“It’s okay, sweetie,” I murmured. “Mommy’s here.”

Julian looked back at me, his face pale with anger.

“You think this makes you look good?” he sneered.

“You’re using our son as bait.”

“No,” I said, standing up from the swing at last.

“I am protecting him from a father who thinks rules don’t apply to him.”

“A father who lies to his wife, his business partners, and the courts.”

“This is going to destroy your custody case,” Julian said, taking a step back but keeping his eyes locked on mine.

“My lawyer will have you in contempt by Monday morning.”

“Martin Bell is a smart man,” I said.

“But even Martin can’t argue with video evidence of you standing ten feet away from us in a park three hundred miles from home.”

“You shouldn’t have come, Julian.”

“You should have stayed in New York with Isabel.”

The mention of her name made him flinch.

It was a small movement, but I caught it.

“Isabel has nothing to do with this,” he said.

“She has everything to do with this,” I replied.