A grown man who had terrified her children was now frightened of her.
And for one terrible instant, she understood how easily that feeling of power could become something ugly.
She had meant the threat when she’d spoken it.
For the briefest moment, seeing Leo helpless beneath Nolan had made her want someone to hurt him just as badly.
But as she looked toward the house, she thought about what Mia and Leo would remember from this day.
Would they remember their mother defending them?
Or would they spend the rest of their childhood knowing that their mother’s protection had ended with someone being killed on their front lawn?
Serafina turned to Enzo.
“Everyone stays where they are.”
Enzo studied her face.
Then he nodded.
“What do you want us to do?”
“Nothing violent.
Nobody touches them.”
Victor gave a disbelieving laugh.
“So that’s it?
You’re going to have us murdered and then pretend you’re innocent?”
Serafina faced him.
“No, Victor.”
Her voice was steady.
“You wanted my children to learn how this family works.
They’re going to learn that hurting people has consequences, and that consequences don’t have to come from a gun.”
From beyond the gates came the rising sound of sirens.
Victor looked toward the driveway.
His expression changed.
“What have you done?”
“Called the police,” Serafina replied.
She had never seen him look so genuinely afraid.
Two patrol cars entered the drive moments later.
The officers approached cautiously, separating the people involved and asking everyone to keep their hands visible.
Eva had reported the emergency after receiving Serafina’s call, and Mrs.
Alvarez had managed to contact the dispatcher as well.
Serafina immediately explained what had happened.
She identified Nolan as the man who had pinned her son to the lawn and pushed her daughter.
She explained that Victor had attempted to grab her after she intervened.
She also acknowledged that she’d defended herself physically.
The officers didn’t simply accept anyone’s account.
They interviewed witnesses separately, examined the children’s injuries, and requested medical assistance.
Victor repeatedly tried to interrupt.
“She attacked us!” he insisted.
“She’s turning everybody against me!”
One officer told him to remain quiet while the interviews continued.
Nolan paced near the driveway, staring at the ground.
When an officer approached him, his confidence briefly returned.
“You know who my father is?”
The officer looked at his identification.
“Yes,” he replied.
“And right now I’m asking about what happened to the children.”
Nolan had no answer that made the situation better.
Inside the house, Serafina found Leo sitting on Mrs.
Alvarez’s lap.
His little face was blotchy from crying, and there were stains along the front of his shirt.
Mia sat beside them with a damp cloth pressed against her scraped knee.
The moment Leo saw his mother, he climbed down and ran into her arms.
“Mommy!”
Serafina knelt and held him.
He wrapped his arms around her neck so tightly that she could barely breathe.
“I thought he was going to hurt me,” he sobbed.
“I know, baby.”
“He wouldn’t let me get up.”
“I know.”
She pressed her cheek against his hair.
“I’m here now.”
Leo pulled back enough to look at her.
“Is he coming back?”
Serafina swallowed.
“No, sweetheart.
He’s not coming near you right now.”
Mia stood a few feet away, trying very hard not to cry.
Serafina held out her free arm.
“Come here, my girl.”
Mia stepped into her embrace.
The child who had tried to pull a grown man off her brother finally broke down.
“I couldn’t get him off,” she whispered.
“I pulled and pulled, but he was too strong.”
Serafina’s heart ached.
She held both children closer.
“Mia, listen to me.
You tried to help Leo.
You were brave, and you were loving, and you did everything an eleven-year-old could do.”
“But he still hurt him.”
“That was Nolan’s fault.
Not yours.”
Mia buried her face against her mother’s shoulder.
Serafina looked down at Leo.
Neither child should have been forced to learn what adult cruelty could look like.
Neither should have had to wonder whether their own relatives were safe.
She had spent three years trying to keep the ugliness of the Russo organization away from them.
Today it had crossed the lawn and entered their lives anyway.
And she knew that protecting them now would require more than confronting Victor.
It would require changing the circumstances that had allowed him to believe he could behave this way without consequences.
The paramedics examined both children before recommending a further medical evaluation.
Leo had superficial bruising and abrasions, while Mia had scraped knees and soreness from her fall.
There were no immediate signs of a serious injury, but Serafina wanted them examined thoroughly.
She followed the medical team’s advice.
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