To his surprise, Nancy wilted under whatever Linda was saying.

Nicole slid up against his side. “She’s taking on Mother?”

As Sam put an arm around his daughter, Brenna glanced over her shoulder at the confrontation, then grinned. “She’s scary when she goes into Medusa Mama mode.” She grinned at her brother. “Remember how the principal begged her forgiveness for giving a detention?”

“Or how she took on that old fart down the block who perved on the kids.” Charles glanced at Sam. “An ‘I got candy for you, little girl’ jerk. He spoke to Brenna once, Mom had a ‘chat’ with him, and he put his house up for sale the next day.”

“But she’s so sweet,” Nicole whispered. “Mother will hurt—”

Sam stared as Nancy retreated from Linda so fast her back banged into her car. She jumped in and slammed the door.

“Mom’s sweet right up to the point where you mess with her kids. Then, look out. Everyone in Foggy Shores knows that.” Brenna took Nicole’s hand. “From that smackdown, I’d say you just got adopted.”

Nicole’s eyes filled with tears.

As Sam pulled her closer, the ice of frustrated anger that had filled his veins melted, and warmth spread from his heart outward. He could only watch as Nancy drove…away.

Hands on hips, Linda waited until the car peeled through the gate. She gave a short nod—task done—and walked back to the porch.

With big grins, her children parted to let her through.

She patted their arms. “Thank you, darlings.” Then without speaking, she took Nicole from Sam and wrapped her in a Linda hug, probably the warmest, most caring embrace found on the planet.

Sam’s eyes burned, and he looked away.

“Sweetie, you can’t help but feel bad, I know,” Linda murmured to his girl. “I’ve lost friends to drugs. It’s like cancer. Some can fight back and win. Others—for whatever reason—can’t. If she ever turns her life around, then you can see what kind of a person she really is. Until then, I hope you’ll let me stand in for her.”

When Nicole burst into tears, Sam closed his eyes, hearing the release of years of misery. Of wanting a mother and not having one.

He jerked his head at Brenna and Charles and took them to the stables to introduce them to farm chores. They might as well get used to helping, since their mother wasn’t going anywhere.

Ever.

A while later, he released the two kids to play with Conn while he went to the chicken coop. Hard workers, those two. The boy had talked about majoring in criminology—apparently his goal in life had changed over the past year. Well, when he graduated, there were enough Masters in the various law enforcement areas to give him a hand up.

Sam shook his head. When Kouros and Buchanan had driven out to the farm to talk with Linda, they’d obviously felt guilty. Although she’d tried to reassure them, Kouros had still looked haunted when they left. A rough occupation. Maybe Charles should switch his major to agriculture.

Broken fences, unexpected droughts, and foaling were a hell of a lot easier on a man.

Guilt wasn’t confined to cops either. When Sally had visited, she’d apologized over and over for suggesting that Linda should be a trainee.

As Sam finished filling the feeders, he heard Linda and his daughter coming toward the chicken coop.

Sounded as if Nicole had returned to normal. She was explaining how she’d learned the facts of life. “I didn’t know Daddy could turn so red.” She grinned at Sam as she walked into the barn. Her face was puffy from crying, but her eyes were clear. Happy. His girl would be fine.

He sent a look of gratitude to Linda.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing him turn red,” Linda said. “But did he manage to explain?”

“Hell no,” Sam said.

“One of his friends—Anne—took me out for a slushie and told me all about that stuff.” Nicole grinned. “Without blushing once.”

“Anne? The Anne I know?” From the horrified expression on Linda’s face, she’d met Mistress Anne.

He gave her a bland look. “She knows male anatomy. Why not?”

“Ooooh.” Her eyes sparked. “We’re going to talk about this.”

As silence filled the house, Sam carried dishes to the kitchen with Conn trailing eagerly after him. Linda was spoiling the hound, slipping him tidbits. Hard to call her on it, since Nicole had been doing the same for years.

A few minutes before, they’d sent the children off, back to their college. Their dinner had been late, but he had to admit, he enjoyed having them all at the table.

Brenna loved to argue but had a lively sense of humor to go with it, and her laughter was as full-bodied as her mother’s.

Charles had a protective streak that rivaled Sam’s. When Nicole had mentioned walking home from the library in the dark, the boy had scolded her about safety before Sam could get a word in.

Linda had done well with her children. Their idiotic teenager brains might have led them to give her grief, but they were even faster with their affection, with hugs and love you’s.

Like a dry plant, Nicole had soaked it up.

Sam had as well. Linda wanted to continue her family’s traditional after-church dinners. The idea suited him to a tee.

As he entered the kitchen, Linda was singing the Beatles’ bouncy “When I’m Sixty-Four” as she put some oranges in a colorful basket on the counter. He shook his head. Nothing kept his woman down for long.

Coming up behind her, he squeezed her shoulder. “Not sure how to thank you. For Nicole. And Nancy.”

Her dimple appeared. “You could give me more of what I had last night. I’m a masochist, you know.”

His eyes narrowed on her hopeful face. He’d created a monster. Last night, after using a cane on her, he’d fucked her until around two a.m.

After a second of thought, he smiled slowly. “Be my pleasure. Before you leave, find your favorite toy. Use lube, insert it, wear it this afternoon while you’re gone. You’ll be stretched and ready for me tonight.”

“But…” Delightful anxiety bloomed in her eyes. “Right.”

Damn. Maybe he’d haul her to bed early.

Linda picked up a piece of bacon. “Got a treat for you, Conn.” She bent to give it to the dog and winced.

Sam grinned. “Someone have a sore ass today?”

“You’re such a sadist. And yes, you left bruises.”

He knew he had. Earlier in the bathroom, she had been examining a purple spot on her bottom with the half-fascinated, half-pleased look of many submissive-masochists.

He ran his finger down her pretty cheek. “I like leaving marks here and there.” Liked knowing she had a few sore spots to remind her of him. A kind of branding.

Unable to resist, he wrapped an arm tightly around her waist and squeezed her soft ass.

She eeped, then groaned as he squeezed harder. Hurting her so nicely. She sagged against him. “Damn you.” Her pupils had dilated, and pink swept into her cheeks. “How do you do that?”

“Arouse you? It’s not hard.” He leaned in and pinned her against the counter with his weight. Her hair had grown long enough for him to get a good grip, and he tugged her head back. After kissing up her neck, he nipped her earlobe, enjoying her sharp inhalation at the bite of pain.

“Sam.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Running his hand down her front, he explored the V between her legs, then traced over her clit. He could feel it harden despite her tight jeans. And then he let her go.

When she swayed toward him, he took a step back.

Her mouth dropped open. “You’re stopping?”

“You have to leave for work in a few minutes, remember? You said you’re the only person there this afternoon.” And now she could work behind the counter while aching for him.

Her lower lip poked out in a sweet pout. “You want me to suffer all day?”

“Yep.” He pressed his erection against her soft stomach. Even sadists had to hurt sometimes. “We both will. And once you’re home, I’m going to take your cunt first and then your pretty ass. Yep. I’ll fuck you senseless.” He pushed against her body again and smiled down into her big brown eyes. “Before that, I’ll put you over my knee and turn your ass red.” The welts—and anal plug—should make that even more fun. Maybe they’d work on that begging problem she had.

Despite the glare she gave him, her voice came out husky with arousal. “Thanks, Master Sadist. That really will make my day easy.”

“You’re welcome, missy.” Then he leaned forward and gave her the words that erased the glare from her face, the words that came easier every time he said them. “I love you, Linda.”