“Grange won’t be easy,” Kane warned him. “I checked him out before heading in. He has several highlevel government friends, which is why he’s running around without a leash. He knows of Cassie’s genetics; he’ll know the minute we put in for government acceptance of her.”
“I thought of that.” Dash shook his head. “All a child needs is the father’s name,” he reminded them.
“List my name alone and leave mother and child’s names blank, as well as the ages. After the papers come back, you have six months to return them with the name of the mother and child.” It was a safety measure the Felines had demanded for any minor Breeds found. “I’ll claim parentage. That’s all we need.”
Callan nodded and turned to Kane. “Can you get the papers together before we leave?”
“I brought the laptop.” Kane nodded. “I’ll contact Merinus and have her send the file immediately. All he has to do is sign the government copy. Elizabeth has to sign our copy and I’ll notarize them. We can have it done within the hour.”
Dash nodded. “Let’s do it then. I want to get Cassie out of here as fast as possible and get on the road. We’re safe enough here, but I don’t like taking chances.”
“Very well,” Callan said as they all rose to their feet. He extended his hand to Dash. “Welcome to my Pride, Dash Sinclair. It’s good to include you.”
Dash accepted the handshake, feeling more than just a binding of an agreement. For the first time in his life, it was almost like having a family.
* * * * *
Elizabeth signed her name slowly to the papers. In them, she agreed that Dash Sinclair was the paternal parent of her daughter, Cassidy Paige Colder, and as such, she had agreed to legally accept the change of name for her daughter from her birth name to that of Cassandra Angelica Sinclair. The name was picked by Cassie, of course.
“Cassandra Angelica is what my fairy thinks.” She had nodded firmly when Elizabeth informed her of what they were doing and why. “And I like having Dash for my daddy. I think I deserve chocolate. This matchmaking stuff is hard work.”
She didn’t get chocolate, but she did get a daddy. Dash signed his own name firmly beside Elizabeth’s and handed the papers over to Kane to notarize.
The decision to change Cassie’s name had come after Dawn had brought up the fear that any female child would be immediately suspect if Grange did indeed have contacts within that branch of the government. Cassie’s age would be left off, but a slightly altered description would be included. Once at the Breed compound her dark locks would receive a temporary color and her change of identity would be established.
Elizabeth felt as though she were losing her daughter. The decisions she was being forced to make didn’t set well with her. She had always cared for Cassie, had always made certain she was protected and safe and loved. Allowing others to do that, as well as changing her name and appearance, twisted her heart. They had her packed and dressed in her new coat all too soon. Elizabeth carried her to the waiting shadow of the helicopter, fighting her tears with every breath. She was letting her baby go. How was she supposed to let her baby go?
“The fairy says you’ll come back for me, Momma,” Cassie whispered in her ear as she clutched the chocolate bar Elizabeth had given her. Dash had slipped it to her minutes before they left the house.
“I’ll definitely be back, Cassie.” She prayed she would be.
“The fairy says Grange is bad, and that Dash will make sure he never hurts us again if I go with the Feline Breeds,” the little girl said softly as she lay against Elizabeth’s shoulder. “He’ll be my daddy and everything will be okay.”
“It will be, baby.” Elizabeth paused at the dark opening of the helicopter. Everyone had already entered the large aircraft except Callan Lyons.
“I love you, Momma.” Cassie was near tears again, and Elizabeth knew she wouldn’t be able to contain her own much longer.
“I love you, baby.” She kissed her forehead softly, lingeringly. “You be good for Momma, and I’ll come get you soon.”
She handed her baby to Callan. Cassie looked so small, so defenseless in the other man’s arms as he lifted her up to Dawn.
He jumped into the helicopter as Dash wrapped his arms around Elizabeth and pulled her back. The door closed, blocking out the sight of Cassie’s pale face. As she and Dash drew back the required distance, the motor was engaged, the huge blades whipping up the snow on the ground, then it slowly lifted away.
“Cassie,” she whispered painfully, allowing her tears to fall now that her daughter was out of sight. Hot, scalding streams of moisture poured from her eyes as her chest tightened violently. “Oh God, Cassie. Momma already misses you.”
Dash’s arms were around her, holding her tightly to his chest, his head lowered over hers as the helicopter sped swiftly away from them, carrying away her reason for living.
“It’s okay, baby,” Dash whispered at her ear, his voice husky, dark. “It’s okay. We’ll make him pay for it. I promise you, he will pay for it.”
Chapter Seventeen
The Tolers returned to the ranch early that morning as Dash was packing the Hummer. Elizabeth was sleeping. Finally. She had cried herself into exhaustion as he held her. She was grieving, he knew, hating the separation from her daughter and the fear that filled her. But he knew it had been a cleansing thing, a preparation for what she was aware was coming. So he had let her cry, holding her, stroking her long hair back from her pale face and murmuring gently to her.
He had never been comfortable with a woman’s tears before. Had never known exactly how to handle the feeling of manipulation he had always known during them. It was absent in this case. It was the first time he had seen Elizabeth cry, had seen the control she kept so firmly in place slip. Or had it? It was hard to tell with her. She was equal parts warrior and woman. As she cried in his arms he could almost feel her resolve strengthening, her rage and pain forming into the core of steel she would need to see her through the coming days.
He could have accomplished this much faster, much easier and with no threat to her if he had taken
Callan up on his offer. But Dash had known even before then that Elizabeth would have to see this through before she would have the courage to face the life ahead of them. He had chosen her as his mate, and she knew it, even if she never spoke of it. He was now, legally, Cassie’s father. The little girl was unique in so many ways that protecting her would be a full-time job until she was old enough to protect herself.