James Knight: Teenage Superhuman - Book Two

Twenty-Four

SAM

A beautiful arrangement of roses adorned Danielle's usual spot. Two plates with meatball sub-sandwiches and heavenly french fries were pushed together in the middle of the table, accompanied by a milkshake with two straws, only partially consumed. I lightly tapped my fingers while waiting for Danielle. A few minutes passed before she returned to the table, sliding into the booth seat across from me.

"Hey there, handsome. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," Dani said, and I smiled at her.

"Not at all. Take your time," I replied, my heart racing. Danielle smiled back, settling comfortably into her seat.

"James and Derek have grown so much," she remarked.

"Tell me about it," I responded. Danielle leaned back, taking a bite of her meatball sub.

"Do you think they mind babysitting my kids?" Danielle paused, brushing her hair behind her ear.

A playful grin appeared on my face. "Derek? Not at all. James, Grace, and Noah? Maybe a little. That's their problem now." Danielle chuckled, and I joined in.

"By the way, how's Alexander doing?" she asked, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of discomfort.

"Well, besides his ongoing quest for world domination, I couldn't tell you," I replied with a hint of bitterness.

"Yeah, Alex is strange. I never liked what he did to those kids or us," she disapproved.

I frowned. "Yeah, Alex is also as arrogant and stubborn as our father," I shook off the thought, not wanting it to sour our conversation.

Danielle giggled. "That's not the first time I've heard that," she said, siping her shake. I sighed, dipped a fry in ketchup, and took a bite.

"About the superhuman project, I have something to confess," Danielle continued, capturing my attention as I dipped another fry.

"What's on your mind?" I asked, curious.

"I..." Danielle hesitated, taking a breath before finally revealing the truth. "I have superpowers, too. I was in the accident the day you got yours," she paused, aware of the weight of her words. I leaned in, staring into her blue eyes, instantly processing everything. While I suspected she might have had some powers, this revelation still stunned me. We locked eyes, both speechless.

"Are those kids even mine?" I blurted out, momentarily catching the attention of others around us. Danielle looked at me, panic and hope flickering in her eyes. Even though I already knew they were my children, I needed confirmation.

"Yes. All of them. Do you remember any of the boys?" she asked.

My face paled, and I dropped the remaining fry onto the table. Everything seemed to slow down as a rush of emotions flooded over me. I had imagined having kids with Danielle, but I never expected it to unfold like this. I sat there, almost paralyzed, gazing at Danielle. She tried to snap me out of my daze, but I couldn't move or even breathe momentarily.

"Sam?" she called my name. "Are you okay?"

Finally, I muttered. "Wow... They were so little when I left. All of them were, including the older kids." I sighed, sinking deep into the booth in thought. I just found myself in deeper trouble than I could have imagined, and I left James in charge of his cousins for Noah to walk in and discover them. Now that all my children were back in my life, I didn't know what to do next.

∆∆∆

NOAH

"Son of a bitch," I cursed under my breath. I gathered my five brothers on my bed, staring at James and me from opposite sides. Joshua and I engaged in a silent, staring contest, our eyes intensely locked on each other. Suddenly, Bryce walked in, plopping himself between James and me.