The Dragon Finds Forever

She threw her bouquet at her father, clocking him on the side of the head in an explosion of greenery and flower petals. “Don’t you dare talk to him that way.”

Anger twisted Padraig’s face. He brushed a sprig of baby’s breath out of his hair. “You stupid git.”

He pulled back to strike her, his hand flying through the air.

Van caught his arm before he made contact.

Padraig snarled. “Let go of me, or I’ll—”

“You’ll do nothing,” Monalisa said.

Sean started forward, but Van shoved Padraig back as he released the man.

He stumbled a few feet but didn’t fall. He gestured at his security man. “Sean, grab her.”

Sean nodded. “On it, boss.”

Monalisa had had enough. More than enough. She was drowning in it. A lifetime of anger and disappointment and frustration welled up in her and spilled into her blood. Her gifts, useless as they were against her father, bubbled over into her voice and came out of her unbidden. “Leave us alone.”

Sean’s pupils widened. He staggered to a stop.

Then she saw that her father had done the same thing.

A few soft words of Russian hissed out of Van. He nodded at her. “Do that again.”

This time, she purposefully channeled her power into her words. “Back up.”

Both men retreated. She watched them, mouth open in utter shock. She’d always been able to control Sean, that was no surprise, but her father?

“How is that possible?” Van asked.

She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Van came to stand beside her. “Yes, you do. He lied to you. Just like he’s always done.”

“I’ve been a fool. I should have known.” Her hands tightened into fists.

“You’re not a fool. You were just brainwashed by a man who should have been completely trustworthy for you. You are not to blame for this.”

“Maybe not.” But that didn’t do a whole lot to make her feel better about all the years she’d spent trapped that could have been spent living her life her own way. “Time to make up for what I missed out on.”

She raised her hand toward her father. “Padraig Devlin, I command you to give me a coin and grant me my freedom.”

He swayed slightly, the weight of her command clearly bearing down on him. “I…I don’t have a coin to give you.”

“Liar. That’s all you do is lie.”

Pandora sidled up next to her. “Maybe he means he doesn’t have one on him now.”

Okay, she hadn’t thought of that.

Pandora nudged her. “Give me that coin in your sash.”

Monalisa dug it out and handed it over. Pandora took it and walked toward Padraig. Then she looked back at Monalisa. “Tell him to hold out his hand.”

“Open your palm,” Monalisa commanded.

He did as she told him.

Pandora placed the coin in his hand, then came back to stand by Monalisa.

“Will that work?” Van asked.

“I have no idea.” Monalisa focused on her father again, but kept the power from her voice so that he could answer with a clear head. “There’s a coin in your hand. Who does it belong to?”

He blinked a few times as he looked at it. “Gold,” he muttered. His fingers closed around the coin. “Mine.” He shoved it into his pocket.

She took a breath and released it with a little prayer that this would do the trick. “All right,” she said softly. “Let’s try this again.”

No fight Van had ever been in compared to this moment. The level of tension running through him made him feel like a cord strung so tightly it was on the verge of snapping. But then, he’d never been in a fight with so much resting on the outcome.

His beautiful Monalisa slipped her hand into his, but her eyes stayed on her father. She raised her hand toward him again. “Padraig Devlin, I command that you give me a coin and grant me my freedom.”

All eyes were on Padraig as Monalisa’s power directed him. “I have…a coin.” With the faltering movements of the inebriated, he dug into his pocket and pulled out the coin Pandora had just given him.

He held it up, peering at it.

“Is that yours?” she asked.

He nodded. “Mine.”

“And will giving it to me break the bond of power between us?”

Again, he nodded.

She turned her hand over, palm up. “Give it to me.”

His gaze shifted to her. He stumbled forward, muscles taut and mouth bent in an ugly sneer. He was fighting it.

Van knew what that felt like, but there was no resisting. Monalisa’s gifts were undeniable.

The man reached his hand out, the coin pinched between his fingers. He dropped the coin into her palm.

“Say the words,” she commanded.

“I…release…you.”

She let out a sob as though she couldn’t believe what had happened. Or maybe it was a reaction to suddenly being free. She tucked the coin into the same spot she’d pulled it from.

Van let go of her hand to put his arm around her waist.

She slumped against him. “I think it’s done.”

“We have to test it.”

“You’re right. I have to know for sure.” She straightened. “Father, you and Sean should leave now.”

There was no power in her voice that Van could detect.

Padraig shook himself, rocking his head side to side. He grabbed hold of one of the pews like he needed the support. “What did you do to me, girl?”