My dad pulled out his phone and then peered at my son. “I didn’t do anything. That was all Colin,” he announced as Juliette returned, my mother trailing behind her.

“Wait, what?” Colin blurted out as Juliette stood in between the two of us.

“I didn’t have a chance to fill you in while you were en route to rescue Colin,” my father explained. “While I was talking to Giuseppe tonight, I let him know Colin was my grandson. I had to make it very clear that if anything were to happen to him, there’d be hell to pay even if they weren’t involved. I sent him a photo of Colin to show him what he looked like, too.”

Not what I wanted to hear.

“His granddaughter was at his house for dinner, and she saw Colin’s face on his computer screen,” he continued, and there was no mistaking the look of pride in my father’s eyes.

“I don’t understand,” Colin said.

Yeah, same.

“You, my boy, protected Giuseppe’s granddaughter at school last week. As luck would have it, the reason you were suspended . . .”

Juliette stumbled in shock as my father let us pick up the pieces. And hell, I staggered back that step with her.

“His granddaughter, Meredith, was secretly dating his lawyer’s son. She was too afraid to tell him they were dating or that he hit her, knowing what he’d do. But she accidentally blurted out the truth when she saw you on his screen tonight.”

Colin’s words from the car during our driving lesson came back to me like a headshot: “He’s not just a defense attorney, he defends the scum of the universe and makes big bucks doing it.”

“So, you see, my dear,” Dad continued, eyes on Izzy, “when I told you not to worry about the Sicilians betraying their word to us, I meant it. Giuseppe owed us. Colin saved his granddaughter, so he vowed to ensure my grandson was safe.” He faced Juliette, squinting at her. “I’m not a fan of how we all got to this point, but there’s only one way to look at why the cards have fallen like this.”

“And that is?” Juliette murmured as I took hold of her waist, drawing her to my side.

My father’s piercing gaze cut from her to me. “God’s timing. God’s plan.” When he silently gestured for me to step forward, I let go of Juliette and quietly heeded his request. “And a father must protect his children no matter what.”

I swallowed, choking back on the emotion building in the form of something tangible in my throat. My hard-ass father hugged me in front of everyone, and my arms remained locked in shock at my sides.