“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Keira.” I looked at Draven’s almost panicked face and back to the source of that panic as Ella was now reaching out to him. I couldn’t help it but I laughed. This mighty King of Demons and Angels on Earth, faced God knows how many armies and enemies but in the face of one little girl barely a year old and he looked ready to run and hide.
“I think you can handle it, Draven.” I said still chuckling as I passed her over to Draven not giving him much choice in the matter. He gripped her little body with his large hands overlapping and held her away from him like she was a ticking time bomb. I shook my head still laughing softly and said,
“Like this, cradle her to you.” I then motioned for him to hold one hand under her bum and the other around her body to hold her against his chest. Once he did this something in him just seemed to change instantly, like flipping a switch and one I suspected was wired directly to his heart.
“Dom, Dom!” She squealed in delight making his eyes widen.
“See, she likes you.” I said nodding as she planted both her tiny hands on his cheeks and getting closer to his face.
“She does?” He asked in wonder and I couldn’t have stopped the ache in my heart from mounting at the sight of Draven falling under the spell of my niece and becoming quickly and utterly smitten.
“Totally.” I whispered trying to rein in my emotions and the thickness in my voice.
“Well you are certainly a rare beauty aren’t you?” He said to her and she giggled before she pushed his cheeks together in the way she does to everyone.
“Chummba cheeks.” She said mimicking the way her daddy did it to her when she sat on his lap. Draven burst out laughing and then shifted her further up in his hold, obviously getting more comfortable with holding her now. He then both made my heart soar and crash at the same time when he bent his head and kissed her nose. She wrinkled it up and then poked him on his own and shouted,
“Nose! Nose!” I think it was at that precise moment I witnessed Draven fall in love with another human being and it was the single most beautiful moment in my life so far. But with its beauty came with it the devastating truth that up until that moment I had never fully let myself believe. I had kept it locked away all this time to a place I never wanted to unlock because to unlock it and set it free meant one haunting truth...
I could never have that beauty with Draven and that beauty was one only found when creating a child and inevitably was the kind of beauty…
I always craved.
Chapter 17
Almost Letting Go.
“Dom, Dom!” Ella shouted as she was still being carried around by Draven and I don’t think either of them was ready to give up the other any time soon. Libby’s icy demeanour soon thawed and I wasn’t sure whether this was because of the obvious adoration Draven was showing her daughter or from what Frank had told her. Well whichever one did it, Libby was now back in full welcoming mode and currently bringing through a tray of tea and biscuits making me want to groan when I saw her fancy china set, that I believe was a wedding gift never used.
“Well I’d better go pack,” I said as everyone else seated themselves in the living room.
“Oh don’t be daft, you have plenty of time,” Libby said setting the tray down as Ella shouted,
“Candy!” Which was what she called anything that was sweet. She then squirmed on Draven’s lap and started trying to reach out for a biscuit. Draven not even thinking about it reached out and grabbed one to hand her but what shocked everyone was that he first took a bite as if testing it for himself before letting her have it.
“Uh…are you still ok to take me to the airport?” I asked trying to move past the heavy sweet lump Draven’s actions were forming.
“I am taking you.” Draven said without looking at me and not caring in the slightest he was getting chocolate hand prints and cookie crumbs all down his obviously expensive leather jacket. Hell, if anything he looked like he would have burnt it if the child in his lap had only asked.
“Umm, that’s nice of you to offer, Draven but…”
“It’s not an offer.” He said and reached for another biscuit for Ella.
“Yummy Dom, Dom!” Ella shouted with glee and Libby chuckled but then said,
“Alright but last one or you will spoil your dinner.” At this Draven’s head whipped up and stared at her in disbelief.
“Ok Mummy.” Ella said around a mouthful of crumbs.
“She is allowed no more?” Draven asked Libby clearly shocked that Ella was being denied anything. Frank laughed and slapped his hands to his knees before he got up.