Assault With a Deadly Weapon || N.H / 1D

73.

Song recommendation: The Girl Who Cried Wolf by 5sos
-

"Five little chickadees, sitting on the door, one flew away and then there were..."

"Four!"

"Four! Chickadee, chickadee, fly, fly, away. Chickadee, chickadee, happy today!"

"Keep going!"

"Keep going?" I walked out of the bedroom at the McBride mansion into the living area of the wing where Niall had Brielle in an airplane position. Niall was lying on his back on the floor in front of the couch with his legs straight up in the air. Brielle was balancing on Niall's feet on her tummy. Niall held onto her tiny hands to make sure she didn't fall.

"Yes, keep going!" Brielle looked up at me.

"You've been singing since there were ten chickadees! How many are left?" I laughed.

"Four. Weren't you listening?" Niall looked up at me from the floor, his hair was laid out flat on the hardwood.

"Oh, be quiet." I gave him a little kick to the hip with my christmas kittens socks on.

"Put me down Nate please!" Brielle requested.

"Of course your majesty." Niall gently lowered his legs, holding onto Brielle's arms until her own feet touched the ground.

"Bella, I missed you." Brielle walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my legs. My heart melted at her show of affection.

"What do you mean? You saw me all day yesterday!" I smoothed out her golden curls.

"You were gone for three whole weeks! I don't want you to go away again." She pressed her cheek against my hip, hugging me tightly.

My heart sank down into the depths of despair. I was so glad that Brielle couldn't see my face or else she'd know something was wrong. Unfortunately, Niall could see my face, and the man was a detective, he obviously knew that something was wrong. Brielle was my niece. She was my own flesh and blood, but she had no idea. I couldn't even imagine the look on her face if she ever found out I wasn't just Bella, I was Aunty Philly. And the man she was just singing with was her Uncle Niall. She had no idea, and that saddened the deepest parts of my soul.

"You better run off to your room. Your Mom is probably waiting for you." I finally broke my momentary silence.

"Can't you just take me down to dinner?" She looked up at me with her big, grassy green eyes. "It's no different than if Mama took me."

"You should go see her." I tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "I bet she misses you."

"Bella-"

"I think she's right." Niall chimed in. "You've been here all afternoon Princess Brielle."

"You can't tell me what to do! I'm the princess!" She jokingly protested.

"Oh I think I can, young lady." Niall stood up to tower over Brielle's tiny figure. "Because I'm the King."

"No you're not!"

"He is." I nodded. "And I'm the Queen. This is our castle, and we're banishing you back to your own kingdom!"

"No!" She pouted.

"Too late." Niall crouched and swooped Brielle up like a sack of potatoes and threw her over his shoulder. He marched to the door like a soldier.

"We'll see you at dinner Princess Brielle!" I curtsied to the angry little girl.

All she did was cross her arms and let herself fall limp over Niall's shoulder as they left the wing.