliette

In the Air

I checked on Colin,ensuring he was still asleep in the bedroom of the Costa family’s private jet. I could hardly believe we were together en route to Ireland.

Colin had never been outside the country, and for it to happen like this was just . . . wild, to put it mildly.

And soon, Easton would be meeting my son’s father for the first time. Our awkward meet and greet over FaceTime had been sidelined with our quick departure.

I still needed to tell my parents about all of this, but to avoid stressing them out, I was waiting for a resolution to everything.

Strong hands braced my arms, startling me.

“Hey.” At Constantine’s husky voice in my ear, I relaxed against him. “He told me he’d have stolen my other jet and forced my pilot to bring him if I didn’t let him come. Something tells me he was dead serious.” He leaned his head over my shoulder, and I turned my cheek.

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