“That’s not fair. Why is your grandmother doing this?” Sasha asked. “You’re family. You should pull together, not fight each other.”
“I agree.”
“Perhaps you should investigate the reasons behind your grandmother’s determination to get custody of Noel.”
“I thought… I mean, she told me she thought my lifestyle as a bachelor didn’t work with a young child. She worried I’d palm him off on a stranger.”
“Which is what you did,” Sasha said without heat. “She suspects the validity of our engagement because it happened suddenly. She wonders why she didn’t know of my existence earlier.”
Max snorted. “It’s not as if we’ve ever been close. My grandparents disapproved of my father. The fact my mother was pregnant with me when my parents married upset them greatly. Julia, my grandmother, wanted Mum to marry a family friend with a title.”
“Can I read the document?” Sasha asked.
Max shoved them across the table toward her. “Have at it. I’ll check on dinner.”
Sasha read the legal document carefully.
“Does she have money problems?”her dragon asked.
“Excellent question,” Sasha said aloud. “My dragon wonders if your grandparents are in debt. Noel comes with money and property to enable his upkeep, but whoever becomes his guardian ends up with the use of that wealth.”
Max turned from his position at the stove, a fork in his hand. “My father’s family have money and live in Surrey. I always thought my mother’s parents were reasonably well off. Comfortable, at least.”
“Perhaps they were, but could that have changed without your knowledge? Can you ask someone you trust to check for you?”
“Maybe you’re right,” Max drawled. “I have a friend in Edinburgh. Jerome is a private investigator. I’ll ask him to start digging.”
“Will there be enough time? The papers give your grandparents the right to take Noel in two days.” She scowled. “Why wouldn’t they consider what Noel wants?”
“He’s a child. He’s only four, and he has Down syndrome,” Max said with a trace of bitterness.
“Can you fight this?”
“I don’t know. If I let them take Noel, I’ll have a hell of a fight on my hands to get him back. If there’s any chance my grandmother is using Noel to get money instead of acting in this way for the greater benefit…” He trailed off with a shake of his head, his knuckles white around the fork he held.
“There are a few other options,” Sasha said slowly, her mind busy working on solutions. “We could get married and present a united front. We might be young, but I believe Noel is happy with us.”
“What about your betrothed?”
Sasha snorted. “A horrid fate. If I end up with Bruceous, I’ll turn into a bitter old maid.”
Max sent her a thoughtful look. “And would this marriage be a real one?”
“If you’re amiable to marriage with a dragon shifter,” Sasha said, seeking her words with care. “My dragon and I both like you. We’re attracted to you.”
“And we want to experiment with him—try the things from the kissing books,”her dragon said with enthusiasm.
Sasha flinched, and she watched Max’s gaze narrow. Interest glittered in him, and his features took on a predatory air.
“Like me?”
“We miss you when you’re not here,” Sasha said.
Max laughed. “Noel misses me.”
“We imagine kissing you and more,” Sasha admitted, deciding to go with the truth rather than acting the blushing maiden.
“If we got married,” Max said, “I’d expect a real marriage. Would you still want to go home?”
