“They might not be there.” That was my fear.


    “They’ll be there.”


    “What if they’re not?” I nced in ke’s direction, my voice all high and matching the anxiety that was tunneling in my chest.


    She sighed and not for the first time, taking one of thest turns to where we were supposed to meet my family. “They’ll be there. They said they would.”


    “What if they’re not?” And I was on repeat, not for the first time either.


    If they weren’t there, I didn’t know what I was going to do. Find them? Hunt them? I’d have to go back to Jake, and that would not be a happy reunion. I was sure I’d get some punishing sex out of the deal, which—shiver in a good way. But I ran for a reason. And speaking of . . . I looked in ke’s direction. She yed the cool and calm secret agent spy role the whole drive. It’d been her idea where to meet. Well, hers and my cousin’s, since Graham knew New York the best, but she proved to be adept at reading maps and shit. I was useless, which . . . not surprising. I was a tourist.


    Which, sigh. I missed the old days when I just wanted to be the best tourist I could be. Gone were those lists. Gone was the real-life bucket list. Now I had one main objective: survive.


    ke didn’t respond to me, but it didn’t matter. We pulled into a parking lot, and they were there.


    I cried out in relief.


    “Is that them?”


    A minivan was parked in the back corner, but I could see Graham in the driver’s seat. Oliver was in the front passenger seat. There were others in the back. In fact, there were more than two more heads and two dogs.


    “Who is with them?” My voice cracked. All the tightness in my chest exploded to happy flutters.


    She drove over to them. Parked.


    I was reaching for the door, bursting to physically be near my family again, when ke’s hand caught my arm. “Wait,” she barked.


    Tension fell over us.


    She was watching the street, her eyes trained on a car that was driving past the lot at a slow pace. She kept scanning. A bunch of abandoned and broken-down homes were across the road. A lot of vehicles were parked up and down also, but ironically, not a lot of people.


    She let go of my arm. “We’re good.”


    I could tell she was going to wait in the car.


    “Come with me.” I caught her hand.


    She blinked at me. “Uh . . .”


    “Meet my family. Fair warning, they’ll try to adopt you.” I shoved out of the car. I hadn’t missed how she blinked rapidly, like I’d blinded her, but then I was running for the minivan.


    The side door swished open and my family spilled out from inside.


    Bess winced, stepping down. Her hand went to her knee.


    ra shoved at her from behind. “Scoot, woman. You’re holding me up from hugging my niece.”


    Two dogs jumped out, hurrying around both of them.


    The older Lab ran up to me, bouncing awkwardly with his mouth wide open, smiling. His big tongue hung lopsided out. He loped around me, dodging my hand, and he kept doing circles. Pooh, their little white rescue, ran up to me and expected me to pick her up, so I did just that, swooping her up and cradling her against my chest.


    By that time, Bess had moved to the side, still grimacing from her leg.


    ra was almost to me, her arms up, when I saw who else had stumbled out of the minivan.


    “Mom!”


    And then, “Aunt Maude?”


    ra pffted, her nose wrinkling before she yanked me to her. “Come here, you. We were starting to get worried. We couldn’t get a hold of you yesterday.”


    I nced back, seeing that ke had gotten out of the car ande around to my side, but held back. We shared a look because they were starting to get worried? They hadn’t already been worried?


    ra gave me ast squeeze, muttering into my ear, “We tried keeping the Fourth froming with us, but we couldn’t shake her. She and your mom hopped a ne yesterday without telling us. It was a whole big awkward surprise when they called from the airport because they didn’t know where to go. Also, why is that car’s window busted?”


    My mom was trying to hold back her tears, standing just behind ra, and she was failing. Maude moved to the other side, overhearing what ra said. She spoke up, griping, “Why wouldn’t I havee? He’s my son, after all. Of course I’ming to see my son. I won’t let you start acting like you were the one who wiped his ass and changed his diapers like you do with Phyllis’s daughter here. My son is mine, not yours.”


    “Maude!”


    “Mom!” Graham was not happy.


    ra had stepped aside, but froze at hearing what her sister just said.


    My mom froze too, horrified. She snapped, adding, “Take that back. That’s a horrible thing to say. We’re family.”


    ra red, retorting, “She’s my godchild. Can you say that much?”


    The back of my neck grew heated. The verbal sparring had begun.


    Maude rolled her eyes, moving stiffly to me. She was the shortest of the sisters, around five feet and one inch. ra was a few inches taller, but the roundest of them. Maude was shaped more like a box, with a few extrayers of skin. She didn’t have the curves like ra and Bess did, but she was bulky. Her brown and graying hair was pulled up in a bun, a bunch of stray hairs falling free where half her hair was a mess. The bun almost seemed like a joke. She didn’t seem to care, blowing out some air and grabbing me, jerking me to her for a brusque hug. I felt like I was hugging a stiff cardboard box. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I patted her on the arms before she let me go.


    I said, “Hi, Aunt Maude. Wee to New York.” I tried to grin, but it failed miserably.


    Bess joined the group, on the outskirts. Graham was next to her, giving me a tired look.


    I caught movement from behind them on the other side of the minivan. Oliver was trying to wrangle the two dogs. Pooh was in his arms but struggling to jump out.


    I looked down, distracted, seeing that the dog had escaped my arms at some point.


    “Honey.” My mom’s voice broke.


    I went straight to her, no longer waiting.


    She stepped into my chest, her forehead meeting just under my neck, and she was already sobbing before my arms closed around her. “Oh, honey.” Her hands fisted my shirt from behind me.


    I was at a loss.


    My mom cried. Sure, this happened. A good movie. A sad movie. Animal rescuemercials. A neighbor telling a story about their kiding home for a weekend. These things made her cry, but it was also a few tears shed. Not this. She was sobbing.


    “Mom.” I tightened my hold on her.


    She burrowed even more into me. “It’s nothing. It’s everything. The wedding. You left. We couldn’t get a hold of you. Then you were gone again. I couldn’t stay home. Your dad kept reassuring me you were fine, but it’s a mother’s intuition. You weren’t. I could just feel it. But you’re here.” She was squeezing me so hard.


    My breasts were going to pop, but also, oh no. A mother’s intuition was correct. I shared a look with ke, even though I knew she couldn’t have heard my mom.


    “I’m fine, Mom. We’re all fine.”


    Bess was tsking her from behind, pushing her way to me. “It’s my turn. Always thest, I’m telling you.”


    My mom refused to let go, but it made no difference to Bess. She towered over my mom, who was barely taller than Maude, but my mom was the skinniest. She was too skinny. Bess wrapped her arms around us both. It was as if my mom was barely there.


    “It’s good to see you again, Sawsaw.”


    “Sawsaw,” ra snickered, now holding Pooh, who was licking her face and her little tail wagging. “Always makes me want to cut down a tree with a real saw.”


    Oliver looked slightly horrified and confused, but seeing me looking his way, that expression cleared. A warm smile took its ce, and once Bess stepped back, and my mom loosened her hold, I stepped toward the outskirts of the group.


    Oliver met me halfway, giving me a tight hug, which surprised me. He murmured into my ear, “I’ve not said anything, but Graham and I are a bit more in the know, and we know there are other factors here. We can talk about thatter, but for right now, are you safe?” He stepped back, his face still leaning close. “Are we safe?”


    My throat suddenly swelled.


    Graham joined us and my eyes went sideways to him.


    Oliver read my expression, his hands falling back from my arms. He stilled.


    “Oliver?” Graham was watching his husband.


    Oliver patted his arm, his gaze trained on me. “We need to go. Right?”


    I nodded, slowly.


    Graham heaved a deep sigh, his gaze trailing behind me. “It’s honestly like herding a bunch of stray feral cats who think they’re chickens. I swear I heard ra clucking in the van. Then she was hissing at my mother. Hissing. At my mother. Who barked back. Bear and Pooh joined in. Is this normal for them?”


    I cringed. “I’d like to say no, but . . .”


    He huffed. “Gracious. Thank you foring here. I already love you. I’m looking forward to continuing this rtionship, but take them home. Please.”


    Oliver was softlyughing beside us, his shoulders shaking.


    “Who are you?” ra barked over the group, staring at ke, who was still leaning by the car.


    Everyone looked her way.


    “This is . . . uh—” In the distance, there was a screech. Some honking. I wasn’t paying it attention, instead concentrating on how to introduce ke. “Um—” I had no idea.


    ke’s eyes widened. She stepped forward. Her hands were pressed together, in front of her. Her shoulders were hunched. “I met Sawyer through—”


    My head went higher. “Yes. Right. Through Jake—”


    “Through that undercover cop?” ra supplied, her voice gravelly.


    I frowned, but no one was reacting to those words. “Undercover what?”


    “Yeah. Detective Worthing. Chelsea and her daughter told us all about him, said he was undercover and that’s why you never called the police to Graham’s with those bodies. Jess Montell filled us in.”


    A choked sound came from ke, who’d gone back to blinking rapidly.


    I had no idea who Chelsea and Jess Montell were.


    ke moved to my side, her frown deepening. “Jess Montell? Engaged to Tristian West?”


    “Oh yes! That hottie. He was there that night Detective Drool-Worthy took Sawyer because he needed her help identifying men for the case he’s working on.” My mother was beaming, so proud that she could contribute to the conversation though she’d never been there. She added, “Chelsea told us there’s a bun in the oven too. It’s still a secret.”


    Bun? What bun?


    In the oven?


    They’d been baking this whole time?


    My mind was too scattered to make sense of what she was saying.


    She winked at me, but her smile faltered at seeing my face. “Oh, Sawyer. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—” She started for me again.


    I wasn’t sure about the change of her thoughts, but Oliver cut in. “Yes. Not so we get off track, but yes. We were told lots of things at their new friend’s house. That we stayed in because the cops needed to go through our brownstone. Secretly. Because the whole operation was undercover.” He stared hard at me first, then at ke.


    My mom and my aunts were all beaming. Except Maude. She looked disgruntled.


    That was her resting face.


    Oliver added, “Maybe we could have this conversation somewhere else?” His eyebrows were raised.


    “Yes. An eatery. I’m famished.” ra was nodding along.


    Bess’s smile brightened. “Food’s always good when the family gets together.” Her gaze caught on Maude, and her smile went rigid. “Or most family.”


    Maude sneered at her. “That attitude right there. Why do you think my boy moved away and my girls—”


    “Mom!” Graham interrupted this time, his tone sharp. He and Oliver both looked strained and his voice had an edge to it. His patience was thin. “Stop talking on my behalf in the future. Also, everyone back into the minivan. Sawyer, do you and your friend, here, uh—”


    “Her name is ke, and yes. She’lle with us.” I’d decided.


    ke hadn’t, though. “Uh. What?”


    My smile was forced but had an extra meaning in it. “Yes. You’reing with us.”


    ke tentatively took a step backward.


    My eyes shed. Sorry, but I knew the card to pull. I turned to all of my aunts who had moved back to the minivan. “She grew up in the foster system, and she recently moved to the city here. She has no family.”


    ke was horrified. So were Graham and Oliver.


    My aunts were not.


    My mom’s reaction was instant. “She has no one?”


    ra grumbled, scowling, “Not anymore, you don’t. You hear me?”


    Bess chimed in, “You are never alone anymore.”


    They swarmed her. Even Maude went with them, blinking back tears.


    “Come here.”


    “You’lle with us.”


    “A good family sit-down is what we need.”


    “You’ll tell us all about yourself, ke. First, though, what’s your favorite kind of food? Do you have a certain kind of pie you like?”


    “Did you grow up eating casserole? A good Tater Tot hotdish has to be experienced. Did you go to a potluck with any of your foster houses?”


    My aunts were speaking over one another as they pulled ke into the minivan with them.


    Bess looked her over, frowning. “Where’s your car keys, hun? We can put them behind one of the tires and call a mechanic toe get your vehicle. That’ll need to be fixed. ra’s got Triple A. She can call for you.”


    “Oh. Uh . . .” ke cast me onest look before she was tugged into the back seat.


    Maude crawled in first. My mom went after ke. ra and Bess took the two middle seats. Bear jumped up inside, his tail wagging so hard he was hitting ra and Bess while his nose was turned toward the back end.


    Pooh mbered up so she was standing on top of Bess’s thigh, panting, and waiting for her dads.


    Oliver remarked under his breath to Graham, “I’m pretty sure that car was stolen.”


    Another screech of brakes sounded from the street, this time closer.


    An engine revved loudly.


    I turned toward it. That sounded just around the corner.


    “Honey, get in the car.” Graham was talking to Oliver, who stiffly hurried around the side of the minivan.


    I started to go with them, but another screeching sound made me turn around.


    That sound was now so close.


    A vehicle careened around the corner, fishtailing so it could turn into the same parking lot that we were in. It didn’t make it, braking suddenly, and reversing.


    My feet were already moving before my brain was catching up that I needed to move.


    The SUV was barreling at me, bearing down at a fast pace.


    Time slowed because I saw what was going to happen. They were here for us.


    I was too far away.


    It was toote for me. It was not toote for my family.


    I began yelling at Graham. “Go! Now! They’re here.”


    “Who is that?”


    Oliver was yelling.


    My aunts were shouting.


    The dogs were barking.


    Graham started the engine, giving me an agonizing expression, but I made a decision. I’d made my decision long ago. Me or my family? My family every goddamn time.


    They needed more time to get away, so when the doors of the SUV opened, I ran toward them. I could still hear the minivan behind me, but I screamed, the sound curdling my blood, “Go! Please!”


    One of the men reached out to me to catch me, but I evaded his touch. The man behind him caught me, but I grabbed for his holstered gun and ripped out of his arms, using a sudden burst of momentum that he wasn’t expecting.


    I moved back, his gun in my hand.


    All their attention was suddenly on me.


    My heart was pounding.


    Terror raced through me, but my family had to live.


    They were still fucking here.


    “Go! Fucking go!” I screamed with everything in me.


    They peeled out of there, right as the men closed in on me.


    I could hear my family screaming, but just before they were out of sight, I looked up.


    ke was in the back, with the door open, and our eyes met. She gave me a nod.


    I didn’t know what that meant, but the gun was ripped out of my hands. They grabbed me.


    This time, my kidnapping was real.