Maybe we shouldn’t go out? Maybe I also needed to contact the Sicilians and ask them why they were meeting with Jamie in the first place? Of course, the last thing I wanted to do was owe the mafia any kind of favors for information and help if I did call them up.

Izzy: If it did sit well with you, I’d assume aliens snatched your body and sent in a fake.

Me: Real funny.

Izzy: Absolutely serious. I’d Area 51 your ass in a heartbeat.

Hudson: She’s had too much coffee this morning. She’s a little jumpy, even for her.

Me: You’re both making me rethink going out into the city.

Izzy: I can’t imagine Jamie would be crazy enough to send people after you in broad daylight (or at night). He saw what you did at the rave. He saw a mafia guy piss himself.

Izzy: Plus, Daniel can’t open his mouth to Jamie about “knowing you” without screwing himself over, so I think we’re good there, too.

Hudson: She has a point. Daniel digs his own grave if Jamie or Brian Cormac find out he’s the reason we were at the rave in the first place.

Me: True.

Izzy: The second I hear anything, though, I’ll sound the alarms, I promise.

Me: I’ll just be sure to carry, then.

Hudson: Don’t you always, anyway?

Also true.

Me: Talk later.

Me: Easy on the coffee, Izzy.

I pocketed my phone, then swung my gaze over to the closet and decided to grab the NYU shirt before I headed out to find Juliette and Colin.

Juliette was holding Colin’s chin when I walked into the living room, and he swatted her hand away at seeing me, as if embarrassed by his bruise.

“His black eye is more noticeable today,” Juliette explained, and when I zeroed in on the purple mark circling his eye, that worry about leaving the house ratcheted back.

“Does it hurt?” I asked while tossing him the shirt, and it felt like I sent my heart along with it.

“Nah, I’m good.” He caught the shirt and held it out.

“It should fit you. You’re about my size.” I did my best to keep my voice level, to act like this wasn’t a huge deal, even though it was.

“Mom told you I want to go here?”

I nodded, hoping I wouldn’t have to talk more about this. I didn’t want to break down before my son like I had outside his bedroom door. Like I did again in Juliette’s presence as I revealed the truth about my scars.

“That’s a thoughtful gift.” Juliette patted Colin’s back, giving me a sweet smile, and her eyes said it all. She remembered that it was my sister’s alma mater.

“Why do you have this?” And, of course, he’d ask.