I exhaled slowly. “You’re okay.”
Her eyes flicked to the broken front window again, and her face crumpled for a second into shock. “This was my mom’s shop,” she whispered, voice breaking. “They—They didn’t have to—”
I cupped her face gently so she couldn’t get lost staring at the damage. “They did it, but they are going to pay for it. Everything is going to be okay.”
She blinked hard. “I feel stupid for being scared. It’s just a window, but…”
There was no doubt about it. Juliet had a right to be afraid, but I was there to make sure nothing else happened to her.
Her breath shuddered. “I hate this.”
“I know.”
I pulled my phone out, keeping my movements calm. “I’m calling the cops.”
She nodded, swallowing hard.
I dialed, giving the dispatcher the address, explaining what happened: two motorcycles, a brick through the window, suspects fled, likely gang-related. I kept my voice even, controlled. Juliet didn’t need to hear panic in me. She needed to hear certainty.
When I hung up, she was still staring toward the front.
“They’re going to come back,” she whispered.
“No,” I said. “Not tonight.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m here,” I said simply.
I saw it in the way her shoulders dropped a fraction.
I stepped away just long enough to call Moore.
He picked up immediately. “Talk.”
“They threw a brick through the flower shop window,” I said. “Two bikes. Chrome.”
There was a beat of silence so still it felt dangerous. Then Moore’s voice came back hard. “Those fucking idiots.”
“They didn’t touch her,” I said. “She’s not hurt.”
“Good,” he snapped. “I’m sending Cookie and Blaze now. They’ll watch the shop and board it up. You stay with her.”
“I was going to.”
Moore’s tone sharpened. “After you talk to the cops, you take her home. You stay. You hear me?”
“Yes,” I said. “I’m taking her home and staying with her.”
“Good,” he said again, then added, colder, “Chrome wants to play stupid games, they can win stupid prizes.”
I didn’t respond to that. Not because I disagreed. Because Juliet was right there.
I ended the call and slipped my phone away.
Juliet’s gaze lifted to me. “Your… president?”
“Yes.”
