CHAPTER NINE

"She didn't deny any of it," whispered Daphne to the group. "Not even her rejection of care for my sister. How? How could a mother do that?"

"I don't know, sweetie," said Gabi. "There's no training for becoming a parent, and I think your mother would have skipped that class anyway. I'm not sure she attended the classes on humanity either, but unfortunately, it's too late."

"Can charges be brought against her?" asked Daphne. "I mean, technically, she killed my sister. Right?"

"I'm not sure about that. The records were very clear about what was told to her and the treatment options. But I would bet that her attorney would argue that your sister would have died either way," said Gabi. "I'll get with Kari and the others and ask, but I'm going to bet that she claimed some sort of religious or moral reasons for not giving her daughter the treatments to the doctors. There are some notes I can't read."

"All the lies," whispered Daphne. "All the years of lies, pushing me to marry Marshall the way she did. Why? What was all this for?"

"I don't know, babe, but we'll figure it all out. She's not going to just walk away from this," said Brix.

"Any reason to believe this is some sort of a trap?" asked Walker. "I mean, what if she's planning something once Daphne gets there? She might try to force you to divorce Brix or claim the marriage isn't real."

"There's no way," Daphne said, shaking her head. "I made sure my divorce with Marshall was final by having my own lawyer. My father. I won't allow her to bully or intimidate me again. Not ever."

"Smart girl," smirked Hazel. "Either way, we'll all be with you, Daph. Remember not to go anywhere without one of us with you."

"I won't. I promise."

"Daphne, what do you know about your parents before they came to England?" asked Zulu.

"Honestly, not much," she said, shaking her head. "I know they were from West Africa. Mother was from Ghana, and I think my father was from Nigeria. His parents were both doctors and had been able to send him to school in England. I think my mother was there, in England, on a vacation with friends and met him while he was finishing law school."

"Your father said he was a barrister and an engineer," said Sebastian. "That's quite an accomplishment. Why both degrees?"

"I'm not sure. I wish I could tell you that I was curious about his work, but I wasn't. He always just said that his work was critical to the crown. I know that he never personally met with the Queen, but he did meet with her envoys and staff often to discuss things he was working on. My mother hated that she wasn't invited to those meetings or dinners. I guess I should have seen this sooner," she frowned.

"There's no way you could have known, Daph," said Leif. "I just have this feeling that it isn't all about title and class for your mother. There must be something else that your mother wants or needs, and it has to do with you."

"Alright," said Zulu. "I'll regroup with Luke, Cam, Hex, and Eric. Pack heavy. You'll need suits, tuxedos, everything. We'll leave in the morning. Daphne, where should we book rooms?"

"I'll take care of that," she smiled. "Don't worry."

"I can't believe you're leaving already," frowned Victoria, looking up at Hayes. "I'm going to miss you so much. We've been together since we were kids in that orphanage and now here."

"I'll be back, Vic. You know I will. I have basic and then some advanced training that won't make a difference for me. Then, I'm going to work with the teams. I think I might request to be on one of the teams our men are currently on."

"You still have to be careful, Hayes. You'll have to train in weapons, train in everything just like the rest of the guys," she said nervously.

"Vic, I've been doing that for weeks now," he smiled.

She stepped back, looking at him. He was always tall. Almost too tall for his physique. When they'd first arrived, Hayes was six-feet-four and barely a hundred and seventy pounds. He was skinny as a rail. Now, he'd filled out. Victoria hadn't noticed that before. He looked like a man.

"I've put on thirty pounds thanks to the guys and the great cooking. I hope to put on a bit more. Plus, Doc says I'm still growing, so I might get taller."

"Oh," she whispered. "That's good. I guess. I mean, I'm terribly small for a guy as big as you. I guess you'll look for a girl who is closer to your height."

"What on earth would make you think that? I don't care how tall you are, or how skinny you are, or how smart you are, or even who your parents were," he smirked. "I like you, Vic. You know that. I've always liked you. A lot."

"Y-you do?" she smiled.

"I'd very much like to kiss you tonight so I can remember when I'm gone."

"I'd like that, too."

He took two steps closer to her, gripping her shoulders as he bent down, placing his lips against her own. It was a first kiss for both of them. They'd never had the chance to kiss anyone before. It was different for the two of them.

The warmth of her lips sent chills down his spine. His whole body tingled with excitement and heat. He wanted to hold her tighter, closer, never let her go, but he knew he had to take a step back. He looked at her flushed face and cleared his throat.

"It was everything I ever dreamed it would be," smiled Hayes.

"Can I kiss you again?" asked Victoria. He nodded, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as they kissed once more. They never noticed the eyes on them in the distance.

"Should we worry about those two?" asked Hoot, staring at Mo.

"I don't think so," he smirked. "It's a first love and first kiss for both of them. I think it's pretty sweet. I might not feel that way if he keeps getting bigger and comes back wanting more from her. But for now. It's sweet."