“No. I tried talking to him, but that didn’t go anywhere.”
“What if I talk to him?”
“I don’t see what that’s going to do.”
“He respects me.”
It was nice of him to offer, especially when he’d made it clear he wouldn’t interfere in anything after he’d walked away from his responsibilities as the Skull King. And he’d already taken my place…already did enough. “I don’t know… I think it’s a long shot.”
“Let me try.” He pulled out his phone.
“Now? It’s the middle of the night.”
“Work never sleeps, right?” He pulled up Damien’s name and made the call, pressing the phone to his ear, the rings loud enough that I could hear just fine. “He’ll take my call when he sees my name on the screen—even if he knows why I’m calling.”
Damien answered on the fourth ring. “I think I know what this is about, but I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt.” He sounded slightly sleepy, like he’d just rolled out of bed and he was now walking out of the room so Anna wouldn’t wake up.
“I appreciate the doubt, but your instinct is right.”
He sighed into the phone. “I don’t have a problem with you, Balto. I’d prefer if we kept it that way.”
“Me too. But I care about my brother’s sanity more than our friendship.”
He sighed again. “I know how I feel about Heath. Whatever you’re going to say isn’t going to change that, especially with a phone call.”
“But you respect me enough to let me try.”
He was quiet.
“I’m not going to lie to you to get you to change your mind. So, I’m being honest when I tell you this. Heath is different. He was a heartless tyrant, caring about the profits instead of the people his actions affected. He was such a handful that I threw him in jail for six months to straighten him out. But you know what? He met Catalina—and everything changed. I changed when I met my wife—and he’s changed now that he’s met his.”
Damien stayed quiet.
“Same thing happened with Hades. Same thing happened with you. I know you aren’t the same person anymore—in a good way.”
“I didn’t try to kill an innocent old man…”
“We’re all guilty of a lot of shitty things, Damien,” he said simply. “But Heath is not that person anymore. You’ve got a powerful man who would do anything and everything to protect your sister. Maybe you don’t like him, but you can’t deny there’s no better man to keep her safe, to hunt down anyone who even looks at her the wrong way. You want her to be with some average guy? Then she’s going to have an average life.”
He was still quiet.
“I can personally vouch for him, Damien.”
“I know, Balto. I’ve always liked you, always respected you. You were a good Skull King, listened to reason, understood your subjects. But when I had my argument with Heath about my taxes, he was arrogant, ignorant, and refused to change his mind. So, why should I change mine?”
Balto looked at me as he continued to speak. “He did change his mind, Damien. And he changed it before you even knew about his relationship with your sister. He changed his mind without Catalina even asking him.”
He didn’t have anything to say to that.
“He’s different in every way you can think of, Damien. And if it comes down to it, he’d step down if that’s what you wanted.” Balto assumed without asking, knowing I would sacrifice anything.
“I’d prefer if he stayed the Skull King so I can continue not to pay my taxes. Once he’s replaced, the new king will come after me.”
Balto closed his eyes briefly in annoyance. “Bottom line, Heath will do anything for Catalina, for you, for anybody in your family. Don’t focus on what he did before. Focus on what he can do for you now.”
Damien respected him enough not to snap back like he did with me. “I don’t need him to do anything for me, Balto. The only reason I’ve listened to everything you’ve had to say is out of respect for our past. But now that you’re done, I’m done too. You’re having a kid, right?”
Balto seemed slightly confused. “A boy.”
“Alright. What if you were having a girl…and that girl wanted to marry someone like Heath. What would you say?”
He blinked as he stared at me. “I would want my daughter to be happy, because I’m not always going to be around to take care of her. Damien, you’re going to have your own family someday. Catalina will be someone else’s problem. Wouldn’t you want that man to be—”
“There’re a lot of strong and powerful men out there who could be a suitor for Catalina. There’s only one man I don’t want for her. She can have her pick of the rest.” He hung up.