The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14) - J. R. Ward Page 0,192

legs. “He truly did. He’s got a huge heart.”

“The biggest.” There was a pause, and Mary leaned in over her paperwork. “And you can say it … I’m not going to be weird about it. I have to live with him, remember?”

“I don’t know what you’re…” Rhym threw her hands up. “Okay, fine. I mean, he’s just ridiculous looking. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Mary had to laugh. “I know, I know. And the good news is that he doesn’t particularly care. He’s aware of it, sure, but, jeez, if he took that stuff seriously, his head would be so big, you couldn’t fit him indoors.”

Rhym nodded. “Too right. So, are you ready?”

“Always.” Mary got up and went to shut the door. “Anything you want to know.”

“I’m sorry, I should have done that.”

Mary swiped the air with her hand. “Not to worry.”

Back at her desk, she sat down again and acknowledged, at least to herself, that she was nervous.

Rhym shucked that coat. And then stared at the urn by the lamp. “Is that…”

“Yes.” Mary took a deep breath. “That’s Annalye. Originally, Bitty was saying that she wanted to save the ashes for when her uncle came, but now…”

“About the uncle. Have you heard anything on him? At all?”

“Not a thing. Rhage even had one of his Brothers search for him. We’ve come up with absolutely nothing.”

Rhym shrugged. “The issue, for me, is how long does the notification period last? Marissa and I agree, this has to be a foster situation while Bitty adjusts and while whatever relations she might have have an opportunity to get in contact with her. But that can’t go on forever. Is it a month? Six months? A year? And how do we do the notifications? What’s fair?”

Mary’s heart jumped off the diving board of her rib cage, somersaulted, and hit her stomach badly, belly-flopping all over the place. Oh, God, a year. Of not knowing for sure. Of wondering every night if they were going to lose her.

Even a month of that seemed like torture.

“Whatever you think is best,” she said as she tried to keep her wince to herself. “But I have to tell you, I’m not a good person to weigh in on all that. As much as I try to be objective, the reality is … I just want her for our own.”

“The Old Laws are not really helpful in this regard, although I did check to see what the humans do. When it comes to terminating parental rights, it’s clear that there is a very high standard to be met. But for other relations and next of kin? It depends on state and local law how it’s all handled. Accordingly, I’m going to leave it up to the King—it’s exactly the sort of thing we need him to weigh in on. Plus, because of Rhage’s station, the two of you would have to get his sign-off anyway.”

“That sounds very fair. And I really want to make sure we do this right. It’s too important to cut any corners on.”

“I’m glad you agree—and I’m not surprised.” Rhym sat back. “So tell me about your relationship with Bitty. I’ve seen glimpses of it, but I’d like to get a sense from you not as a professional, but as a person.”

Mary picked up a pen and wove it in and out between her fingers, the way she had when she’d been in college. “I’ve known her ever since she came to the house. I’ve been her primary caseworker the entire time, as you know, and honestly, she was so reserved and self-protective, I thought I was never going to get through to her. I’m aware that this whole adoption thing seems to have just come up since her mother died, but the truth of it is that Bitty’s been on my mind and in my heart for the last two years. I refused to look too close at the opportunity, though. I just … as you know, I can’t have children, and when that’s your reality? You don’t want to touch that closed door. All there is, on the other side, are flames that will burn your house down.”

“Are you prepared to let the girl go if a relation surfaces? Can you do that?”

This time, there was no keeping the grimace off her face. Then again, when someone got your bare foot even close to an alligator’s mouth, you did tend to flinch.

“Whatever is good for Bitty.” She shook her head. “And I honestly