This situation was worsening by the minute.
“I’m sorry, but these nice people have to leave. I just spoke to Mommy, and she will talk with you when she gets home.” She meant chat with Blake, not us. Marley didn’t even spare us a glance.
There was an invisible connection between Donovan and me, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think he was funneling his feelings into me. He wanted to roar and bang on the table while yelling at Marley. I knew none of that was the way to win over his niece or keep himself in her good graces—I wasn’t even sure if he wanted to remain there, but she was a kid. There was nothing won by upsetting a child.
I brought my hand to his forearm and gave a small squeeze. He turned and looked at me, and I shook my head. Watching him close his eyes, I heard him exhale.
“We don’t have to go, Blake. In fact, let me call your daddy and we can plan for you to get to know us. Your family.” His eyes softened in a way I wasn’t sure they ever could.
Yanking his cell from his suit pocket, he hit some buttons.
“He didn’t want that. This, or whatever you’re planning,” Marley whispered, finally getting her tone under control.
“Can I talk to Daddy?” Blake was staring at Donovan with wide, hopeful eyes.
Of course Donovan didn’t see because he was looking at the table when he barked, “Magnum, we have to talk,” into the phone.
I could hear the deep rumble of Mag’s voice on the other end but couldn’t make out what he was saying.
Don, stood, his six-foot, three-ish stature dominating the room.
“Is there a reason you never mentioned having a child?” He had enough decency to turn away from Blake as he spoke.
Marley was now seated next to Blake, running her hand through the girl’s hair, pushing it behind her ear and kissing her cheek. Despite her gruff demeanor, she had to know there wasn’t going to be anything pleasant to come out of this meeting.
“Magnum, this is not good for…” Donovan paused.
My thought was he was trying to avoid mentioning Rubia, our powers, and our real mission in being here—although I suspected Valerie and her mother knew some of the more intimate details.
“…our legacy. Our family…but she may… She needs to come be with us.”
He gave a quick turn and looked at his niece and she gave an almost unnoticeable twitch of her nose. I watched as he rubbed his forehead and now stared more intently at Blake while raising his eyebrow. She’d done something. I had no idea what, but it didn’t matter. She’d exhibited a power, heightening the stakes.
“No, not her. But your daughter, yes.” He said the last part while moving into the other room.
I stole a glance at Marley, and she’d picked up what Donovan was meaning.
I decided a diversion was needed when it came to Blake, and myself. “What are you coloring?” It was likely that Donovan was going to stop at nothing when it came to this child, and my mother and Ceci would not be happy until I did what we came here to do.
“A dragon,” Blake answered.
I took a closer look. “A pink dragon.”
“Yes, a girlie dragon. Mommy says we are girlies, and we have to stick together.”
If her mom had been smarter, she would have taken Blake with her, knowing we were coming.
Donovan re-entered the room, holding his phone out. “Blake, your daddy wants to say hi.”
She jumped off her chair and catapulted herself into her uncle’s arms, throwing her hands around his neck. For the second time today I was shocked by Donovan. He had no clue what to do with the tiny person looped around him, but he put his palm underneath her weight and held her in place as she took the phone.
“Hi, Daddy,” she said. There were a series ofMmmandHmmmbefore she said, “Mommy went away for a few weeks. I’m not scared.” There were a few moreOkays and then, “I crunched my nose and Uncle Donovan felt it.”
“Say bye,” Don interrupted. “So we can visit,” he added, and the call was over.
Marley said, “I think the visit has been long enough. I’ll have Valerie let Magnum know when she is back, and he can tell you.” The grandmother stood, signaling she’d had enough.
I also got out of my chair, fearing Donovan might be stuck, and deciding it was time to get him out of there.
