Sarah had been on the run her entire adult life. As soon as she found out she was pregnant, she faked her death to keep her children safe from the prick who’d fathered them. Now, nine years later, her twin boys were her entire world, and she was petrified he would find her. When she received the voicemail from Cass, she thought the end had finally come for both her and her boys.

Cassidy Foster was only helping a client find his long-lost grandchildren when he contacted Sarah, but when a distress call came in from one of her boys, Cass told the boys to hide before Cass’s lion took him. It only took that split second for him to know the woman inside screaming was his mate. Would he be too late to save her?

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Brook Garrett had learned to live by her wits. When she was very young, she lost her father to a car crash. When her mother remarried, her nightmare really began. A few years later, her mother died the same way. She was next.​Ronan Foster was an officer out on medical leave. He was a lion and wasn’t hurt in the least, but the guy responsible for shooting him would go free if he didn’t take the sabbatical. The guy was for much more than shooting him, and justice needed to be served. Trust was hard for Brook. Her stepparents had seen to that. Now the big lion was telling her that they were mates and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She had been doing just fine without a man in her life….

Parker Carter spent eight years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit—murdering her father. Now that the justice system had finally admitted their mistake, Parker was set free. Parker could have left anytime she wanted, she was a powerful witch, but for reasons of her own, she had remained locked up and didn’t use any of her magic.
Donahue Foster, a teacher at the local school, was having a hard time resting. Taking a run and stretching his legs as his lion was something he hadn’t done in a while. He hadn’t gotten far when he noticed two things, he smelled fresh blood, and he felt a presence. Don was dumbfounded when the woman used a mind link to communicate with him. She told him her name was Parker Carter, she didn’t like people, and she was his mate.
Don was so stunned with that news that he was nearly run over by the night hunters Parker chased off.
Now that Parker was back, her past needed to be settled. Half-truths and well-kept secrets needed to be exposed. And the possession of her mother, Meggie, was the most mind-boggling of all. What kind of screwed-up magic was this?

Sometimes, Rogue didn’t much care for her job, but it paid well, and she was damn good at it. As a forensic photographer, Rogue’s job was sometimes a bit more than she could handle. Especially when there were kids involved. But she could always vent to her college buds, Loman and Cass Foster.

Quin had heard all about Rogue from his brothers, and he was anxious to meet her. Loman and Cass said they owed their lives to Rogue, but they wouldn’t give Quin any of the details.

As soon as Rogue arrived, Quin realized she was his mate, but as soon as she met Don’s mate Parker, it was chaos, leaving Parker heartbroken and Rogue hurt. Rogue was steaming mad, and Quin’s lion wanted to protect her, but Parker was family too. Quin was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

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Prologue

Cass sat down next to the man he’d come to respect a great deal over the last few days. Robby Quarter was not only a good man, but he was very troubled. The word had come to him that there was a child out there that belonged to Robin, and Robby had jumped at the chance to go see the child and mother. Not that they had DNA proof it was his child, they did have a whereabouts for it that the two of them had followed to where they were now. “I’ve spoken to the principal of the school the child might be attending, and she told me if it’s who she thinks it is, they’re in financial trouble. Also, if this is Robin’s, there are twin boys, not a single child as we were looking for.” Robby looked at him with so much hope in his eyes that it hurt Cass to have to tell him the next part. “The woman, their mother, is working several jobs and sleeps while they’re at school.

I have, with my own money, deposited two hundred dollars. Even if she’s not who we think she might be, I have to help her out. She really is in trouble.” “I’ll pay you for that. Yes, you’re right. Even if it’s not Robin’s children, they shouldn’t have to go without. What do we do now? I mean, I’m guessing we don’t just go up to her and tell her who we are.” Cass said that was exactly what they were going to do. “Oh. I guess I figured you’d be a bit on the squeamish side. That’s not true. I’m a lot on the squeamish side of doing this. I don’t know what I’d even say to her about all this.” “You tell her the truth. That you have only just found out about her. However, I’d start by telling her that Robin is in prison and that he won’t be getting out. From the stories I’ve heard about Robin, it might well be the reason she’s living here and not closer to anyone she knows.” Robby also knew the sadistic things Robin had done to women.

Things he’d also done to men that, in Robby’s mind, had been horrendous. “Robby, we don’t have to do anything but make sure this woman has money to feed her children and pay her bills.” “Where do we go from here, Cass? I’m not going to have done all this only to sit by and wonder if they might need me. As I said before, this is the only hope I have right now that makes me feel as if I’ve not been a complete failure as a father and a man.” Cass told him he wasn’t even close to being a failure at anything. “Perhaps not now, but I worry. Robin might well have had something wrong with him all along. I don’t know. But I do know this family might need me, and I want to help them.” “I understand.” He handed him the paperwork he’d gotten at the school board. “This isn’t much, but it’s the best I could do until we get the rest of the information back. And talk to the mother. She’ll be able to give us everything you want if she wishes. Otherwise, I’d advise you to help from a distance. We don’t want to piss her off and have her bring charges against you for being a stalker or something along those lines.”

The pictures he’d been able to collect showed two little boys, aged nine, playing in the yard. There were also infant pictures of them, as well as a couple of school pictures Cass had been able to unearth. Robby was staring at the two little boys lying in a crib at what he assumed was a hospital. “I don’t remember Robin being this tiny. I’m sure he was at some point, but all my head can think about is that he’s an adult. I bet your momma can remember how much each of you weighed when you were born and the exact time.” Cass didn’t answer him. Not that he required an answer, but he just kept to himself that she most assuredly did know those facts. “Let’s go and see this young woman, Cass. Make an appointment or whatever we need to do. I’ll abide by what she tells me.

Even if my heart tells me something different.” It took him over three hours to get a phone number for Sarah Linton. She did indeed sleep during the day, according to one of the places that came up on her information. It was, he said, “damned difficult” to call her in early when they needed her. She worked nearly thirty hours a week at two different restaurants as a waitress and another twenty-five at a place where she sold timeshares. According to that boss, she was a good person to work with, but she was exhausted all the time. He said it made her less friendly to the people there wanting to date her. Neither place seemed to know she had children. Nor did they know where she lived. A post office box number was all they had.

The lady that lived in the apartment below her had two children as well. They would, when necessary, trade-off sitting each other’s kids, so they didn’t have to pay a sitter. The third job was for her kids to go to a private school. Sarah graded papers for the local teachers at the school where her boys went to pay for extras. Like their lunches. Tuition was paid by her cleaning the place on weekends, with her boys helping. Cass hurt for the way she was struggling to make ends meet. Once he had the phone number, he was able to leave a message for her. All he said was his name and that he had some information she needed concerning Robin Quarter. Also, he made sure he told her Robin was in prison. Either she’d call him back, or she’d not—it was up to her now. Almost as soon as he closed the connection to his phone, his cell rang back that it was her. “What do you mean calling me at my home about Robin Quarter? What business is it of yours that—?

You said he was in prison. You’re sure about that? Last time I heard, he was above such laws and did whatever the fuck he pleased.” He heard one of the boys telling her to put a penny in the jar. Cass listened as she told the child she was sorry, then he heard a door closing, shutting off the sounds of the household. “Why are you calling me? Has he told you what he did to me? Do you think to get something from me? I’ll tell you right now, I don’t have anything, thanks to him. I don’t get to see my parents. My sisters and brothers. I lost my job.” She sobbed, and he wanted to go there now and take her into his arms. “What is it you want, Mr. Foster? The only thing in the world I have is my sons, and I’d rather die than to let that bastard near them.”

“Are they Robin’s children?” She said they were. “What do you know of Robin’s father? Mr. Robby Quarter.” “I thought he was dead. That’s what that prick told me. That he owned his family ranch and that I should feel privileged that— Why is it I’m telling you this? Do you have some kind of mystical powers? Are you a shifter? That’s it, you’re making me tell you this personal stuff.” “I am a shifter, Miss Linton. A lion, as a matter of fact. However, I’m not making you tell me. I think you’ve been through enough without having someone make you relive it. No, I’m not making you. But I will tell you that I have the same strange feelings toward you. That I need to protect and take care of you. I’m sorry about all this, all the things that have happened to you, but Mr. Quarter, Robby, would like to meet you. And the boys. He’s only just found out about you three.” She asked him why she should believe him. “You shouldn’t, I suppose, believe me or him. But what harm can it do for you to meet with us? If you need proof that Robin is in prison, pull up the paper in his hometown. Read how he was arrested for the murder of several people.

That rather than stand trial and more than likely get the death penalty, he decided to tell the state where the bodies were and spend the rest of his life in prison, without the chance of parole.” “I don’t have a computer. I don’t have enough money to pay the electric bill that is overdue at the moment. I’m sure if you’ve been looking into our lives, you know a good deal more about me than I do you.” He told her he was sorry. Then he told her about the money in the bank. “I’m not even going to tell you that you shouldn’t have done that. Bouncing a single check could be a trickle-down disaster for us right now. Look, let me talk to my sons. Tell them what’s going on and who it is that wants to meet them. I’m not making any promises.

They’re leerier of people than I am.” “Thank you for this.” She said she’d not done anything as yet. “No, but you’ve given Mr. Quarter a chance, and that’s much more than he had before. You call us back at this number and tell us where we can meet you if you decide you will, and we’ll be there.” After hanging up, Cass had to calm himself before he spoke to Robby. He didn’t want to sound hopeful and then for her call and tell them she’d decided not to see them. But he had enough information now to do some of the things he and Robby had spoken about before. Putting those things into action took a great deal less time than he thought it would have.

Reaching for the phone to call Robby, it rang. Letting out a long breath, he tried his best to sound upbeat while answering. But as soon as he heard the voice on the other end, his lion nearly took him. “Are you the attorney that talked to our mom? The one that is a lion?” He told the young man he was. “You’d better get over here right now. The man that comes by to get the rent money is going to hurt her again.” “Call the police.” He told him he’d done that. “Good. I’m on my way. You and your brother, hide. Someplace where the man can’t get to you.” “Good idea.”

The phone was dropped, and he could still hear screaming in the background. Going out the door, he held the phone tightly against his ear as he drove like a madman to the address he’d found while doing some work. He was pulling in just as the police were. When he heard a gunshot sounding, his lion simply took him. As he was racing to the door, it came open, and the children were there. Pushing them out of the way as gently as he could, he moved into the house, smelling blood as he moved. The man in the kitchen was standing over a woman, and rage rolled over him in a way that made Cass sick to his stomach. Blacking out for a few moments, as if he’d been hit in the head, Cass woke lying in the grass out back of the house.

He was clothed and in his human form, and an officer was standing near him. Sitting up, he saw the man turn to him, asking if he was all right now. “I don’t know. What happened?” He told him he’d dragged him out when more police had shown up. “I’m assuming there was a reason for that? Also, that you pulled me out as my other self.” “Yes, you were a lion. Big fucker too. Pardon my language, sir. But yes, I pulled you out so they’d not know what was going on. Parker Foster showed up too. I don’t mean she came in the door saying howdy doody. She just was there when you were finished taking care of Mr. Crabtree. Mrs. Foster said you were her brother-in-law.” He nodded and nearly had to be sick from the movement. “She took care that the body wasn’t anything like he was. You killed him. Good thing too. He was ready to kill Miss Linton. I’m aware that I’m not making much sense, but this hasn’t been an ordinary domestic house call.” “I’m not sure if it’s me or what, but it’s like you’re talking to me in disjointed sentences.” He said it was him.

That he was scared out of his mind right now. “If Parker said she’d take care of things, she will. Tell me what happened. All I remember is hearing the gunshot, and then nothing after my lion took me.” “My partner and I pulled in the same time as you. I wanted to tell you that telling those boys to hide was a good idea. They were coming out to us when you went into the house.” Careful not to nod too much, he said he’d had an abusive father. “Miss Linton was in the kitchen telling her landlord, Mr. Crabtree, that she had the money for the rent. He seemed to think she had other means to pay. Needless to say, she took objection to that.” “I just bet she did. Then what happened? Was he going to make her have sex with him?”

The officer nodded and said that had been his plan. “Then I showed up.” “Yes, you did. Took his head right off him. Miss Linton had been shot once in the belly by the time you entered. It wasn’t until we entered that I realized we might well be in over our heads. I should have waited, but I called in the extras. Mrs. Foster showed up. Just like that, she just appeared and started telling me and my partner what we had to do. She sure is a bossy thing, isn’t she?” He looked around, almost as if he was afraid she might have heard him. “The body was lying there with his head off and blood all over the place when the others showed up. They saw what we were told to say.

That Miss Linton had saved herself by stabbing him in the chest. Then they took her off to the hospital. Funny thing, though—she was about healed by the time they got here.” It took him a few moments to realize what he’d said. After he sat there for a little while longer, all his thoughts centered on Sarah. He had a feeling she’d healed because of him. When he was ready to stand up, Parker met him at the doorway to the house. She looked like she was as happy as he was. “She’s going to be just fine. They took her to the hospital right after it was determined it was self-defense. I’ve called Robby in. He’s with the boys now. They’re getting to know one another. Are you all right?” He shrugged. “Good. There are several things you should be made aware of.

First of all, you weren’t here. I’m sure you might have guessed that part, but I just need to put that out there. Second, the house is now a part of the Foster group. We purchased it just today, so we have the right to do with it as we want. Which will be tearing it down as soon as the police are finished with it. No one needs to be seeing this place and thinking about the death that occurred here. Especially not those young boys. Who I like, by the way.” “I’ve not met them yet.” She nodded and didn’t continue. Nor did she seem inclined to tell him anything else. “What are you not telling me? Just tell me, Parker. You look like you have a fart crosswise, and it’s paining you.” “You Foster men. I do have something to tell you, but I think you might well be aware of it already. She’s your mate. Also, the kids are Robin’s. I’m assuming that was why you were coming out here.” Cass told her about one of the boys calling him. “They’re not speaking.

Not to any of us. When asked how the man had gotten into the house, they clammed up tighter than you can be when you’re on a case.” “Are you thinking they might have let him in and are feeling badly for it?” She said she knew that was what had happened. “Are they hurt? Where is Sarah? I know you said she was taken to the hospital, but the young cop told me she’d started to heal. I’m guessing either you did something to her, or it was me being her mate.” “You. The kids were hurt, but not terribly. That is what I’ve been working up to. He’s been bullying them all along.

Making them let him in the house when she’s not at home. Or worse yet, when she’s sleeping. I’ve heard of this happening before, but this guy would take pictures of her sleeping. The boys are sick with it, the worry that they caused their mother to nearly die. Which she did, by the way. They need to be sat down and told what the hell is going on. Also, they weren’t the least bit afraid of you showing up as a big badassed lion. I guess their mother told them what you were.” “Yes. I’m assuming so too. The one that called me, he knew what I was. When I told him to hide with his brother, he just dropped the phone and bugged the hell out. I wonder how they knew to call me.” Parker said his phone number was by the phone when she’d gotten there. That Sarah must have written it down. “And they were supposed to talk about us coming to meet them.” “Sounds about right.” She asked him where he was going now. “I’m guessing the hospital. If so, I’d like to ride along. I want to check on the boys as well as Sarah.

You’ll have to talk to her soon, and I would like to be there in the event she has any questions about the magic I can only assume she got.” “Why? I mean, other than mine, you’re assuming she got something from you as well?” Parker nodded but didn’t look very happy. “What happened, Parker? Am I going to be afraid of her when I go see her? To be honest with you, I’ve only ever seen a picture of her and the boys. Not to mention the one of her was slightly blurry, and the boys were just school pictures. Those never show what a child really looks like.” They spoke all the way to the hospital.

By the time they arrived, he was ready to go back to the house and wait. Nothing, he thought, could have prepared him for the shit Parker knew about his mate and children. Nothing that would have been on paper anyway. “She had this good life—a wonderfully supportive family—and Robin took it all away by taking her from her date, who he killed, then raping her. The fucker then shot her three times in the chest and left her for dead. If not for the police being called when they were and them knowing about the death of Dennis, her then-boyfriend, it might well have been too late for her.” Cass listened to Parker, but his mind was centered on the fact that she might well have died twice before he would have met her. “As it turned out, Robin found out that she was alive and tormented her for the next several months.

When she found out she was going to have his child, they faked her suicide, and she moved out here to raise them on their own. I’m going to have someone notify her family that she’s safe now, as soon as we can get her and the boys together.” He was as ready as he’d ever been, he supposed when he knocked on the door to her room. Even as he opened it, he could hear crying. The children were on the bed with her, and Robby was sitting in the chair. All four of them looked like they’d been talking and crying for some time now. ~*~ Hanging up the phone, Tommy had a few minutes to himself as he stood there thinking of what he’d just been told. Robin Quarter was in jail, and his little girl had met someone.

Not that he didn’t believe his little girl could care for herself, but he liked that Ms. Foster had filled him in on Cassidy Foster and what sort of means he had to take care of the three of them. “Tommy, what is it? You sounded upset.” He told his wife of nearly fifty years what the call had been about. Michell sat down on the chair. He was glad there had been one there for her to use. “Is she coming home?” “She’s in the hospital. I was told it’s nothing more than a precaution. The landlord she was renting from, he tried to hurt her.” He didn’t say more. Michell seemed to understand. “We were asked to decide what we want to do about seeing her. And the boys. Like that would ever be something we’d have to think about.” “Who called you?” He had to glance at his notes, knowing he had to get the name right the first time or he’d not remember it. “An FBI agent? In the family? My goodness. Whatever are we to think about that?” “Nothing. The man that is Sarah’s mate—she did say, mate—is an attorney. A good one, too, apparently. He works for the family. And even had she not told me, I know who the Fosters are.”

She said she had heard of them as well. Tommy sat down. “Do we tell the others or wait until we know things? I haven’t any idea what that might be, but you tell me, and I’ll call them. Jude will be thrilled beyond words. He’s missed his sister.” Jude didn’t know who his sister was, but he thought saying it like he had made his wife feel better. Jude had been born with the cord wrapped tightly around his little throat and had suffered brain damage. He was a good boy at thirty-six, and perhaps he did miss Sarah, but not as his sister, Tommy thought. Just someone he’d not seen in a long time. “We’ll have a hotel room set up for us, she told me. Also that if the others were wanting to come, they’d send their plane for us.” He had to laugh a little. “Their plane. I don’t know if I’ve even been on a domestic flight, much less a private one.” “Yes, you have. Our honeymoon.” He was joking but again kept it to himself. This was serious business here, and he didn’t want his wife upset. “Should we call the others?”

“Yes. If we don’t tell them, they’ll be upset. Not that they’ll be upset for long, but it might be nice to have them with us when we meet her new family.” He thought of the boys and the pictures he had of them that were almost as old as they were now. “They’d be nine about now. I’ve only seen them the one time, and that wasn’t nearly enough. Grandsons. I need to see them as much as I do our Sarah.” “Me as well, Tommy. I’ve so missed her.” She stood up, then sat again. “I just want to think about this for a moment longer. The thought of seeing them all, it’s just like a dream, and I don’t think I ever want to wake from it. Are you sure that man is in prison? He should have gone long ago, but we just didn’t have the money to sue him. And Sarah wouldn’t hear of it. Oh, Tommy, I want to have a hug from them so desperately. Did this woman say when we could go?”

“Today if we’ve got a mind to.” He wanted to leave right that moment, but he knew there were things to be planned and such. “She told me that Robby Quarter is there with her. That he’d only just found out about Sarah and the boys. I don’t know why, but I had it in my head that we were told he was dead.” “Yes, we were told that. But then every other thing coming out of the monster’s mouth has been nothing but bologna. It’s a small wonder he’s been put away. Did she tell you how he was caught?” Tommy said he’d not thought to ask. “Well, I suppose we can get to that when we get there. I’ll call the girls, you call Michael. Tell them….

I guess we should plan on this trip for the morning if they’re really going to send something to go in. It certainly will be much cheaper this way.” “I agree.” He didn’t tell her they’d offered to pay for them to be in a hotel if they were all to come. Remembering to do that so she could tell Shelly and April so they’d not be out anything but a couple of days work, he called his son. Michael was about as thrilled as he’d been when he’d heard they could see Sarah. “I’d have to see about money, Dad. As much as I’d love to go and give her a hug, I can’t afford much right now.” He told him what the Fosters had said. “For all of us? I mean, my wife and child too?

Dad, Sarah hasn’t met Belinda or my son yet. We were married after she left home to hideout. I’d love to be able to take them too. You see, and if that can be done, I’m all in for it. I’ll be there whenever they tell us to be.” After finding out his daughters had said the same thing about having things paid for, he was happy to know they were willing to drop everything to go see their sister. He’d not thought of how she might not have seen some of the kids yet, and that made him cry just a little. Sarah had missed so much. They’d missed so much too. He made a headcount and was sure they’d tell him it was just too many people. Fourteen of them converging on a generous family was a lot to deal with. Not to mention hotel accommodations.

So when he called Mrs. Foster back, Tommy was prepared for her to tell him just that. However, she was excited that Sarah would see her entire family and didn’t say a word about how many. “You tell me how many per room, Mr. Linton, and I’ll work that into the hotel. Also, we’ve rented out a restaurant that was being fixed up to feed us all tomorrow night.” He couldn’t believe people were being this nice to his family and told her that. “You’re going to be our family as well, and we make sure family is all taken care of. You’ll get to meet all of Cass’s family too. I did tell you they were lions, correct? So don’t be surprised if they’re a little larger than normal men.”

“My daughter-in-law, Belinda, is a lion. We know a few other shifters as well.” Parker, as she told him to call her, was happy to hear that. “Parker, this is going to be expensive. I mean, I’ve heard about your family, and I still think this is a great deal of money to be putting out for a family you don’t know.” “No, it’s not. We’d pay more just to have Sarah happy. I think she’s a little down with all this going on. By the way, she has no idea you’re all coming. We thought it would be a lovely surprise for her and the boys to see you all.” He said it certainly would. Then he told her about the nieces and nephews she’d not met. “Then it will be twice as wonderful for her. Tommy, you leave the arrangements to me, and we’ll have a party like no one has ever seen before.” “I’m sure of that.” He laughed when she did. “All right. If you can make the arrangements for us to come there tomorrow, we’ll be at the airport. There are a lot of us, so we might have to make a couple of trips to give me some time.” “I’m sending limos to get you all.” He nearly sobbed when she told him it was part of their welcome to the family plan.

“It would be wonderful if you could make sure everyone is meeting up at your home. It will save us some time to get you out here.” He called his family back and told them what was going on. All of them were going to come home tonight and be there in the morning. Since he knew it would take them a while to get packed and such, he told them they’d have dinner here, and that should give them plenty of time. Glancing at his clock, he thought that in eight hours, his kids, for the most part, would be all under one roof for the first time in ages. Bedtime came later than he wanted, but it was wonderful to see his kids. Jude had to be taken outside a couple of times—it got to be too much for him. But he loved the kids, and he played with them as much as they did each other. He could only imagine what the Fosters would make of him when he was upset.

At eight sharp, the limos pulled into their drive. The neighbors were out looking at the sight as he started loading up suitcases into the vans. He didn’t care. Tommy was going to see his little girl, and they could fly a fig for all he cared. Once the men had the vans loaded up, they went ahead to the airport to start on the trip. Car seats had been provided, which he thought was very nice, as well as snacks for the kids to munch on. There were even some things for Jude, which he thought was well beyond a nice thing anyone could have done for them. Loading into the plane took less time than he thought it should have, and a few minutes after he was seated and buckled in, they were in the air. Christ, he thought, looking around at his family.

This was all possible because of the kindness of strangers. A man came back to speak to them just as the seatbelt sign was turned off. “Hello, everyone. My name is Cassidy Foster. Everyone calls me Cass. Sarah is my mate.” The applause had the younger man’s face turning bright pink. “I came along to answer any questions I could about not just Sarah and her being hurt, but anything else I can do for you. But in the meantime, I’ve brought you a little surprise.” The boys came out of the cockpit, and Tommy nearly knocked his wife out of the way to get to them. My goodness, Tommy thought, they are handsome little men. All of them hugged them, telling them how excited they were to come along, and by the time they were landing in the little airport near a city called Zanesville, Toby was sitting on his lap, and Mike was sitting with his grandma. “You’ve given us a great gift, young man. Not just in having the boys here, but with bringing us to my daughter.”

Cass said it was his pleasure, but he’d wanted to meet them as well. “Yes, well, you might want to take that back when we all converge on my daughter’s room and drive you insane.” “Mr. Linton, I have a very large family myself. I know loud. But Sarah is at the hotel now. They released her this morning, and my brother made sure she was taken there for us to have more room. My sister-in-law, Rogue, has a Ph.D. in forensic photography, but she is also a good doctor. She’s making sure she doesn’t overdo it before we arrive.” He was impressed at the jobs they all had. “You weren’t told this, and I’m sure you’ll find out anyway, but Parker, you’ve spoken to her, she’s a witch. An honest to goodness witch. We’re all sorts of things when you get right down to it.” There was a lot to think about, but he pushed it all to the back of his mind. The ride to the hotel seemed to take forever, but it was made easier with Toby and Mike with them.

The boys told them all about their life. He was sure there was worse than they were saying, but they were happy, and to Tommy, that was more than enough. Pulling into the parking lot of not a cheap hotel as he had thought, but a very nice one, Tommy suddenly had second thoughts. He wasn’t sure she’d welcome them. That Sarah had somehow changed. But when Toby pulled him free of the first luxury he’d had in forever, Tommy went into the hotel. There his Sarah was talking to Cass, who had left ahead of them. “Daddy? Mom?”

That was all it took for him to lose it. Sarah hugged them all, marveling over the babies and her family. Even Jude was excited and hugged Sarah several times, as they all did. It was a homecoming he was glad the Fosters had made possible for them all.