Chapter 2

By the time Calvin finished his call, I'd drunk my blood, washed the cups, and settled in the living room to watch my show.

As if nothing had happened.

He went to take a shower. Halfway through, he realized there were no towels and called out to me out of habit.

"Sweetheart, where's my bath towel?"

"In your suitcase," I said without turning around. "Use mine if you like. I can throw it out afterward."

For a long time, I heard nothing.

It wasn't until he came out that he noticed the three suitcases in the hall.

He sat across from me and pushed the agreement back with one finger.

"I can give you fifteen million up front and pay you the rest each month. I could..."

"No. Let's settle it in one payment," I said.

"I doubt she'd want you calling me every month about money."

He looked baffled.

"Noah's my child, too. I have a right to be part of his life.

"I know I'm the one who did wrong, and I'm willing to make it up to you. But you don't have to use our son against me."

I paused my show and looked him in the eye.

"You cheated. A settlement and child support are fair. Given what you own, a castle and a few cars aren't much.

"I've raised Noah from the day he was born. He's a sensitive boy who needs someone there for him. How much time do you have for that right now, Calvin? You're in the middle of a love affair.

"Being part of his life means more than paying for things. You have to show up."

For a while, he had nothing to say.

"Whatever else happens, I'm not paying twenty million dollars to give up my son."

I opened the agreement and showed him the relevant paragraph.

"The twenty million is the settlement and child support. Your visits are right here. Once a week. If you want to give Noah anything extra, I'll open a separate account for him."

Calvin let out a laugh.

"Amaya, I never knew money meant so much to you. With all the wealth you already have, it's still all you can talk about."

"What else should we talk about? Where did loving you get me?"

That stopped him. His face darkened, and he pulled out a pen and signed.

We agreed to meet at the Vampire Council that evening to file the paperwork.

Then he called his driver.

I finished my show and went to bed.

When I woke, Calvin was gone.

Noah ran out of his room, threw his arms around me, and told me he'd just had the most wonderful dream.

I let him tell me all about it. Then I gently explained that Daddy had a lot of work to do and might have to be away for quite a while.

Usually, Noah would have wanted to call him right then and ask, "Daddy, when are you coming home?"

This time, he just said, "Oh," and pressed his lips together.

"That's okay. I've got you, Mom."

My eyes filled before I could stop them. I excused myself and went to the bathroom.

Alongside the grief of ending my marriage, what I felt most was guilt about Noah.

I couldn't give him a childhood with both parents under one roof.

But I knew whose choice that had been.

That evening, I dropped Noah off at his vampire school and met Calvin at the Council.

When royals filed to dissolve a marriage bond, the Council had to post notice for thirty days. At the end of that period, both parties appeared to sign, and the bond was formally dissolved.

Back in my car, I circled the date on my calendar.

Thirty days to go.