Page 38 of Demon Daddy's Little Girl

"Nova," Ada and Mira chorus together, though neither can quite hide their amusement.

"Sorry," Nova whispers, returning the goblet to normal. "But Rose likes the blue better, don't you?"

Rose nods enthusiastically. "Blue is pretty. But Cappy Dez says magic is for after dinner."

The pride in her voice when she quotes my rule makes something warm settle in me. I catch Karn watching me with that knowing look of his, but I ignore him in favor of helping Ada serve the food.

Luna looks up from her plate, violet eyes wide with innocent curiosity. "Miss Ada, are you going to be like Mama Mira? She takes care of us and lives with Uncle Karn."

The fork in my hand freezes halfway to my mouth. Ada's shoulders tense, her braid slipping forward as she ducks her head.

"And is Uncle Cappy Dez going to be Rose's new dad?" Luna continues, oblivious to the way Ada's knuckles whiten around her utensils. "Because Rose needs a dad, and-"

"Luna," Karn's deep voice carries a warning, but it's too late.

Rose's small face scrunches in confusion. "But I had a dad. Mama said-"

A sudden yelp from Nova breaks the mounting tension as her plate of vegetables launches toward the ceiling. Beans and zynthra rain down, scattering across the table while peas bounce off Karn's head.

"Nova!" Luna squeals in delight, promptly forgetting her previous line of questioning.

"I didn't mean to!" Nova's eyes go wide as she watches a zynthra land in my water glass with a splash. "They just got excited!"

Rose giggles, reaching up to pluck a floating pea from the air. "Can you make mine dance too?"

"No more floating food," Mira says sternly, and both twins pout. I have a feeling this is a common problem in their household.

I stand to help gather the airborne vegetables, watching as chaos unfolds around my usually quiet dining room. Luna attempts to catch the falling food with sparkles, creating tinyfirework bursts of light. Nova's magic responds to her sister's, turning each vegetable a different color as they fall.

Rose bounces in her seat, clapping as a rainbow-hued green bean lands on her plate. "Cappy Dez, look! It's prettier now!"

The pure joy in her voice breaks through my usual stoic facade. My dining room might be a mess of floating, color-changing vegetables and magical sparkles, but the sound of children's laughter fills every corner. Even Ada's tension eases as she helps Nova corral her wayward magic, her gentle instructions mixing with the girls' giggles.

This chaos - this warmth - feels right in a way my empty house never did. Like these walls have been waiting for exactly this kind of life to fill them.

After helping clean up the magical vegetable disaster and making it through the rest of dinner, I watch the girls drag Mira into their tea party. Rose has somehow convinced them all to wear the flower crowns she made earlier, and even Ada sports a crooked circlet of purple blooms. I know it's only a matter of time before Karn and I are dragged in there, too - not that I mind.

Karn catches my eye, nodding toward the kitchen. I follow him, leaving the sounds of tiny giggles and clinking teacups behind.

"You're not subtle." Karn leans against the counter, his copper hair catching the lamplight. "I see how you look at her."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I busy myself organizing already clean dishes.

"You know, I only ever intended to help Mira out for a little while." His voice softens. "When she first showed up at my shop, covered in dirt and terrified, all I saw was someone who needed help. But watching her with the twins..." He trails off, a fond smile playing at his lips. "Sometimes family finds you when you least expect it."

I set down the plate I'm holding harder than necessary. "Ada's situation is different."

"Is it?" Karn raises an eyebrow. "A human woman on the run, protecting someone precious, finding shelter with a demon who never thought he'd have a family?" He chuckles. "Sounds familiar to me."

Through the doorway, I catch sight of Ada helping Rose pour 'tea' for her stuffed animals. Her braid has come loose, honey-blonde strands framing her face as she laughs at something Nova says.

Sometimes, she looks so beautiful it hurts. It's been pulling feelings out of me that I thought were long gone, and the more I'm around her, the more I wonder if Raina ever should have been my mate. Not when the way I feel about Ada is so much more intense.

If she leaves, I'm not sure I'll recover. Especially when I'll lose Rose, too. That's what I need to figure out how to stop getting so attached.

"She doesn't trust demons," I mutter. "Can't blame her, after what happened."

"Mira didn't trust anyone when she first came to me." Karn's violet eyes hold mine. "Trust takes time. But those girls in there? They're already family. And Ada..." He glances toward the sitting room. "She's starting to see it too."

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