Chapter 46 Cal
CAL
The debriefing happened in Charles’s office at the main house—all of us crowded into the space that somehow felt too small despite its size.
Charles behind his desk, Sienna curled in one of the armchairs looking exhausted, Parker on the couch between Jace and me, Silas leaning against the wall near the window.
Charles laid out everything Silas and he learned from Diego. The network Ryan and Aria built. The assets they recruited from multiple families. The coordinated attack as “phase one” of whatever the fuck they’re planning.
Sienna went pale when Charles explained how professional the operation was. How the snipers had clear shots and chose not to take them. How this was psychological warfare, not assassination.
“They wanted to prove they could get to us,” Charles said, his voice tight with controlled fury. “To the children specifically. Show that our protection isn’t as solid as we claim.”
“So what do we do?” Sienna asked quietly.
“We move the children somewhere safe,” Charles said. “Somewhere remote, heavily secured, away from the city while we dismantle Ryan and Aria’s network and find them.”
Which is how we ended up here, two hours later, standing in Charles’s living room while Maria and Evelyn coordinate logistics for taking Sienna, Jimmy, and Lottie to Maria’s estate in Martha’s Vineyard.
“It’s completely secure,” Maria is saying, pulling up photos on her tablet. “Private beach, gated property, security team I’ve personally vetted. The children can play outside, swim, be kids without looking over their shoulders.”
“How long?” Sienna asks, her hand unconsciously going to her stomach—a protective gesture even though Jimmy and Lottie are across the room playing with blocks under the watchful eyes of two security guards.
“As long as it takes,” Charles says firmly. “A few days minimum. Maybe a week. Until we’ve neutralized the immediate threat.”
Evelyn turns to Parker, who’s been silent through most of this discussion. “What about you, sweetheart? Will you bring Noah and Liam?”
And there it is—the question that’s been hanging in the air since Maria made the offer.
Parker’s entire body is tense, her jaw tight, her hands clenched in her lap. I can see the war happening behind her eyes. The mother who wants to keep her children safe. The fighter who wants to stay and hunt down the people who threatened them.
She’s struggling.
Torn between being mommy and being mama bear.
“I...” Parker’s voice is strained. “I don’t know. The boys need me, but—”
“But you want to stay and help find Ryan and Aria,” Jace finishes quietly.
“They came after our kids,” Parker says, her voice breaking slightly. “They put my babies in danger and I— I want to make them pay for that. I want to be here when we find them. I want—”
“You want revenge,” Silas says from his position by the window. “And that’s valid, firefly. No one here is judging you for that.”
“But the boys need their mother,” Parker continues, her voice getting smaller. “They’re terrified. They need me there, need to know I’m keeping them safe. I can’t just leave them to go hunting—”
“Then don’t,” I say gently. “Go with them. Keep them safe. Let us handle the hunting.”
Parker’s head snaps toward me, her sea-glass eyes wide. “But—”
“Parker, we can do this,” Jace says. “Me, Cal, Silas—we can track down Ryan and Aria. We can dismantle their network. We can handle the tactical side. But Noah and Liam?” His voice softens. “They need you. Not us. You.”
“You’ll be helping them and us, angel,” I add. “You can be both the mother who protects and the warrior who fights back. You don’t have to choose.”
Except she does have to choose. Because she can’t be in two places at once. Can’t simultaneously keep the boys safe in Martha’s Vineyard and hunt down threats in the city.
This is the choice she’s been making alone for years.
But now she has us.
Now she can delegate. Trust. Share being the parent and the safety net.
If she can bring herself to do it.
“Go with the boys,” Silas says, his voice firm but gentle. “Keep them safe. Help Sienna with Jimmy and Lottie. Let Maria and Evelyn take care of all of you. And trust us to handle this.”
“What if something goes wrong?” Parker asks, and I hear the fear underneath the words. She’s really struggling with letting go. “What if Ryan and Aria come after you? What if I’m not here and—”
“Then we handle it,” I say simply. “Parker, we’ve been doing this work since before you left. We know how to protect ourselves. How to hunt threats. How to eliminate problems. You don’t have to carry this alone anymore.”
She looks between the three of us, and I can see the moment she starts to break. The walls she’s built around herself—the ones that say she has to do everything, be everything, protect everyone by herself—they’re cracking.
“Okay,” she whispers finally. “Okay. I’ll go. I’ll take the boys to Martha’s Vineyard. But—” She looks at Charles. “You keep me updated. Every development. Every lead. Every move you make. I want to know everything.”
In Parker code: if you three get yourselves killed, I’ll kill you myself.
“Of course,” Charles agrees.
“And the moment you find them—” Parker’s voice hardens. “—I want to be there when you handle it.”
“Deal,” Silas says.
The logistics get sorted quickly after that.
Maria’s already arranged for private transportation—a helicopter to Martha’s Vineyard tomorrow morning, early, before the boys are fully awake.
Evelyn coordinates packing, makes lists of what the children will need, calls ahead to ensure the house is stocked and ready.
Sienna hugs Parker, the two women holding each other for a long moment. “We’ll keep each other sane,” Sienna murmurs. “And the kids will have fun together. It’ll be good for them. The cousins can distract each other.”
“Yeah,” Parker agrees, but I can see the tension still riding her shoulders.
She’s agreed to go. But she’s not at peace with it.
An hour later, Evelyn walks Parker, Noah, and Liam back to their guest house to start packing. I give them a few minutes, then follow.
The scene I walk into makes something warm settle in my chest.
Noah and Liam are in their bedroom—a space that still smells like new paint and childhood, decorated with posters of dinosaurs and spaceships, toys scattered across the floor in the organized chaos only five-year-olds can create.
Evelyn is sitting on Noah’s bed, helping him pick out which stuffed animals to bring while rattling off an impressive list of activities.
“—and Auntie Maria has horses! Real horses that you can pet and maybe even ride if you’re very good. And there’s a beach with tide pools where you can find crabs and starfish. And the house has a game room with all sorts of fun things—”
“Will Jimmy and Lottie be there the whole time?” Liam asks from where he’s attempting to stuff an entire drawer’s worth of clothes into a small backpack.
“The whole time!” Evelyn confirms. “You’ll all have so much fun together. And Auntie Sienna will be there, and your mom, and Auntie Maria, and me. It’ll be like a big family vacation.”
“But without the uncles,” Noah says quietly, clutching his favorite stuffed dinosaur—a battered T-Rex he’s had since he was two.
Evelyn glances up, sees me in the doorway, and smiles. “Well, maybe not the whole time. Uncle Cal, Uncle Jace, and Uncle Silas will come visit as soon as they can. Right, Uncle Cal?”
“Promise,” I say, stepping into the room. Both boys’ faces light up at seeing me.
Liam abandons his packing attempt and barrels into my legs, hugging tight. Noah is more reserved but moves closer, his small hand finding mine.
“Are you coming with us?” Liam asks hopefully.
“Not right away,” I say gently, crouching down to his level. “I have some work to do here first. But I’ll visit soon. And you’ll have your mom, and Grandma Evelyn, and Auntie Maria, and Auntie Sienna. Plus Jimmy and Lottie to play with every day. You won’t even miss us.”
“I’ll miss you,” Liam says seriously.
“I’ll miss you too, buddy.” I ruffle his hair. “But you’re going to have so much fun with your cousins, you won’t have time to miss me for long.”
“Jimmy said there’s gonna be boats,” Noah offers quietly. “And that Uncle Charlie promised we can go fishing.”
“That sounds amazing,” I say, squeezing his hand. “You’ll have to tell me all about it when I visit.”
Evelyn catches my eye, something knowing in her expression. She stands, smoothing down her skirt. “Why don’t you boys show me which toys you absolutely have to bring? Uncle Cal needs to talk to your mom for a minute.”
“Is Mom sad?” Noah asks perceptively.
“A little,” I admit. “She’s worried about you guys. Wants to make sure you’re safe.”
“We’ll be safe with Grandma,” Liam says confidently. “And Auntie Sienna. And Auntie Maria.”
“I know you will. But your mom still worries. That’s what moms do.”
Evelyn ushers the boys deeper into their room, giving me a small nod toward the hallway. I take the hint, heading toward Parker’s bedroom.
The door is open, and I can see her inside.
She’s packing, but it’s haphazard—throwing clothes into a suitcase without any organization, her movements jerky and frustrated. A shirt misses the suitcase entirely and lands on the floor. She stares at it for a moment, then just leaves it there.
“Parker?” I say quietly from the doorway.
She jumps slightly, turning to face me. Her eyes are red-rimmed but dry—she’s holding it together through sheer force of will.
“Hey,” she says, her voice rough. “I’m just—I’m trying to pack but I can’t remember what I need and I keep thinking I should be planning strategy instead of folding clothes and—” She stops, taking a shaky breath. “I don’t know what I’m doing, Cal.”
I step into the room, closing the door behind me. “You’re being a mother. Protecting your kids. That’s what you’re doing.”
“But I should be—” She gestures vaguely. “Out there. Finding Ryan and Aria. Making them pay for what they did—”