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"Savannah, hon," I said. "I need to tell you something. Remember I was telling you about Kristof Nast--"
"This is him?" Her gaze raked over Nast, dismissing him with a snort. "He's the CEO's son? He's what, fifty? By the time he takes over, he'll be ready to retire."
"I'm forty-seven, actually," Nast said with an indulgent smile. "But I take your point. All the better for you, then, isn't it?"
"Isn't what?"
"If I'm so old. All the quicker to get your inheritance."
"Why? What are you, sorcerer? My mom's lawyer?"
Nast looked at me. "You haven't told her?"
"Savannah," I said. "This is--"
"I'm your father," Nast said.
He smiled and reached for Savannah. She jumped back, arms flying up to ward him off. She looked from me to Nast, then back to me.
"That's not funny," she said.
"Savannah, I--" I began.
"No one's joking, Savannah," Nast said. "I know this must come as a shock, but you are my daughter. Your mother--"
"No," she said, voice quiet. She turned to me. "You would have told me, right?"
"I--" I shook my head. "I'm so sorry, hon. We don't know for sure. Mr. Nast claims he's your father. I couldn't believe that. I wanted proof before I told you."
Nast laid a hand on Savannah's arm. When she flung him off, he bent to her height.
"I know you're angry, princess. This wasn't how I planned this. I thought you knew."
"I ... I don't believe it."
"You don't have to. Now that we've moved beyond human courts, we can clear this up with a simple blood test. I've arranged for our doctors to conduct the test as soon as we get back to California."
"California?" Savannah said. "I can't--I'm not--I won't go. I won't."
"My apologies, I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm not taking you anywhere against your will, Savannah. This isn't a kidnapping. I'm sorry I had to resort to such drastic measures to get you here, but I feared it was the only way Paige would allow me to present my case."
"Case?" she said.
"For custody."
She looked from me to him. "We're going to court?"
He laughed. "No, thank God. I've decided to circumvent the horrors of the legal system. No human judge can decide where you belong, Savannah. No person can decide that. It's your life and it should be your decision."
"Good. Then I'm staying with Paige."
"Don't I get to argue my side? Paige has had nearly a year to make her case. Surely you can grant me thirty minutes to make mine. That's all I ask, princess. Thirty minutes to explain why you should stay with me."
"And if I don't want to?"
"Then you're free to go back to East Falls with Paige."
"Bullshit," I said.
