[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.It’s not something you can control.My abilities didn’t come until a couple days ago, they’ve had nothing to do with Caleb and I up until now.And I’m not a freak and neither are they.”“Maggie.” He leaned forward and grabbed my free hand.“They knew this would happen to you and they let it.You’re a sweet, young, pretty girl and they just-”“No.Stop.”“You don’t even know him that well.You’re not ready for-”“Dad-” I cut in and jerked my hand away but he didn’t stop.“-something like this yet.You’ve barely graduated high school and now you’re supposed to be someone’s soul mate? I don’t fully understand all of what ya’ll are telling me, and I know that there’s still things I haven’t heard yet but-”“Dad-”“-I understand enough about relationships to know that you can’t just base it on feelings and pressure-”“You’re not listening to me,” I blurted loudly and he finally stopped his plight.“It’s not about whether you think I’m a freak or gullible or naïve or even if I’m ready.I love him, daddy.”He slumped in defeat and slid to kneel on the floor in front of the couch.“I always knew you were serious when you called me daddy,” he admitted and I went to the floor too, on my knees.He looked at me.“So, this is it? You’re leaving me,” he phrased it as a statement, not a question, like he knew my answer already.“No, that’s why I wanted to tell you.It’s really rare for humans to imprint with Aces.They don’t have to deal with this very often but they were willing to risk telling you, for my sake, so that I could keep you.You understand? I can’t be without Caleb without it hurting me, and even if I could I wouldn’t want to.But I want to be with you too.”He took a deep breath.“It’s not fair.It’s not fair that I have to just take a backseat and watch someone else have you.”I laughed softly.“That’s what happens, dad.Did you think I’d never leave home? Never move out? Never go to college? Never get married?”He cracked the first small smile.“Yes.Yes I did think that.”Peter chuckled behind dad and it was like my dad realized then that we weren’t alone.He looked over at Caleb for a long time.Then he smiled again and so did I reading his mind.“It’s mostly my fault, but my daughter hasn’t been happy in a very long time, until now.I saw it but.” He shook his head.“I didn’t want to believe it was over a boy.I can’t deny that as much as I might not like how young she is, that she’s happy with you.”Caleb nodded and looked down at our still intertwined hands.“I’m sorry.I never wanted to take her away from you.I just want her to be happy.”“I know.” Dad sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.Then he turned a forced smile on Peter.“So.Your whole family has these.abilities? You all get married for life? Everyone?”“Yes,” Peter answered, “but, like I said, Caleb and Maggie are the first to imprint in a very long time and Maggie’s gift is rare and coveted.I’m not sure what it all means, I won’t lie, but it’s something good.”My dad looked back to me and blew a long breath.“College now?”“Well,” Peter interrupted.“First things first.We need to make sure that the echoling is actually going to stop.That Marcus will stop.”“But I thought you said you took care of it?” dad asked.“We did but we can’t just call the police like humans can when we have a problem.The only way to truly take care of it is to kill him.I.will if I have to, but I’d rather not resort to that unless it comes to it.”Dad looked scandalized but kept his composure.In his mind he was wondering if he could ask someone to do that.Kill someone.Take a life.For me.“Ok.What do we have to do?” dad asked with a new resolve.“Well.I think if Caleb and Maggie get out of town for while it would be best while I monitor the Watson’s.The further away from the echoling she is, the less chance he has of reaching her.”“But I thought you said if they slept-” Dad choked on the word and cleared his throat.“Slept together- were together at night, that he couldn’t harm her.”“He can’t but he’s already tried a kidnap attempt here at your house once before.”“What!”“It’s alright [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]