Page 3

“He’s a big bully,” Drew added with a serious nod. “I don’t think I should go to school with a bully.”

Daniel frowned down at her. Drew gave him a quick sideways glance before looking away, and that right there told him everything he needed to know. She was avoiding the real reason she needed to talk to her mom and dad.

“I swear, let me at this kid’s dad and I’ll kick his ass,” Steve growled under his breath, but not nearly low enough because everyone heard him.

“Steve.” Mira glared at him before giving a pointed nod toward Drew. “Little ears.”

“Can I tell Brayden that you’re going to kick his A-S-S?” Drew spelled the word out, which had everyone trying to hide their grins.

“Drew!” Mira scolded, not looking nearly as amused as everyone else.

“I didn’t say the bad word.” Drew huffed. “Dad says if you spell a word, then it’s not saying a bad word.”

“Truth.” Steve nodded, one eyebrow cocked.

“Not truth,” Mira growled before turning her attention back to Drew. “Spelling it is the same as saying it.”

“Okay.” Drew huffed again. “So can I tell Brayden that my dad is going to kick his dad’s...butt?”

“Yes,” Steve said at the exact same time Mira answered.

“No!”

Before a full-out war broke out between Steve and Mira, Daniel figured he better step in. Drew was playing them both, which he had to admit was pretty impressive. But the little asshole pulling her hair and stealing her colored pencils wasn’t the real reason they were standing here.

“That isn’t what Drew came in here to tell you,” Daniel said just as Steve and Mira stood facing each other in a silent showdown.

“Yes, it was.” Drew looked up at Daniel, shaking her head slightly, the pleading look in her eyes begging him to keep his mouth shut.

Daniel sighed before kneeling in front of her. “Drew, if you don’t tell them, then I will, and I really don’t want to do that. It needs to come from you.”

For a few seconds, she just stared at him. Then her gaze moved past him toward Becky, her little face scrunching into a frown.

“The baby is gonna come soon,” Drew said, then looked back at Daniel. “But you knew that too.”

Daniel’s frown deepened. “What made you say that, Drew?”

He glanced toward Mira and saw the surprise on her face before looking at Becky, who was still sitting at the table staring at her phone, seemingly unaware of what Drew had just said.

Drew shrugged, suddenly interested in anything but him. “I don’t know.” Her eyes finally found his again. “Sometimes I know things, and they happen. Just like I knew you were sad.”

“What else do you know...” Daniel paused, studying those deep blue eyes before adding, “about me?”

Drew took a deep breath, her chin wobbling slightly before she straightened her little shoulders. “I know you’re good, but you have bad things in your head.” She hesitated, watching him closely. “And you feel better when I’m with you.”

Daniel stared at her, stunned. After everything he had seen in his short life, he didn’t think much could shock him anymore, but Drew had just managed to do exactly that.

Because she was right.

Drew quieted the demons in his head.

He had never told anyone that. Hell, he didn’t fully understand it himself. The darkness was always there, constantly pushing at him, but whenever Drew was around, it quieted. Not completely, but enough that for once he didn’t feel like he was constantly fighting something no one else could see.

He didn’t know why. Maybe it had something to do with her being a witch, or maybe Drew had another gift none of them understood yet. Whatever it was, Daniel had always been careful never to take advantage of it. He would never seek her out just to find relief from what went on inside his head.

But when she was near, he cherished every second of the quiet.

What he hadn’t known until this very moment was that Drew knew it too.