Page 69 of Brandt's Rule

“It was you I felt the other night,” Delilah said, nodding to emphasize the fact that she’d already figured that out.

“I don’t understand,” Tempest said.

“I felt a disturbance.” Delilah turned to look at Kaid. “Remember I told you I felt something.”

“I do,” he said. “It was the night you came to visit Maverik and Valerie.”

“I was here having dinner with Maverik and Valerie. Maybe when I let down my guard for Maverik, you felt me.”

“That’s exactly what it was,” Delilah said. “And that talk about ‘if you leave here one day…’ stop that. You belong here with us.”

“That’s what I said,” Daisy added.

“And you’d be right,” Delilah said, turning to wink at Daisy.

“Dinner is ready,” Janie said, coming out of the kitchen to find everybody looking at Tempest with different expressions of awe.

“What happened? What did I miss?” Janie asked.

“They’re just a little taken aback. That her gorgeous silver hair comes from her grandfather’s line,” Daisy said, knowing that sometimes her father liked to ease her mother into certain things that she might not be prepared for.

“Oh, the Gargoyle! Yes! Brandt told me! I find it fascinating! I want to hear all about him, and all your people!” Janie said, walking over and taking Tempest’s hand. “Come with me, dear, let’s get you served first,” she said, leading her into the kitchen and leaving everyone else in the living room.

Kaid looked around at everyone. “We’re okay with all this?” he asked.

“Better get okay with it. My female leaves, I leave,” Brandt said.

“Brandt, baby, come on in here!” Janie called out.

“I love her,” Delilah said. “Absolutely love her.”

“Same!” Everly said, holding her drink in the air in salute.

“That’s my girl,” Maverik said, grinning like a fool.

“She’s a wonderful young lady,” Valerie said.

Bam looked around, a wide smile on his face.

“You have anything to add?” Kaid asked.

Bam nodded. “She feels good,” he said, tapping his own heart. “Real good.”

“I told you all to give her a chance, that she was amazing,” Daisy said.

“Yep, you sure did,” Bane said, slinging an arm around his daughter’s neck as they moved toward the kitchen with everyone getting up to follow them. “And you are never wrong.”

Dinner followed, with lots of lighthearted conversation; lots of questions from and to both sides. Then about the time the childhood stories started about Brandt and his cousins, the front door opened with a familiar voice yelling ‘knock-knock’ as loud as he could.

“We’re in here, baby!” Janie called out.

Barron sauntered into the large kitchen/dining area and looked around for a seat. “Nobody even thought to call and let me know y’all was eating?” Barron asked, feigning insult.

“You said you thought too many people in here at one time might send her screaming for the hills,” Daisy said.

Barron grinned at Daisy. “I got bored. Figured there’s no hills around here anyway, and I don’t know anything that could scare Tempest.” He pulled his attention from Daisy and winked at Tempest. “Hey, Tempest. I missed you,” he said, perching on the arm of Brandt’s chair.

Brandt promptly knocked him off the chair, which had Barron laughing harder than Delilah had when Tempest had pushed back at her Dragon. “Oh, come on! I only said I’d mate her if you didn’t! And I was teasing, kind of,” Barron half-shouted.

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