Page 47 of The Best of Us

He rounded the car and went for the front passenger seat to open the door for me as Colin slipped into the back.

Before I could get in, he picked up a laptop and held it at his side, patiently waiting for me to get in.

I locked eyes with him, searching for an answer in his gaze he didn’t seem prepared to give me.

He swallowed, then lifted his chin as a directive I found myself following.

He closed the door, shaking his head while circling the front of the car to get to the driver’s side.

“What happened?” I asked Colin as Constantine got behind the wheel, but Colin ignored me.Typical.“We’re not going anywhere until someone tells me what’s going on.”

Constantine slid behind the wheel and tossed his laptop in the back beside Colin. He stretched out his arm, resting his wrist on the steering wheel. “I happened to be at the rave as well. Your son got into a fight. Pissed off the wrong people. I intervened and forced him to leave the rave and have been keeping an eye on him ever since.”

“What?” That wasn’t nearly a big enough word to encompass my feelings. I twisted around to check on Colin, my anger shelved in favor of my concerns about him. “Are you okay? Hurt?”

Colin refused to grant me his eyes, offering a quiet, “I’m fine,” instead.

I turned my attention back on the man I’d been obsessively thinking about all night. At no point did I ever picture our day would start like this.

“Thank you?” I hadn’t meant that to sound like a question, but I was far too confused to think or act properly. “But, um, why were you at a rave?”

I didn’t know much about him, but I had the distinct feeling Constantine wasn’t a raver.

“Yeah, what wereyoudoing at a rave?” Colin and his love for pushing buttons spoke a hell of a lot louder that time.

“Working,” Constantine said gruffly, sounding annoyed, but not with me, withourson in the backseat.

Our son. Ours.There it was again. And I was shocked at how easily the word “our” naturally invaded my mind, replacing all that time he’d only ever been “mine.”

“No, I don’t go to raves normally,” Constantine followed up when I remained silent, locked on to the reality of Colin’s dad being in the car with us and the fact my son was in a fight at a rave. “Not ever. That was my firstandlast time going to one.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Your last time, too.”

“Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?” Colin leaned forward.

Oh, Colin.My entire body shuddered as a response to his challenge. “He’s speaking for me,” I rushed out. “And that also better be the first rave you’ve attended.” I twisted around, staring at him. “But it sure as heck will be your last.”

Colin slumped back down, resting his head against the leather headrest. He was smart enough not to roll his eyes at me.

“I’m finding it hard to believe you both just so happened to be at the same rave,” I said when it was clear both men felt like stewing in silence. “But it’s not a stretch of the imagination that you were in a fight,” I added, focusing on my son.

His gaze was glued to the window, intentionally avoiding eye contact with me.

Yup, guilty as charged.

“Someone put their hands on my . . .” Colin finally rushed out, only to leave me hanging.

Constantine picked up his words for him. “His girlfriend. I assume you didn’t tell your mom about Lennon, either?”

Lennon. Your girlfriend.Who was she? Where did they meet? How long had they been together? I was the one now slumping in my seat. How could I not know my son had a girlfriend? Why would he keep that from me?

“The friends Colin was with the night he stole my wallet work for his girlfriend’s brother.” He kept his voice level, like he was trying to ease me into the truth and prevent a panic attack. “His girlfriend’s brother is part of a street gang. Jury is still out on whether or not Colin is as well.”

“Colin.” I tightened my hands into fists and set them on my thighs, working to curb my tongue so I didn’t yell at him in front of his father. This was all too much. So, so far off base from how today was supposed to go.

“Because of your son’s poor choices involving himself with a gang, you both may not be safe.” He grimaced as if hating to use the words “your son,” but he had no choice. “I’d rather be overcautious and be wrong than risk something happening to you. So, you’re moving in with me for the time being. I’m taking you to pack.” He turned on the engine, preparing to pull onto the road as if we were in case-closed territory.

Hardly.I had a hundred questions for both of them before I’d agree to anything. Constantine looked over at me, a plea in his eyes to not ask a single one of them.

“Please,” he rasped, emotion curling around that word with such intensity I couldn’t help but straighten in my seat, buckle up, and agree.

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