Page 57 of The Mafia's Quadruplets

“Not until you calm down,” he says firmly. “I won’t let you hurt yourself or anyone else.”

Mom gasps. “Robert, stop it. This isn’t helping Jay.”

Dad’s shoulders slump, the fight draining out of him. Valerian releases his hold, and Dad stumbles back, rubbing his wrist.

“Now,” Valerian says, his voice low and controlled, “If you’ll listen, I can explain what’s really going on.”

I watch as Valerian outlines the situation with the Petrov Syndicate, explaining how they had tried to recruit Jay before his arrest. My parents’ faces grow more horrified with each revelation.

“They could still want something from him, viewing him as an investment that still hasn’t yielded returns. Or maybe they’retargeting Jay because of me,” he admits, his gaze flicking to mine, “Because hurting him hurts Claire, and that in turn...”

He trails off, but the implication is clear. Mom’s eyes widen as she looks between Valerian and me. “Oh.” She flinches. “Oh, I see.”

Dad seems oblivious to the subtext, his brow wrinkled with confusion. “I don’t understand. Why would hurting Claire matter to you?”

Valerian’s jaw tightens. “That’s not important right now. What matters is that I have resources,extensiveresources, and I will use every one of them to protect your family. Even if it means operating outside the law.”

Dad’s eyes narrow. “You’d break the law for us?”

“For Claire,” he says simply, and my heart misses a beat. “And by extension, for all of you.”

The tension in Dad’s shoulders eases slightly. “I appreciate that, but I still don’t trust you.”

“You don’t have to trust me. Just know that I’m on your side in this.”

We lapse into an uneasy silence, each lost in our own thoughts. I sink into an uncomfortable plastic chair, my legs suddenly weak. Mom sits beside me, taking my hand in hers.

“How are you holding up, sweetheart?” she asks softly.

I force a smile. “I’m fine, Mom. Just worried about Jay.”

She squeezes my hand. “We all are, but he’s strong. He’ll pull through this.”

The minutes crawl by like hours. I watch the second hand on the wall clock tick endlessly, each movement a reminder of how long Jay has been in surgery. Valerian paces near the windows, his phone pressed to his ear as he speaks in hushed tones. Dad sits rigidly in a chair across from us, his gaze fixed on the floor.

Finally, a doctor in blue scrubs approaches. We all stand, forming a tight circle around him.

“Family of Jay Bennett?” he asks, and we nod. “I’m Dr. Patel. Jay is out of surgery and stable. One of his ribs punctured his lung, which is why we needed to operate. He’s being moved to the ICU for close observation.”

A collective sigh of relief ripples through our group. “Can we see him?” Mom asks eagerly.

Dr. Patel nods. “Two visitors at a time, for five minutes each. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, you can go first. Then you, miss,” he says, gesturing to me.

As my parents follow Dr. Patel down the hall, I turn to Valerian. His face is a mask of calm, but I can see the tension in his shoulders.

“Thank you for being here and everything you’re doing. And for not punching my dad when he tried to punch you.”

Valerian’s eyes soften as they meet mine. “Of course. I told you, Claire, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you and your family safe.”

I nod, unable to find the words to express the emotions swirling inside me. Gratitude, fear, and something else I’m not ready to name.

We wait in silence until my parents return, their faces a mix of relief and worry. Mom’s eyes are red-rimmed, and Dad’s hand trembles slightly as he places it on my shoulder.

“He’s somewhat awake,” says Mom. “Groggy, but awake. Go see him, sweetie.”

Valerian and I make our way down the sterile hallway. We reach Jay’s room, and I pause at the doorway, my hand hovering over the handle.

Valerian’s warm palm settles on my lower back. “I’m right here with you, Claire.”

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