The Quelling Tide (The Gifted Realm Book 7)

by Jillian Neal

  “Is this some kind of horrible joke, Daniel? ‘Oh, yes, mom, we’re getting married in Hawaii, and then adopting a little girl just to spite you.” Mrs. Vindico demanded in a heated whisper terrified that someone might overhear her. “Do you just not care about us at all, Daniel? Does our family’s pride and reputation mean nothing to you?” Her voice shook in her fury.

  Working his jaw in constant motion, Dan narrowed his eyes. He felt Fionna grasp his hand but he unhinged his jaw anyway. “No mother, my wife and my little girl are not a joke, and I’m so sorry that we didn’t do things just the way that you wanted them done, but this is our life and not yours!”

  Kara and Meredith raced to Dan’s rescue. “Isn’t it great?” Meredith urged forcefully. “You’ve been wanting Dan to settle down, and get married, and start a family.”

  “And Aida is just adorable, Mom. She’s been playing so sweetly with Olivia and Oliver.” Kara pointed to Dan’s niece and nephew. Aida was teaching them how to blow the puffy leaves off of the dandelions delighting both Olivia and Oliver.

  Aida followed Olivia over to Meredith and Tim. “Watch what Aida can do!”

  Blushing deeply from having the attention of the crowd of adults, Aida demonstrated blowing the flower.

  “Did you make a wish?” Kara asked her sweetly.

  Aida shook her head the reached and took Dan’s hand. “No ma’am, but I told Olivia and Oliver that they were supposed to before they blow them. I don’t need anymore wishes because I get to go home and stay with Dan and Fionna, and that’s the best wish ever. I didn’t want to use up anymore wishes because someone else might need them.”

  Tears pricked Fionna’s eyes as she knelt down and pulled Aida into her embrace. “Oh, Aida, Dan and I wished for you too!”

  “You did?” She sounded stunned.

  Joining his wife in a low squat, Dan nodded. “We did, sweetheart.”

  Aida glanced around at the adults whose eyes were fixed one her. “I’ve never been wished for before. Thank you for wishing for me. I’ll try to be a good wish.” She pledged to Dan.

  Lifting Aida up into his arms he swallowed back another round of emotion. “You are the very best wish I have ever wished for, baby. The very best.” Dan fixed his glare back on his parents. “Have anything else to say, Mother?”

  “No.” Governor Vindico gazed at Aida caught up in Dan’s arms. “She doesn’t.”

  Olivia tugged on Meredith’s hand. “I want Aida to come to my house and play. She has a baby doll named Sophie!”

  “Well, you and Aida are cousins now, so she’s welcome to come to our house anytime she likes.” Meredith kept her pleading gaze fixed on Dan’s eyes. “We would really love that.”

  Dan nodded as Aida turned back to the crowd but kept her arms draped around his neck. “Yeah, we need to do that.” He had quite a few bridges to mend, and Aida deserved a family beyond he and Fionna.

  “You understand it was just all a little sudden.” Governor Vindico tried to explain their trepidation.

  “For some people.” Dan allowed. “But for us it was perfect.”

  “I’m a cousin?” Aida asked thoughtfully after the exchange. “I’ve never been a cousin before.” She looked concerned that she might not be up to the task.

  “Well, Fi and I have never had a little girl before, so how about if we learn to do all of this new stuff together?”

  “Okay.” Aida leaned and whispered in Dan’s ear.

  Grinning at her, he nodded and set her on the ground. “Aida wants to give you a hug.” He explained to his parents and sisters.

  Kara blinked back tears as she moved to Aida and embraced her immediately. “And if you come and play with me and Zach, we’ll watch movies, and eat ice cream, and I’ll paint your fingernails.”

  “Wow!” Delighted, Aida turned back to Fionna. “Is that okay?”

  “Well, only if I get to come too.” Fionna teased.

  Aida giggled. “Only if Fionna comes too!”

  “Of course.”

  Aida moved on to Meredith. She hugged Olivia and kissed Oliver’s cheek tenderly which he promptly wiped off. She slid to the Governor. He knelt down and studied her precious face. “You know, Olivia and Oliver call me Gramps. That sound okay to you, sweetheart?”

  Aida nodded and hugged him timidly. She moved to Mrs. Vindico while biting her lip as she studied her.

  Drawing a deep breath, Dan’s mother knelt forward and patted Aida’s back as she hugged her waist. “It’s so nice to meet you, Aida.” Mrs. Vindico forced.

  “It’s very nice to meet you too ma’am.”

  “Perhaps you and Olivia could both bring your dolls for dinner at our house sometime soon. And you may call me Grandma just like Olivia, if you’d like.” She managed through her clenched teeth.

  Aida smiled but immediately turned back to Dan and Fionna not certain what to say.

  “I would at least like to see photographs from your wedding, Daniel.” She let everyone know that she still wasn’t pleased.

  “We’d be happy to show them to you, but there aren’t many.” Fionna explained hesitantly.

  “Well, we still want to see them, and Marion and I are thrilled that both you and Aida have joined our family.” The Governor vowed.

  “Thank you,” Fionna looked truly touched as Aida crossed Fionna’s arms over her. “How about if we invite Gramps and Grandma, and Olivia, and everyone over to our house tomorrow night and me, and you, and Dan can throw a luau just like Dan and I had after our wedding?” Fionna prompted Aida.

  “Would you like to come over to Dan and Fionna’s house, and we’ll have that thing that Fionna said?”

  Everyone chuckled and smiled at her adoringly. “We’d love to, Aida.” Meredith assured her.

  “We’ll be there, sweetheart,” the Governor cradled Aida’s face in his hand making her grin.

  “Hey, we finally have another Mrs. Vindico.” The Governor announced as he proudly placed his arm around his wife. Dan bit back his hysterical laughter as he took in the momentary look of horror that Fionna tried to hide.

  “How’s the happy family?” Rainer quizzed as he and Emily made their way over as they worked their way through the guests.

  Kara smiled at the newly minted Lawsons. “Thank you so much for inviting us. The wedding was gorgeous!”

  “Thank you.” Emily smiled. “We’re so glad you came, and that you’re getting to meet Aida.” She winked at Aida who’d moved to hold Emily’s hand.

  “Well she really was just the perfect little flower girl. I can’t wait to tell everyone that she was in your wedding.” Mrs. Vindico declared proudly.

  Dan rolled his eyes. He should have just opened with ‘your new granddaughter was the flowergirl in the Lawson/Haydenshire wedding. Think of how jealous the bridge club will be.’

  “Of course I know how very much it must’ve meant to your parents that you had a proper wedding, and Aida just made it perfect.” Mrs. Vindico was unwilling to let it go.

  Dan laced his fingers through Fionna’s. He leaned and whispered, “I much preferred ours, actually.”

  “She was perfect,” Emily tried not to laugh outright at Mrs. Vindico’s sudden pride over her granddaughter and her quip about Dan and Fionna’s wedding.

  “And I guess I’ll let you go live with Fi and Dan, but you have to come visit Rainer and I, okay?” Emily knelt and hugged Aida fiercely.

  “I will. I promise, and thank you for letting me be in the wedding.” She startled Rainer with an exuberant hug.

  “I think it was definitely meant to be.” Rainer assured her.

  Sam sauntered over just then smiling at the assembled group. Emily threw her arms around Sam and kissed his cheek.

  “Girl, I done told you to run for the hills. Now, Rain man done gone and gotten you down the aisle and you’re in it thick.”

  “I think I’ve been in it thick since I was about four, Sam.” She mocked concern making everyone laugh.

  He turned to Fionna and s
miled. “And if I do hear just right, I believe that Big Man Vindico turned you from Miss Amazing Girlfriend into Mrs. Amazing wife.” Sam winked at Fionna as she nodded and showed off her rings.

  Sam let a low whistle slide between his teeth. “See, dis what happens. He gets you all distracted with shiny stuff, and then you don’t see what a sorry-sack-a-goods he really is.”

  “Aww, I think he’s perfect, Sam.” She kissed Dan’s cheek.

  “Good Lord, he’s done gone and gotten you good.” Sam winked at her. “Well, Mrs. Vindico, I’d say if you keep right on thinking he’s perfect even when he ain’t, and if he keep right on looking at you like he been drooling ‘bout you all afternoon, then I’d say the Vindicos gone do just fine.”

  Dan and Fionna shared an excited glance over the proclamation. Dan put his hand on Aida’s shoulder. “Sam, this is our little girl, Aida.”

  Dan felt the immense respect that he held for Sam well in his soul when he grinned down at Aida. There was no quizzical gaze, confusion, or look of disbelief. Sam gave Aida a sweet grin. His eyes twinkled as he took her in.

  “Well, hello there, Miss Aida. I’m Sam.” He held his hand out to Aida.

  She giggled. “Hi Sam!”

  “And Fi and I were just realizing that we need a new car.” Dan gestured his head to Aida without her seeing.

  Pulling himself back to full height, Sam chuckled. “Funny how we go from cool boss man, throwing his leg over an Agusta built for one, to I’m gon’ wedge my cool self in her Solstice built fo’ one and a quarter cause it’s complicated, to that day when all those pieces finally seem to fit together. Suddenly we gots ourselves a minivan with two in the back and one in the front.” He pointed to Fionna’s stomach. “And the cool boss man on the bike woulda never believed the big ole smile on yo’ face right now, Big Man Vindico.”

  He was absolutely correct. “Yeah, I should have listened sooner.”

  “Don’ you know they all tell me that, and then they go do something else stupid, and I says lawdy when the world gonna ever listen to me, don’ I Rain man?” Sam urged Rainer.

  “Every time, Sam.” Rainer goaded.

  “All right, well, Mrs. Amazing Wife, what we gon’ drive all them precious little Vindicos around in?”

  Dan could feel the pride and elation fill her soul. “Not a minivan, please.”

  Chuckling, Sam nodded. “All right, well, if I tell you come see me, you gonna have to pack my sweet little Aida up in a box and mail her, or you got something you can at least get to the shop in?”

  “Rainer and Emily very kindly leant us the Hummer while they’re gone.”

  Sam slapped Rainer on the back. He couldn’t quite hide the extreme pride in his eyes.

  “Well you bring Miss Amazing Wife and Miss Amazing Aida.” Sam tugged on Aida’s left ear making her giggle. “Out to see Sam, and we’ll see if we can’t make all of big man Vindico’s girls happy.”

  “That’s all that matters.” Dan vowed.

  “If the bride and groom will move to the center of the tent, it’s time to throw the bouquet and for Rainer to remove Mrs. Lawson’s garter.” The DJ’s voice echoed throughout the tent.

  Emily giggled over her new name as they made their way to the designated location.

  “Do you have any idea how happy I am not to be trying to catch that bouquet?” Fionna laid her head on Dan’s shoulder.

  He turned to kissing the top of her head as Aida led them towards Rainer and Emily. “Do you have any idea how happy I am?” Dan gazed at her with all of the love and adoration he felt swelling inside of his chest. He wasn’t certain he could contain it all as she swooned.

  Emily tossed the bouquet to the gaggle of single women gathered behind her who looked prepared to fight.

  Garrett sauntered over to Dan and Fionna. “What the hell is up with Wes’s kid? He pinched her. I’ll kick his little punk ass.”

  “Precisely,” Dan agreed.

  Fionna gave them both a bewildered glare. “Oh my word! She has two of you! The punk in question is only eight, and whoa be unto her boyfriends.”

  “She’s never dating.” Dan and Garrett announced simultaneously.

  Rolling her eyes and sighing, Fionna turned back to Rainer and Emily.

  “Come on, Lawson. Do it right!” Dan chanted making everyone laugh.

  Emily sank down on Logan’s knee. Her cheeks were the approximate color of her long auburn hair.

  “Legs,” by ZZ Top swelled from the speakers. With a pompous swagger and a mischievous grin, Rainer turned to the assembled crowd waggling his eyebrows.

  Dan’s whistle was joined in by several cat calls and applause.

  “Behave, Mr. Lawson.” Governor Haydenshire ordered though he was laughing.

  Upping the ante, Rainer pointed to his own wedding band and shook his head at the Governor audaciously. This brought on raucous laughter.

  Rainer fell to his knees. He delicately lifted her foot high as her eyes goggled. Logan pretended to gag for the audience.

  Suddenly, Rainer threw the long skirt of the dress up over his head. Emily squealed. Several long moments later, he emerged, pulled the garter from his teeth, and dangled it between his fingers. He waggled his eyebrows again.

  The crowd whistled and applauded loudly as Rainer turned and shot the garter right at Garrett.

  “Oh, fuck, no!” Garrett reflexively leapt out of the way, and the garter landed in Levi’s hands. His mouth hung open in shock.

  ~Rainer Lawson~

  As Rainer pulled Emily off of Logan’s knee, she shook her head at him.

  Right on time the chop of helicopter blades drowned out the noise around them.

  “What is that?” Emily panicked.

  Chuckling, Rainer pointed to the chopper descending into one of the unoccupied backfields. “That’s our ride, baby.” He very rarely showed off his vast fortunes, but today, of all days, he wanted to spoil her.

  Watching her mouth drop in shock, he guided her towards the chopper.

  “But, where is it taking us?”

  Rainer wrapped her up in his arms and whispered in her ear where they would be spending the next two weeks in luxuriant privacy.

  “You rented a whole island?” Her shocked whisper delighted him.

  “Yes, and I wanted to get there quickly, baby. Pete’s a Gifted helicopter pilot as well. He’ll have us there in just a few hours. That is one of the largest and fastest helicopters in the Realm.” He pointed to the helicopter that was cooling down in the Haydenshire’s pasture.

  Their guests offered them congratulations and well wishes as their luggage was loaded.

  Aida hugged Emily tightly. “What do you do on a honeymoon?”

  Emily and Fionna giggled as Rainer and Dan tried not to laugh.

  “Well, Emily and Rainer are just going to relax and spend some time together.” Fionna explained.

  Aida looked very concerned. “Maybe you should take a book and one of those phones like Garrett’s that has movies in case you get bored.”

  Dan laughed outright. “If she gets bored, Lawson, we need to chat.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll keep her entertained.”

  After giving the Haydenshires hugs and thanks for the tremendous day, Rainer and Emily raced through a shower of flower petals as he helped her up into the helicopter.

  One

  “And are the Lawson’s ready?” Pete Namphis chuckled. Rainer assumed his anxiousness was evident on his features.

  “We’re ready.” Emily squealed. The crew of six pilots and coolant officers had the chopper off the ground in seconds.

  Just a few hours later, they landed on a custom helipad on Hatchepointe Island, an all-inclusive, private island deep in the Florida Keyes. There was only one villa. The staff stayed on the other side of the island and only came when they were called, leaving Rainer and Emily completely alone in the lap of luxury.

  “You two have fun.” Pete chided as he helped Rainer unload their luggage.

&nb
sp; “Thanks, Captain Namphis. We will.” Rainer shook Pete’s hand.

  “My pleasure, son. You take good care of her, and I’ll pick both of you back up right here in two-weeks.”

  The sun had set a few hours before, but the beach was bathed in moonlight and the glowing lights of the estate. It was a decent climb up the island landscape to the abode they would be sharing, the place where he was going to make her his wife. His heart was already flying, and he hadn’t even begun the climb.

  “This is amazing, Rainer! Do I even want to know what this cost you or what that helicopter ride cost you?” Emily seemed overwhelmed.

  “Based on your tone, I’m gonna go with no.”

  Giggling, Emily took in the lush landscape set off in sparkling blues and greens. The moonlight danced on the lapping waters.

  “No one knows we’re here?” Her voice lowered as she began to really understand.

  “No one, sweetheart. Just you and me.”

  Relief flooded through her energy. She’d been chased relentlessly for weeks. The wedding, the takedown of the Interfeci, Dan and Fionna, little Abigail, everything the press felt they deserved to know about.

  “There is a serving staff on the island, but they stay on the other side and only come if they’re called. So, for all intents and purposes, except for when you want them to bring meals, we’re all… alone.”

  His breaths came quicker as Emily took his hand and began leading him up the long wooden planked staircase that led from the beachfront to the villa.

  Unable to stop himself, Rainer watched the way her hips swayed as she climbed. He skipped a step to touch her bare back surrounded by the lace of the dress.

  Reminding himself that he should at least let her see where they'd be staying and maybe even unpack before he claimed her, he willed patience.

  They stepped up onto one of the wooden decks of the house. She turned and gazed out at the moonlit ocean. It seemed to take her breath away. “This is so perfect.”

  The long sultry glances she cast Rainer did nothing to quell his overwhelming desire. He grasped her waist and pulled her into him pressing himself against her. “I know you feel that, baby. If you don’t stop looking at me like that, I’m gonna lay you down and take you on this deck. So, before I get too carried away are you casted?” Making a baby on their wedding night was definitely not in his plans, but when he got her out of that dress he was likely to lose the ability to think at all.