CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

HADES

I had just finished texting Lara, her last message making me feel lighter than I had in days.

Lara: “Of course. Meet at the courtyard?”

Me: “Yeah. Can’t wait.”

Lara: “Me either :)”

Sliding my phone into my pocket, I headed to class, feeling like maybe things were finally falling into place. Life wasn’t perfect, but having her around made the weight I carried easier to bear. Between Lara, Marcus, and knowing my mom was finally in a safe place, I felt like I could handle anything.

Until I heard the voice behind me.

“Excuse me.”

I turned to see two cops approaching, their expressions serious but calm. My stomach dropped.

“Hades Giovanni?” the taller one asked.

My entire body went rigid. “Yeah, that’s me.”

“We need you to come with us.”

My mind immediately raced through every possible scenario. My dad. It had to be him. Either he’d done something, or he’d found a way to drag me into one of his messes again.

I swallowed hard, trying not to let the unease show on my face. “Why?”

The shorter cop stepped forward, his voice professional but firm. “We need to ask you some questions. It’s just routine, but it’s better handled at the station.”

I clenched my fists at my sides, forcing myself to stay calm. Walking out of here with cops was the last thing I wanted to do—especially not with half the school watching.

“Fine,” I muttered, my voice tight.

As I followed them toward the front entrance, I could feel the weight of every stare on me. People were whispering, nudging each other, and I didn’t even have to look to know what they were thinking.

But one pair of eyes cut through the noise.

I glanced to the side and saw Lara, frozen in place next to Gianna. Her face was pale, her expression a mix of confusion and worry. Our eyes met briefly, and I could see the questions forming in her mind.

I looked away quickly, forcing myself to keep walking. Whatever this was, I couldn’t drag her into it.

Not yet. Not until I figured out what the hell was going on.

I followed the two cops through the hallway, my jaw tight and my steps heavy. Every glance and whisper I caught from the other students felt like another weight on my shoulders. The air was thick, and I couldn’t help but feel like everyone was watching my walk of shame.

Just as we reached the school’s main doors, a familiar, authoritative voice rang out from behind us.

“Excuse me, gentlemen.”

The cops stopped, turning around. So did I, spotting Principal Thomas Zane striding toward us, his sharp gray suit and commanding presence silencing the murmurs in the hallway.

Mr. Zane adjusted his glasses, his gaze narrowing on the officers. “May I ask what exactly is going on here?”

One of the officers, the taller one, stepped forward and pulled out his badge. “We’re with the city police department. We need to take this student, Hades Giovanni, in for questioning regarding a personal matter.”

Mr. Zane’s expression didn’t shift. He folded his arms, his gaze icy. “And do you have a warrant or proper authorization to remove a minor from school property during class hours?”

The shorter officer cleared his throat, glancing at his partner before replying. “No warrant, sir. It’s not an arrest. Just routine questioning.”

“Routine questioning,” Mr. Zane repeated slowly, his tone laced with skepticism. “Gentlemen, you should know better than anyone that taking a minor off school grounds without parental consent or a court order is a violation of protocol.”

The taller officer frowned. “Sir, we’re not here to cause trouble. We’re just following up on—”

“Following up without proper authorization,” Mr. Zane cut in sharply. “This is a school, not a public venue. I will not have law enforcement disrupting the safety and focus of my students without the appropriate documentation.”

The hallway had gone completely silent, every student hanging on to the exchange.

I didn’t know what to feel—relief, frustration, or something else entirely. All I knew was that Mr. Zane was standing between me and whatever storm was waiting outside those doors.

The shorter officer sighed and glanced at me. “Giovanni, we’ll be back. You’ll need to come down to the station at your earliest opportunity.”

Mr. Zane raised a hand. “And I trust you’ll ensure all necessary paperwork is filed before then.”

The officers exchanged a look, then nodded curtly. “Understood.”

As they turned and walked away, the tension in the hallway broke, whispers erupting once again. Mr. Zane turned to me, his expression stern but not unkind.

“Mr. Giovanni,” he said, his voice quieter now. “My office. Now.”

I nodded silently, my chest still tight as I followed him down the hall, trying to ignore the stares burning into my back.