Page 156 of Forbidden
Thirty minutes later, he is running around the place, and a squealing Storm is yelling with delight.
They are soon chasing each other, and I realize I’m the only sane one amongst them. I then wonder how in hell my life has come to this.
Who am I kidding? I adore them, with all of my fucking heart.
Finally, we show Night upstairs, and he sniffs around the rooftop.
As Falcon watches the sun set, we watch Night wander around. For some reason, the dog and large Peregrine do not freak each other out.
After Storm introduces them to each other, she tells me the falcon has to have a name.
“His name is Falcon,” I say, as if it’s final.
“That’s stupid, like me calling you, Man. We need to choose a name, so get thinking.”
As we sit on the white sofa, we watch Night explore the roof top, statues, plants and helipad. As the falcon looks down from one of the statues, it flaps its wings, the golden light glinting on its feathers.
Ten minutes later, we are down to three names.
We know the falcon is a male, and we are down to Comet, Steel and my favorite, Sword. We stupidly do paper, scissors, and rock, and I lose.
“Saber!” Storm yells in triumph.
I shrug as Night walks over, and he looks to me for a pat. “Us men need to stick together,” I say rubbing his ear. Night looks back at me, and then he climbs carefully onto the sofa with us.
I shake my head, as if saying “no,” but I know I’ve a weak spot. I ruffle his neck, as he rests his head on my leg, and looks up.
“He likes you,” Storm says sweetly.
“That’s good,” I say. “Because I like him, more than you.” Storm’s eyes pop, then she tickles me and laughs loud. Night barks playfully, and we all wrestle, laugh and bark.
It feels good.
Who am I kidding?
It feels perfect.
Our mini family has doubled from two, to four, in weeks, and as we walk slowly up to the Peregrine, we tell him his name.
Saber gives zero fucks, and he cries out like the wild predator he is. Night watches him closely from below, and then he barks.
As I shake my head at the madness, I wonder what the hell the dog is trying to say to the falcon.
“Maybe we should contain the speed of our growing family,” I say.
“Maybe you should go with it.” Storm says, turning to me. “And be less of a dick.”
I raise a brow.
That was well worth a spanking, but right here and now, not the right time.
As I look over my city, Night leaps up near the statue Sabre is on. I pat him and we look across Manhattan, and towards the Hamptons. “Welcome to the circus, boy.”
Night looks up and we share a moment. “Just be careful of Mom. She has a naughty tongue on her. Like me.”
Storm leans against me, and I wrap an arm around her. She then looks up. “That a promise?”
It is, and tonight she will find out the hard way.
