“No.  Absolutely Not.”

“But Daddy….”

“Forget it, Spawn.  There’s no way in hell I’m gonna finance a college degree at Oxford!  First of all, it’s just too far away, and don’t even get me started on the cost of tuition.  Out of state prices are exorbitant enough, but this is out of country tuition we’re discussing now.  Sorry, kid, but no,” Devil insisted as he faced off with his child across the dining room table.  His daughter had been able to make persuasive arguments almost from the cradle.  Since the moment she’d been able to cogitate and speak in complete sentences, Devlynn had developed a special talent for being able to anticipate her adversary’s viewpoints and counter them with logical, well-reasoned arguments.   When the rare occasion called for it, his kid could even be downright manipulative when it came to winning a disagreement - especially when the stakes were raised the way they were now.  Most days, it made him proud to know that he and Molly had raised such a cunning opponent. 

Unfortunately, this was not most days.

Today, he had to win.

Otherwise, there was going to be an ocean between him and his only offspring.

And he was NOT having that.

“Dad, I don’t know if your age is catching up with you or what, but I just told you that I got a scholarship.  It would cover my entire tuition.”

“You’d still have to come up with room and board and living expenses.  Then, there’s books and food and…”

“You do know that I’m aware that you’re a millionaire several times over, right?” Devlynn reminded him impatiently.  Looking toward her mom with frustrated eyes, she begged, “Mom, please!  Talk some sense into your husband before I have him committed to the closest funny farm I can find.”

Smiling at her daughter, Molly shook her head.  “Your dad isn’t crazy; he’s panicked.  You’re our baby, Devlynn, and you’re contemplating a move that would put a literal ocean between us.  You’ll have to forgive both of us if we’re not turning cartwheels at the thought of you moving to an entirely different continent.”

Gazing at his wife, Devil reached for her hand.  “I don’t think I’ve ever loved you more than at this very moment, Molly,” he informed her solemnly.  He knew if anybody on the planet would get where his head was, it would be his gorgeous wife.

“Back atcha, handsome,” Molly replied tenderly, leaning toward her husband and pressing a kiss to his lips.

“I just threw up a little in my mouth,” Devlynn complained with a roll of her eyes. 

“Get over it,” Devil ordered against his wife’s lips before pulling back to stare at his daughter.  “What about Agnes Scott?” he suggested hopefully.  “You got a full ride there, kiddo.  And you could live at home if you chose that school.”

“You say that like I’d think it was a good thing, Dad.  Besides, there’s no way on Earth I’m agreeing to attend an all-girls school,” she snarled.  “Can’t you understand that I want to stretch my wings?  Try to fly a little on my own?” she complained, lifting her hand in the air helplessly.  “I’m eighteen now.  It’s time to take my training wheels off and let me have a little freedom.”

“Yeah, and the last time you tried to fly, you ended up with a cast.  Remember that?”  He felt Molly’s heel grind against his instep, but he powered through the pain.  “A university in England isn’t offering you a little freedom, Spawn.  It’s akin to disowning your family and disavowing your country.”

“Dramatic much?” Devlynn huffed, rolling eyes that were identical to her dad’s.  “You’re just mad that Nyx won’t be able to birddog me if I choose a school that’s not in a hundred mile radius.”

Smiling at the mention of his adopted nephew, Devil smirked.   “Don’t bet on it, baby girl.  I’m pretty sure Nyx would follow you to the moon if he thought you might get yourself into trouble.  And it wouldn’t be because I asked him to go.  He’d do it all on his own.”  Devil knew that Nyx’s protective tendencies were driving his little girl crazy, but he couldn’t deny that he was tickled pink that his child had someone looking out for her.  The truth was that Nyx had been quietly watching over Devlynn for years and any idiot could see that the young man’s interest was anything but familial, but so far, Nyx had kept things strictly platonic between him and Devil’s spitfire offspring.  He suspected Nyx had refrained from acting on his attraction because he wanted to let Devlynn grow up a bit, but Devil knew that when the time came, he’d give his blessing to the relationship.  Nyx was a good kid who’d grown into an even better man, and his baby girl would be lucky to have a man that loved her that much.  Sooner or later, she’d figure that out.  

Glaring at her father, Devlynn huffed irritably.  “Whatever.  At least England would give me some space from all the overbearing men in my life.”

Making a timeout gesture with her hands, Molly whistled, drawing both her husband’s and daughter’s attention.  “Okay, everybody, let’s take a breath.  We’ve got a lot of schools here that would be a good compromise.”  She gestured at the pile of college acceptance letters in the middle of the table.  “Things could be a lot worse, y’all.  We could have no options at all.  Look at these,” she said, picking up a handful of the letters.  “We’ve got plenty of choices to weed through.  Can’t we all simply agree to seriously discuss the other options?”

Both Devil and Devlynn inhaled deeply as they considered what Molly said.  Looking at her father, Devlynn shrugged.  “I will if Dad will,” she consented.

“I will if the Spawn will,” Devil agreed.

Satisfied, Molly nodded and looked down at the first letter.  “Then let’s chat about University of Alabama,” she suggested.

“No,” Devil and Devlynn announced in perfect unison.

Molly sighed as she tossed the letter aside.  “This is gonna be one long afternoon,” she muttered.

Four hours later, a compromise was, indeed, reached and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, was one student heavier.

And wasn’t it ever so convenient that it was only a few hours’ drive from Atlanta?  Negotiations could be rigged, you know.