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The magnitude of what she'd done, the potential ripple effect it could have on our lives, made me love her even more. She was my other half, my mate, and I couldn't wait to claim her and make her mine in every way. Dealing with Rosalind brought us one step closer to that future.
The moment we stepped into the penthouse, my patience gave out. I gripped Mariah's arms, my eyes searching hers. "What happened? What have you learned?"
A smile slowly spread across her face, a look of accomplishment bright in her eyes.
"Something went right," she said, bouncing on her toes in an excited voice.
Mason's curious eyes flicked between us. He looked just as eager to find out as I did.
Mariah smiled at him. "Would you mind grabbing me something to drink?"
Mason nodded and immediately headed toward the kitchen.
Once we were alone, I couldn't contain my excitement any longer and pulled Mariah into a tight embrace, then kissed her forehead and smiled down at her. Mariah blushed, biting down on a pleased smile. Mason came back with bottled water and some trail mix, and I released Mariah as we all took seats around the table once more. Anticipation filled the air.
"Okay," Mariah said after she took a drink, her eyes bright when her gaze locked with mine. "There's a lot more going on with Rosalind than I expected. The long and short of it is, she wants us to help her boyfriend, a dragon named Porter. If we can ensure his safety, she's willing to drop the custody case."
The simplicity of her words didn’t sync with the weight of the problem. "What?" The disbelief was palpable. "Just like that? It feels too simple."
"That's what I thought at first, too,” Mariah said. “But Porter works for Tomas. Rosalind believes her father is in the dark about their relationship, but she wants out of all of it. She wants to leave her family and clan behind and start a new life somewhere else with Porter. But she thinks her father would never let him leave..." She paused, biting her lip.
"He won't let him leave alive, you mean," I said, understanding the implication behind her unspoken words. My hands balled into fists as an undercurrent of anger coursed through me.
The thought of Tomas manipulating and controlling the lives of so many people around him, using them as mere pawns, made my blood boil. It was what he did, I knew that, but the bitter tang of reality gnawed at me more than ever. Sofia’s future was at stake here, and I refused to let her be part of his sick games. We had to fight back against this man and his agenda, not just to protect ourselves and our future, but also to fight for those who couldn't do it themselves. Who knew how many people Hawthorne had trapped into working for him, threatening them to remain loyal?
"Exactly." I wondered if she was remembering her time as his captive. She shook her head, then continued. "So, if we manage to get Porter safely away from Tomas, it might get Rosalind to stand up to her father and drop the custody suit. At least that's what she made me believe."
I was desperate for this to be the solution, but I also knew how conniving and manipulative Rosalind was. "Did she seem genuine?"
A pause stretched out as Mariah’s gaze held mine, and she seemed to search for the right words. After what felt like an eternity, she finally nodded. "She did, Evan. She's not exactly mother of the year, but her concern for Porter's safety seemed sincere."
"Mother of the year? What does that mean?"
Mariah's eyes were sad when she spoke again. "She was honest about her desires, her regrets, her fears. All useful information, and exactly what we need… but I couldn't get over the way she spoke of Sofia. I still can't."
"Sofia?" I couldn't keep the worry from my voice.
Mariah's expression turned colder. "She was dismissive, Evan. Completely. She jumped at the possibility of not having custody. Said having to raise her was never part of the plan." Her words hung heavy in the air as she shook her head.
"I can't imagine what it’d be like to not want to be Sofia's mother," she said in a soft voice. "To not feel that connection with her. To see Sofia as a thorn in her side instead of the precious baby that she is."
I knew Rosalind didn’t have a mothering instinct—she’d dropped our child on my doorstep, after all—but this dismissal of Sofia still stirred an icy rage within me. The thought of our little girl being discarded, being treated as a mere pawn in this twisted game, was nauseating. Yes, we wanted the Hawthornes to drop the case, and Rosalind was playing right into our hands. But that didn't change her actions, and my protective instincts when it came to my daughter flared up.
Smoke billowed from my nostrils as I fought to contain my fury. Mariah exchanged a glance with Mason, then gently placed her hand on my arm in a plea for calm.
"I get it, Evan," she said, a soothing balm on my anger. "But let's focus on the bigger picture here. We need to understand the enemy to defeat her."
"You're right," I said, still fighting to shove down my fury, to keep my dragon at bay. "What's the next step? Did she say anything else?"
"As much as I don't like the woman, Rosalind is trapped in this just as much as we are. She spoke of her father's demands and his control. She doesn't want custody of Sofia, doesn't even want to be a mother, but Tomas is forcing her hand. He seems to hope that if she wins custody, you’ll come around to his way of thinking eventually.”
Another huff of smoke poured from me, and I squeezed my eyes shut, keeping my focus. “And the boyfriend… this Porter. Do you know anything else?”
She nodded, her eyes full of concern as she regarded me. "It sounds like he’s pretty deep with Tomas and knows secrets Rosalind believes her father doesn't want getting out. Tomas won't let him leave, and Rosalind won't go without him."
Understanding dawned. "So, if we help Porter escape, he and Rosalind will run away together. Meaning she drops the lawsuit..."
"Exactly," Mariah confirmed.
