Page 38 of Paradise

“As soon as my client is treated, we’ll be leaving to draw up the necessary papers and alert the local police to this incident,” Jack’s lawyer said.

“They have no jurisdiction here, as the altercation took place in the Governor’s Mansion, which is technically a part of theAlliance military presence in the capital,” Daddy’s lawyer told her. “Moreover, your client isn’t a citizen of Paradise. His legal status here is in question at the moment. Any and all repercussions for this interaction fall within the purview of the military police, not the civilian forces.”

“That is pure sophistry,” the dragon lady huffed, her face so tightly screwed up Cody thought she was on the verge of sneezing.

“You’d know if it were; your whole case is based on it,” their lawyer replied. Miles stepped in before anything else could be said.

“Now is not the time. We’re in the middle of a family emergency. These discussions will continue tomorrow, at noon, here.” He held up a hand before the dragon lady could even get out the first word. “This is the most neutral territory you’re going to be offered. The incident that happened today was regrettable, and I apologize for it and for my son. However, it has no bearing on the issue at hand.”

Miles’s face, which was almost always smiling when Cody saw it, was so stern and dark that he looked like a thundercloud. “The issue at hand is Cody’s legal placement, his future relationship with Mr. Vendam, and his happiness. Compile whatever documents you want but rest assured that we’ll be doing the same.” He looked hard at Jack. “I sincerely doubt your past is so pure that you’re safe from it, son. Remember that when you’re thinking about what you hope to get out of this.” He stood up and walked out the door. After a moment, Robbie turned and went after him.

Claudia came into the room, without Renee this time. She smiled and held a hand out to Cody. “Do you want to come with me for a while, honey?” She glanced coolly at the lawyers and Jack. “We can leave the details to the grownups and watch a show.”

Cody looked up at Daddy, who gave him a little smile. “It’s okay with me, bucko.”

Jack looked surprised. “I used to call him that.”

“Well, I’d never hold a nickname against him,” Jonah said softly. He unwrapped his arm from Cody’s shoulders and smiled again. “Go on. I’ll come find you soon.”

“Okay.” Cody got off the couch and walked around the back of it, very conscious of every eye on him. He took Claudia’s hand, and they left the room, and it was like coming up for air after he’d dived really, really deep into a pool.

Part of him wanted to bury his face in Claudia’s side and cry, but he couldn’t. He needed to make sure Garrett was sleeping okay. Being in the infirmary sucked, and Cody sometimes got nightmares. He always felt better when Daddy and Garrett were there with him, and he would do the same thing for Garrett.

Claudia was leading him toward the living room, but when she saw Miles and Robbie talking so seriously there, she diverted to the kitchen instead. The remains of their cake party were still out on the counter, but just seeing it made Cody feel sick now.

“Do you want something to drink?” Claudia asked.

“No, thank you.” Cody sat on one of the stools and tucked his feet up so that his knees were right under his nose. He shut his eyes tight and tried not to remember anything at all, not the noise of Jack’s fingers breaking or the way Garrett had swayed, like he was just about to fall over.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Claudia’s arms came around him and held him close, and he gave in and held her back, hard. She smelled so good, and she was warm and soft. Cody had never had a mom, but if he could have picked one, he would have wanted someone like Claudia. “It’s going to be okay,” she promised him.

“How do you know?” Cody asked miserably. “Why is Garrett sick? I thought normals don’t get sick.”

“I don’t really understand it,” Claudia admitted. “I don’t know the details, but Miles does. He knows what to do for Garrett. He can explain it to you."

“When?”

“Right now.” A new hand fell on Cody’s shoulder, and he turned and launched himself into Miles’s chest instantly. Miles picked him up like he was little again and put him on his hip, and even though Cody was really too old for that, he let him do it anyway. “Should we go and see him?”

“Can we?” Cody asked, wiping a stupid tear off with his palm. “He’s not in …” What did Daddy call it? “Solitary?”

Miles smiled. “You mean isolation. No, he’s not. We can get right up close.” He turned his face and kissed Claudia, then started walking toward the infirmary.

“Where’d Robbie go?”

“He went to get something out of Garrett’s ship that he thought might help us with Jack.”

“Like what?” Cody sniffed.

“He’s not sure. He’ll have to listen to it, and then we’ll see.”

“Oh.” They went a little further before Cody confessed, “I don’t want to live with Jack.”

“You won’t have to.”

“But I’m sorry he got hurt.”

“Yeah, me too,” Miles said with a sigh. “I had no idea Garrett had let it get so bad. He’s supposed to take his medicine every day when he’s travelling, and he forgot this time.”

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