Chapter 18 Salvatore

Sara sat on the couch in my office, shoulders shaking, face buried in her hands. I’d seen fear before. Panic. Grief. But nothing hit me like seeing her like this. And knowing I hadn’t protected her. Or our son.

I wanted to pull her into my arms, tell her I’d fix everything, swear that nothing would ever touch her or Gabe again. But right now, she needed more than comfort. She needed action. I stepped into the hallway, shutting the door behind me before my anger bled into the room. I dialed my attorney first.

“Get to Velvet Lace,” I said the moment he answered. “And bring the best family law partner we have. Now.”

He didn’t ask questions. He knew better.

Next, I called Roc. He picked up on the first ring. “Boss?”

“I need everything on a CPS worker named Kara Barns,” I said. “Everything. And I need it fast.”

Roc’s tone sharpened. “What’d she do?”

“She took Gabe.”

Silence. Then a low, controlled breath. “I’m on it.”

“And Roc, find out what group home he’s in. Put men on the place. I want eyes on Gabe at all times.”

“You got it.”

I hung up and leaned against the wall, trying to breathe through the fury clawing at my chest. I’d failed them. I’d let someone get close enough to hurt my family. Never again. When I walked back into the office, Sara looked up at me with red, swollen eyes. She looked broken. And it gutted me.

“Sara,” I said softly, kneeling in front of her, “we’re going to fix this.”

She shook her head. “I can’t lose him, Salvatore. I can’t...”

“You won’t.”

She swallowed hard. “I want you and Gabe to have a relationship. I do. But I’m his mother. I’ve raised him alone. And if you ever try to take him from me, I will fight you.”

I took her hands gently. “Sara… I would never take Gabe from you. Never. I’m not here to replace you. I’m here to stand beside you.” Her breath hitched. “You, Gabe, and Maria are moving in with me,” I said. “Tomorrow.”

She blinked. “What?”

“It’s not safe here. And I’m not risking anything else happening to you or Gabe. If Maria wants to stay in her home, I’ll make it safe for her. A live‑in nurse. Security. Whatever she needs.”

Sara stared at me like she didn’t know whether to cry or collapse. “Salvatore…”

“I protect my family,” I said quietly. “And you are my family.”

A knock sounded at the door. Talia walked in first, file in hand, eyes blazing. Behind her were my attorney and the family law partner, both looking grim.

“Took you long enough,” I muttered.

Talia ignored the jab. “I pulled the case file. It’s bad. Kara Barns rushed the removal, skipped half the required checks, and lied about the court date.”

Sara’s head snapped up. “What?”

“The hearing is tomorrow morning,” Talia said. “Not Friday.”

Sara’s face went pale.

My attorney stepped forward. “We’ll file an emergency motion to challenge the removal. With Talia’s testimony and the inconsistencies in the report, we have a strong case.”

“And Daniel will be there,” Talia added. “He’s already on his way. He wants to make sure the judge knows CPS is cleaning house — starting with Barns.”

Sara looked between us, me, Talia, the lawyers, like she couldn’t believe any of this was real.

“Why are you doing all this?” she whispered.

I stepped closer. “Because you’re not alone anymore,” I said. “And because no one takes my son.”

Her eyes filled again, but this time, not with fear. With hope.

We spent the next hour preparing, gathering documents, reviewing the file, building the case. Talia was a force of nature, tearing through the report with precision and fury. The lawyers strategized. I made calls. Sara sat beside me, holding onto the file like it was the only thing keeping her upright. When everything was ready, I walked her to the door.

“I’ll pick you up at seven,” I said. “We’ll go together.”

She nodded, voice trembling. “Okay.”

As she stepped out, I made myself a promise. Tomorrow, I would walk into that courtroom and take back what was mine. My son. My family. And anyone who tried to stand in my way would regret it.