Leo puts his arms around my trembling body. “Breathe, Jules, it’s okay. She’s okay.” He rubs my arm to soothe me. “She’s right in front of us. Nothing’s going to happen.”
“I know,” I whisper. “I’m working on it. I promise.”
“Go ahead, Claudina, it’s okay,” Leo says, then points around the park. “There are bodyguards here. She is safe.”
I nod, acknowledging I know he’s right. Wait, did he say… “Bodyguards?”
“Come on,” he says, walking us to some chairs near where Claud is doing cartwheels in the park.
“You haven’t noticed them? You have one, too.”
I frown, confused. “What? Since when? Why?”
He smiles at Claud when she waves to us. “They started the morning after the incident. They’re temporary, hopefully. With the heightened attention around us, we all felt more at ease having some protection.”
He’s right. It does make me feel a lot better. Even though Amber will be in a psychiatric facility for a while, it doesn’t mean there aren’t other threats out there.
“Of course, one of you snaps your fingers, and poof, bodyguards appear within hours,” I tease.
He chuckles because he knows I’m right. “It’s a good thing to have connections. This time, though, it was Jacksonwho helped. He works closely with a security company in London. They work worldwide, so a team was sent out that night.”
However they got them, I’m grateful. It gives me peace of mind they’re here.
“Where is the car? I feel like it’s taking forever,” I ask.
Leo grabs my hand, pulling my attention from Claud to him. “Don’t worry about the car. First, you’ll tell me why you’re doing this, silly girl. You and Harrison need each other. You need to go back to him.”
I drop my head and take a deep breath. “I can’t be the one who comes between a family as close as yours, Leo. Your whole relationship is based on the bond you all have, and I can’t be the driving factor behind a family divide. I wouldn’t think twice if Claudina weren’t in the picture, but they need to be good for her sake.” I lean back and think about Harrison. “Has Seb been giving Harrison a hard time?”
“They’re not talking much to be honest.” He sighs. “It’s a delicate situation. The world views Sebastian as this strong cutthroat hotel mogul, which he is. But I see the hurt he lives with every day and how hard it is for him to live without Camila. For all the shit he’s been putting Harrison through, it’s only because family comes first, and his knee-jerk reaction was to protect Claudina.”
I hesitate before asking my next question. “Can I ask you something without sounding insensitive?”
“Of course.”
“Why has Camila’s death affected him more than the rest of you? Even Rosa and Javier have moved on and live a full life celebrating her. ”
He drums his fingers on this thigh. “I’m not sure there’s a real formula to understand an individual’s grief. He was close to Camila but no more than Harrison. Who’s to say Harrison wouldn’t have been the same if he had not had Claud to care for.” He pauses to think, then continues. “I often wonder if Sebastian is his own worst enemy. When Camila passed, he was in such a bad place that it soon became a vicious circle. He was depressed and mad at himself for it, and now it’s like he can’t break the cycle.”
“Then I came along and interfered,” I murmur. “And Harrison broke the promise.”
“Oh please, that promise was fucking dumb.”
“Leo.” I laugh.
“It’s true. Protecting Claudina from our depraved world is all of our number one priority. Harrison didn’t need to shake on it to ensure that.”
This is true, each of them, including myself, would do whatever it takes to protect her from anything.
“After Harrison speaks to Seb, what happens if he never comes around to the idea of the two of you?” Leo asks.
“If Seb doesn’t want to make an effort, that’s a different story. Harrison and I are forever, so it’s not a question ofifI’m going back. It’s when. I know that deep in my heart, and truthfully, it’s not only about Seb. The incident brought up a lot of issues for me, too. Working to be the best version of myself is important for my relationship with Harrison and Claud.” I shrug. “I was spiraling in the hospital, and maybe I made a knee-jerk decision, but at the end of the day, it was the right choice.”
He stares at me for a moment. I can see the wheels turning in his head, thinking about what I said, and I know he understands when he gives a slight nod.
He stands, helps me up, and wraps his arms around me. “You’re a good person, Juliette Caldwell.”
My love, if your leg isn’t hurting, can you go downstairs and check on the stoop for a bag of groceries? I think the delivery boy left them outside instead of buzzing up.
