Page 25 of The Tiger's Secret Baby (Savage Shifters Special Ops 4)

Later that day, the kids were playing outside under the watchful eyes of the four men and some of their security team. Gage and Jared came in and saw me sitting at one of the tables, with my chin propped in my hands staring into space, glassy eyed.

They grabbed a couple of sodas and sat across from me. “What’s wrong?” Jared asked.

“I just don’t know if I’m doing the right thing,” I answered. “Duggers is correct when he said that I could take the money he was offering me and get a bigger place and still have money left over. Right now, I’m holding on from pride and because I don’t want to uproot the kids’ lives any more than they already have been. Yet, with this fight going on, with them having to constantly look over their shoulders, I’m not sure that moving wouldn’t be a better option. At least then they wouldn’t have to be afraid every time a rabbit runs through the bushes.”

I paused and took a huge drink of water. “Maybe I should just give up and take the money.”

“Do you want to move?” Gage asked. “If that’s what you want to do or if that is what you think you should do, we’ll back you a hundred percent, although we are still going to take down Alan Duggers, because he isn’t going to do this to another person.”

“I don’t want to move,” I said. “I love this place. I think it’s perfect. I have a good connection with the people who run the foster care system, and they know that I take the kids who have trouble adjusting in other places. The person I work with directly is a shifter, so she understands everything. The kids love it here. They are my main concern and I have so many questions. If I stay here, I’m afraid they will be hurt. If I leave, they might see it as me giving up and get the message that bullies will always find a way to win.”

“Then stand your ground,” Jared told me. No one is going to hurt these kids. They are learning different self defense moves. They are learning how to use their unique talents and skills, which makes them very powerful. We are always standing guard. No one will hurt these babies. I give you my word.”

I nodded. I wasn’t sure that I completely believed him. Not that I thought that he was lying to me, but that they would really be able to stand up to Duggers and his henchmen.

However, they were giving me a way to stay and not feel like a terrible mother for making that choice.

After thinking about it for a while, I decided to ask the kids. I called them all in for a family meeting.

“You guys all know what has been going on. Mr. Duggers wants this land. He has made it pretty clear that he is willing to hurt us to get it. This is your home as much as it is mine. However, he has offered us enough money that we could buy a lot bigger place, with more land, if we sell him this place. I want to know what you guys want to do.”

“I want to kick his…” Magnar started to say.

“Magnar,” I warned.

“Big patootie.”

The other kids laughed. I don’t think I wanted to know what my rebellious teenage son said when I wasn’t around to censor him.

One of the little girls said, “I thought the good guys always win.”

I told her that the good guys always do win. “It depends on what you call winning. Do we win if we stay here? Or do we win if take the money and get a much bigger place.”

“We win if we don’t let someone bully us,” she said, without hesitation.

The other kids agreed. They didn’t want Duggers to win.

That afternoon, Damian and I decided to head out for a walk.

The sun was bright in the sky. I could close my eyes and feel the rays bathing me with their warmth. A slight breeze blew my hair around my face and rustled the leaves in the trees. The sound of the river was soothing. The smell of the pine needles filled my nose, as I reveled in the scent of the beauty that surrounded me.

Normally, I found this area very comforting and peaceful. Right now, though, my stomach was in a knot and my heart was thundering like a thousand race horses.

This is it. However it turns out, I’ll tell him now.

We stopped by a beautiful spot by the river. We faced each other. He gently touched my face and said, “You’ve been trying to talk to me about something for a while. I’m ready to listen.”

I took a deep breath and said, “Before you left, we …”

Just then, a shot rang out over our head.

“That was a warning, Tompkins. Mr. Duggers has been very generous with his offers. He wants to do right by you and the kids. Get out while you can,” a man yelled through the trees.

Suddenly, a shout rang out, “Drop your weapon. Get on your knees.” It was one of Gage’s men who had found him.

“Sure thing, Boss,” the shooter said, with a fake southern drawl.

Once again, Sheriff Davenport arrived. This time there was someone to arrest. The man had been outside of the perimeter of my farm, so the security guys hadn’t nailed him before hand.

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