“Your problem standing over there.” He nodded toward Eli. “You care for him.”
I rolled my eyes and looked back toward the dance floor, watching my boy. “Except from where I’m standing, brother, he looks less like a problem and more like the answer.”
Deck’s expression softened. “I loved Charlie, CJ. Nobody is saying you didn’t.”
“He was my future,” I said quietly, looking down at my drink. “And then he was gone.”
Deck stayed silent.
“What if Adrian gets to him?” I swallowed hard. “What if I can’t get to him in time, Deck? I can’t go through that again. I don’t know how to do this again.”
“Do what?”
I looked back at Eli. “Move forward.”
Deck sighed softly. “CJ, you loved Charlie. Nobody is taking that away from you, least of all Eli.” He looked toward the dance floor. “But you haven’t been living since Charlie died.”
The words hit harder than I expected.
“You hired Eli. You brought him into your home. You worry when he isn’t near you, and you breathe easier when he is. And when he smiles…” Deck looked back at me. “You love him, CJ. That’s not something you can ignore.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “He makes me feel like myself again.”
Deck nodded firmly. “Then maybe stop fighting it.”
I looked back at Eli, and this time, he was already looking at me. He raised an eyebrow in silent question. I smiled and mouthed,I’m okay.
Deck laughed quietly. “Everyone figured this out weeks ago, by the way.”
I mostly ignored him and went back to watching them.
They laughed as they danced, completely carefree, and it was damn good to see. Deck was right. I had to trust myself. Trustthat I’d keep Eli safe. I loved him, and he loved me; we’d already said the words.
Now I just had to keep him by my side.
* * *
I saw it the exact second everything changed.
Finn’s expression shifted: the laughter vanished, replaced by an intense, sharp gaze tracking someone behind Eli.
A man was standing right behind Eli. Finn said something to him, but the guy ignored him. Then he reached out and grabbed Eli by the wrist.
My pulse spiked hard and violent.
My feet were moving before my brain even processed it. Deck was right on my heels.
The club noise dissolved into a blur. All I saw was Eli, twisting wildly, trying to pull free with terror written across his face.
“Eli!” Finn’s voice cut through the air.
For one terrifying second, I lost sight of them in the crowd. Then I saw Eli snap his arm back, breaking the stranger’s grip. He turned and ran, pushing his way through the sea of bodies.
The stranger tried to go after him, but Eli was already gone, swallowed by the crowd. In that moment, the stranger’s eyes locked onto mine. He saw me. He saw Deck. He saw exactly who was coming for him.
He turned and bolted, and Deck went after him without hesitation.
I didn’t chase him. Deck had it. I was searching for my boy.
