Page 31 of Dangerous Rhythm

“Do that,” Curtis said. “I’ll stay. It’s me they want. They won’t touch my family if they know they can get me.”

“Are you crazy?” Callie blurted out.

“No fucking way!” Brandon snapped.

The rest expressed their outrage over Curtis’ idea. But Lina saw the merit of his thinking.

“I’m not throwing myself at them! Just to distract them while you get to safety,” Curtis said.

Lina held out her hand to quiet the crowd’s arguments and eyed Curtis. “You’re thinking of a bait and switch?”

Curtis glanced at her with a twinkle in his eyes. “Kinda.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Brandon demanded.

“You’re not playing the bait, Curtis,” Callie said.

“We will not dangle him for them to catch, but we can feed them with false leads of his whereabouts,” Lina thought out loud. “There might be a mole in the NYPD who’s somehow getting the Stilettos info on Curtis. We can use that to our advantage. We’ll feed them false leads that Curtis is heading somewhere else while you all go to Provence.”

“That’s a good idea. But I think I need to go far and keep these people on my tail and away from my family,” Curtis added.

“No, Curtis. You stay with us,” Henry said.

“Dad, I can’t have my problem endangering all of you,” Curtis said. “I need to do this. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if any of you got hurt because of me.”

“Curtis, we won’t let that happen,” Lina said.

“But you can’t guarantee that,” he sharply said to her. “If I can lure them away from my family, that’s what I’ll do. Now, can you help me do that or not?”

Lina saw the fear for his loved ones mixing with determination in Curtis’ eyes. She understood his feelings and didn’t take offense at his words. He was right. It was the best strategy to keep Serafina’s thugs trained on their prize. With her help, Curtis could always stay a couple of steps ahead.

Lina nodded. “Yes, I can do that.”

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, you hear?” his sister warned.

“You mean fight the crazy person who imprisoned you?” Curtis reminded her of exactly what she’d done just over a year ago.

Callie grabbed his face. “I’m not kidding, Curtis. I don’t like this already. Don’t do anything stupid!”

“Listen to your sister, Curtis,” his dad said.

“I wish you’d come with us, honey.” His mom squeezed him hard. “Please, don’t do this.”

“Mom, we’ve talked about this.” Curtis kissed the top of his mother’s head. “I’ll be fine. Lina will keep me safe.”

He looked up to find Lina a few feet away, listening intently to Popo. She held Popo’s hands in her own, and nodded at whatever Popo was saying to her.

“Let me hug my niece,” Curtis said to Brandon, who was holding the sleeping Ella.

This wasn’t the first time he’d said goodbye to his family, but this was the hardest one. He might not see them again. Shit was getting real.

Get it together, asshole. Don’t let them see how afraid you are.

“You take care of yourself, okay?” Brandon said. “Listen to Lina. Do not go rogue on her. Not this time. This is your life we’re talking about.” Brandon knew all the shenanigans he’d done in the past to evade the security protocols.

“I know,” Curtis said solemnly. “Keep my family safe, okay?”

“I will. They’re my family, too,” his best friend said and hugged him.

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