My mother frowns at the incessant plea, and truthfully, it’s my only relief in this panic Sage has incited in me. “I can’t leave yet. My business isunfinished.”
But Sage tries to bolt from the roomanyway.
“No, Sage, don’t go.” I tighten my grip over her hand, but she wiggles free and makes her way to my mother. “Please, I won’t say that again. Just stay.” Barron lets out a sharp cry, and I rock him urgently, trying to get him to settle. I don’t think Sage can handle an ounce more ofagitation.
“I’m leaving now,Skyla, and I won’t be back,” Sage seethes, those stormy eyes of hers as unknowable as the ocean. “Let this be a lesson to you. Never threaten me again.” Her voice spikes with anger before she turns to my mother. “If you’re unable to take me, I’ll leave on myown!”
“And travel through the heavens all by your lonesome?” Mother frowns at her mini me. “Angels have been deposed by wrestling with dark powers. I’d shudder to think what they might do to you, mylove.”
What in the hell? Aren’t dead people supposed to besafe?
“Fine!” Sage’s anger surges as her face screws up into a tight knot of anger. “Have Grandpa pick me up. Or send Uncle Logan. They’ll both do anything for me!” Her tiny eyes squint with a newfound rage. “I’m leaving now, regardless of what you say—and neither of you can stop me.” She stomps her feet, and I shake my head in dismay at my mother because honestly? This is what happens when you let a child spend copious amounts of time withher.
My mother lifts a hand, and a powerful light bursts into the room. Standing beside her, fully formed, is my father and my open-mouthed surprise quickly transforms into asmile.
“Daddy!” I sob out his name, so very tired of everything in this world. I’m ready for his embrace. I thirst for it likewater.
“Skyla.” He leans in and kisses both Barron and me before scooping Nathan from my mother’s arms. “I love you all. Don’t you ever forget that,” he says it directly into his namesake’seyes.
“Put that thingdown, Grandpa!” Sage commands. “You’re to take me home at once. I’m not welcome here.” She cuts me a lethal look with that last sentence. “That mean person wants to take away my powers, and she’s called me averybadword.”
“Skyla?” My father looks befuddled as my mother extracts the baby from hisarms.
“You may not speak with her!” Sage barks. “We’re leavingnow.”
“I love you so much.” The words strangle from my throat as I look to my irate little daughter. My beautiful dark angel with those sapphire eyes and dimpled cheeks. I love her so much my bones ache right down to my miserablesoul.
She jumps up into my father’s arms and gives his chest a hard shove. “I said now, Grandpa! Don’t you pay attention to her! You may not choose her over me.” And just like that, they’re reduced to a quivering shadow before the room clears up onceagain.
“Goodbye!” I shout into the nothingness they’ve left behind, and it feels as if they’ve taken my heart right along with them. “Never in a million years would I have wanted to upset her.” My chest heaves with a dry sob at thethought.
“Well, now—it didn’t take you a million years, did it?” Candace takes a seat at the edge of the bed with that I-knew-it smug look on her face—my face as itwere.
“You’re raising her to be just like you.” I pin her with a look to alert her to the fact this is not necessarily a good thing—because everyone in the universe can attest to the fact it’s a piss-pooridea.
“Then I’m raising herright.” She indulges in a prideful smile. “I just love seeing that flame of independence flicker alive in her. You really should have named herFeisty.”
“Feisty?” It comes out with defeat because whether or not I gifted her that name—or cursed her with it, take your pick—it doesn’t make a difference. That’s exactly what she is. “You said she wasn’t the one. What makes you so sure I’m having a child with Logan? It’s Celestra’s spring. I’m yawning awake to my own rebellion. I promise you I can be just as feisty as the nextgirl.”
“Come now, you can’t manipulate me into handing her back.” She lays Nathan over my chest and sighs dreamily into him. “And as much as I admire the loving care and devotion you’ve given these two, I think it’s time to meet with the Factions. You have very serious business to take care of, mydear.”
“You’re right. I’ve yet to oversee the Factions or the Retribution League properly. And don’t even get me started on that government bullshit that Wesley is pulling. But I’m still nursing.” Nathan begins to root around my chest as he searches for food, and I give it to him. “Case in point.” He latches on, and I suck in a breath. That needle in the nipple sensation still gets me each time they getstarted.
“And you’re still able to speak with me. Case in point.” She forces a quick smile to come and go. “You can and will doboth.”
“There isn’t any real business to conduct. Besides, the island is crawling with feds. I’m sure they have the Haver estate on lockdown. The government wants answers. They’re going door-to-door. There’s a rumor going around that they’re giving out cash and gift incentives. I hate the thought of being ratted out because someone desperately wanted a twenty-five-dollar gift card to the BurgerShack.”
“Would anyone you know do such a thing?” She’s egging me on. I can tell by the tone in her voice that she’s leading me down a fiery stepfather-ishpath.
“Tad.”
“OnlyTad?”
“Okay, fine. Half the island would sell me out for a free burger.” My chest bucks at the thought, and both boys bounce over me, inciting one of them to offer up a huskygiggle.
“Then we need to stay ahead of the curve. You and your people will be ratted out as you so eloquently put it. What do you propose wedo?”
“You have the solution mother. Spit it out.” I’m not in the mood for her head games. My heart is still aching from that bizarre quasi-argument I had withSage.
