The acceptance in Sam's eyes had me acting before I could even think. With an enraged shout, I slashed my hand through the air and the heavy stone altar that had been my prison uprooted itself from the ground and slammed into the witch about to stab Sam.

A horrified gasp tore from my lips when the giant stone slab crashed into the basement wall with such force that it smashed through the wall. The witch I had targeted let out a pained grunt and was silent as the slab crushed him. Wood snapped and dust billowed out. The stone was wedged into the wall with such force that it now looked like an odd decoration.

I averted my eyes, not sure if I should be proud or afraid of my display of power. In either case, I didn't want to see what I had done. My eyes landed on the glinting dagger laying on the floor by Sam's bare feet. I could feel the magic of the poisonous potion on the tip from here. He would have killed Sam. I did the right thing. Yet, I was still shaking. I might have done the right thing, but I probably just killed a man.

In the next moment, I was wrapped in a warm, enveloping embrace. I sank into Sam's large chest, my fingers gripping his skin as I clung to him, desperate to be as close as I could. His scent and the feeling of his arms around me brought such comfort. For a moment, I thought I might break right then and there.

It took me a few seconds to realize that I had just used my powers. Was Jude gone? I lifted my head in a panic. Although I was glad that I could save Sam, I didn't want Jude to be gone. I wanted him arrested or, frankly, dead.

"Where is he?" I choked out in a hoarse voice. I looked frantically through the crowd. There was no sign of the suited asshole anywhere. My throat was dry and my head was pounding. This wasn't over. It would never be over, would it? My breath started to come in short, frenzied gasps.

"Rhonda," Sam's smooth voice broke through the chaos in my mind, "it's okay. Calm down. I'm here. Sheriff Kobayashi has Jude."

"He . . . does?"

Sam ran a soothing hand over my hair. "Take a deep breath. Look around."

I slowed my breathing and carefully looked around us. Everywhere my eyes landed, I saw the glint of badges as witches were being cuffed one by one. I looked up at Sam in surprise.

"How?"

He smiled faintly. "Jeremy and Paige."

Hearing Paige's name, I remembered my earlier vitriol toward her and looked around. I needed to apologize.Finally, I spotted her close by—in the process of being cuffed. The officer seemed to be particularly overbearing and was using more force than necessary to restrain her. She wasn't even resisting.

"Hey," I called out, pulling myself out of Sam's arms, "leave her alone. She's not part of this."

"We're under strict orders to arrest all members of the coven," the officer replied tersely.

"As the woman who was about to be a sacrificial lamb several minutes ago, I think I have some say in this, right? She helped us. Let her go."

"Rhonda, it's okay," Paige spoke up, her tone flat and sad. "It’s not like I don't deserve it. Let's face it, I got off light for snitching on Heather."

"But Paige, you've been—"

"Really. It's okay." She gave me a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine."

Sam stood beside me, rubbing a large hand up and down my back. I looked up at him and he nodded.

"Let her do what she thinks she needs to do," he offered.

"Fine. I'll put in a good word with the sheriff, though." I let out a long sigh. "Paige, thank you for all your help."

"Considering you, y'know, ended up strapped to an altar, I don't think I was all that helpful." She grimaced. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you about the change in their plans before it was too late. By the time I found out you were meeting with Sadie, I think they already had you here because you weren't answering your phone."

"You don't need to feel bad about that. Sadie was my fault. I'm the one who contacted her."

Paige gave me a small smile. "At least it ended this way, right?"

"Damn right. They'll get what they deserve."

"Come on, enough chatting," the officer ordered, giving Paige a nudge toward the stairs. I realized the guy had a job to do, but I still rolled my eyes. Paige might have been an awful spy, but she tried her damndest. She didn't deserve to be lumped in with the rest of them.

"What do you say we get out of here, sugar?" I said, looking up at Sam with a relieved smile.

He gave me a small, hesitant smile back. "Maybe we should find my clothes first?"

It suddenly dug through my thick skull that it wasn't only Sam's sexy chest that was bare. I held my eyes perfectly, achingly still. I so badly wanted to take a peek, but I was an adult. I could resist.

"Where'd you leave them?"

He ducked his head and rubbed the back of his neck. "All over the place. I didn't remove them before I shifted."

I laughed, soft and quiet—the air still felt too somber for anything more—as I scanned around on the floor. Spotting something on the ground behind him, I pointed and said, "What about that?"

Sam made his way over to the pile and went to pick it up. Scraps of fabric fell to the floor. He looked over his shoulder, forlorn. "I think these were my pants. Not gonna work, but at least I found my phone, keys, and wallet."

He dug around in the remains of his pockets. "What the—"

"What is it?"

"This. It didn't look like this before I came in here."

He held up the withered remains of a plant so I could see, carefully keeping his back to me.

"Is that Angelica?"

"It was. Mrs. Greenhaven gave it to me."

"How did she know you were going to need it?" I realized the answer the moment I asked the question. "Henrietta."

"I'd imagine so."

"Bless those two," I said as I started scanning the floor for anything else Sam could wear. I soon spotted a pile of fabric and snatched it up. I held it aloft, turning it around a few times to make sense of what it was. The remains of Sam's shirt. There was a huge tear at the collar, and somehow, the seams had ripped along only one side and at both arms.

I lowered the fabric from view and found Sam's back was to me. I couldn't stop myself from tracing every big, perfect muscle with my eyes. I bit down hard on my lower lip. So much for resisting. I brought my eyes back up to his head just as he glanced over his shoulder at me.

"Hey, you found my shirt." He walked over and took it out of my hand. He frowned for a moment. "Well, most of it."

After eyeing the fabric for a moment, he finally tied it around his waist, like a tiny towel that left very little to the imagination. "Am I covered?"

"Where it matters." I smiled. "It's a good look, though. Very Tarzan."

"That's exactly what I was going for." He held up his hand, and I realized he had his keys. "Ready?"

"The less time I'm here, the better."

* * *

One of the officers gave us a short lift to the parking lot of The Busy Bean. Exhaustion seemed to swamp me during the short ride.

"Thanks for the lift," Sam said to the officer as he pulled in by Sam's Suburban. "Please tell Sheriff Kobayashi that we'll be by tomorrow after work."

The officer nodded but didn't say anything as we got out and shut our doors. As soon as we were clear of the vehicle, he pulled away.

"You up for driving us home?" I asked Sam. "My keys were in my purse, and God knows what they did with it."

He nodded and I sighed with relief. I was in no place for driving anyway and I could always get my car later with the spare key. I shivered, glad Sam had parked under a parking lot light. I had no idea how long I'd been knocked out courtesy of Sadie, but it was pitch black outside now. Sam unlocked the vehicle and opened the door for me.

He gently closed it once I was inside, then got behind the wheel. As Sam started to drive, I happened to glance at the glow of the digital clock and gasped.

"It's two in the damn morning?"

"Looks that way."

"Oh my God. Izzy. The kids!"

"I talked with her briefly before we came to find you. She agreed to keep an eye on the kids until we got this all figured. They should be fine."

"Thank you, really, but . . . I can't believe it's this late," I said as I fished my phone out of my pocket, which thankfully hadn't been in my missing purse. "I know I was kidnapped and all, but I still feel weirdly guilty. Being a mother is so damn strange sometimes."

"You giving her a call?"

"Of course I am."

Sam chuckled knowingly as I pushed the power button to wake up my phone. The text I'd sent to Izzy from The Busy Bean appeared. It was unsent. She never got my message that I was leaving with Sadie and was going to be late. Part of me wondered if maybe Sadie had helped me forget to press send. I let out a huff of air. I was such a fool to trust that woman.

I pushed those thoughts aside and called Izzy to check on my children. They were much more important.

"Hello?" Izzy's voice was groggy, yet somehow still cheerful.

My words came out in a rush. "Izzy, hon, I'm so sorry about all this. You wouldn't believe the night I've had. I would have called earlier, but long story short, I was kidnapped, almost sacrificed by my ex-husband, and rescued by a bear."

There was a moment of brief silence, then the doll of a woman giggled on the other end of the line. "Don't apologize for that, silly. The kids were angels and they're fast asleep. No use in waking them up, okay? I already figured they'd probably stay the night."

"No questions about anything I said?" I paused for a beat. "Not a single one?"

"Rhonda, I've been through just about everything." Her tone took on the sort of strength that comes only from experience. "Trust me, nothing surprises me anymore. Go home. Get some rest. Bring Abby and Caleb some clothes in the morning, and I'll make sure he gets to school on time."

I wasn't going to fight her. Exhaustion pulled at me. I wanted nothing more than to go home and shower the incense-stink of that stupid shop off me. Maybe I'd get lucky and wash a few of those memories down the drain along with it.

"You're a saint," I breathed out. "We'll be there first thing in the morning."

"Take care, alright?"

"You too."

The moment I hung up, Sam spoke, "The kids are in good hands. You should do what she said. Rest. I'll get us home safely."

I looked over at him with a smile, my heart warming despite the night I had been through. His love and concern for my children made an already wonderful, amazing man that much more irresistible. If it wouldn't have put us in danger of crashing, I would have leapt across the cab of his big Suburban and given him the biggest kiss of his life.

Instead, I forced myself to lean against the door, my head pressed against the cool glass of the window. I closed my eyes with a soft sigh. We had other things we needed to talk about before I kissed him silly. As much as my body would rather I just sink into a hot shower, then right into bed in his arms.

I opened my eye just a crack to peek at him sitting in the driver's seat, mostly nude except for the torn cloth wrapped around his waist. It was—unsurprisingly—a very good look for him. I didn't know what he did to get a chest that sculpted, but I thoroughly appreciated the view. It was going to make it very hard to talk, though.

* * *

Sam unlocked my door and we stepped inside my apartment. The familiar scent of home washed over me. I had never been so happy to set foot into this cramped place. Now, I was more thankful than ever to be here. Hell, I would live a thousand lives here if it meant I got to spend another day with my children.

And Sam.

The object of my thoughts closed the door behind us with a gentle click. I turned around to see him standing there, quiet and tense. A reminder that the last time we had seen each other, before all this nonsense, I had shoved him away. My heart broke to see him so wary.

"Sam, we need to talk—"

"We do." Sam surprised me by taking a sudden step forward, his eyes locked on mine. "I can't do this anymore, Rhonda."

My heart froze. "You can't do what?"

"This." He waved his hand around vaguely. "It terrifies me, you know?"

"Terrifies you?" I knew I was just unhelpfully repeating his words, but I couldn't seem to stop. I furrowed my brow. "What terrifies you?"

"How I feel about you. I love you more than I know how to say. I can't keep doing this."

"Really?" I asked, despite how dumb it sounded to my ears. I wanted to hear it again. I had seen it in his eyes. I had felt in his actions. His love and just how much it terrified him. I knew. I knew because I felt the same exact way.

"I can't imagine a life without you, but I can't keep playing house like this. Yet, I know I'm not worthy of you."

"Sam—"

"Rhonda, I need to get this out. If I don't do this now . . ." he pulled his lower lip between his teeth, then let it go, "I might not be able to do this again."

I hated the idea of him thinking he was the unworthy one. I had no idea where that came from. I didn't exactly want to play a rousing game of who's worse. I was the one with the psychotic ex-husband, traitorous coven, tiny apartment, two children to support—it would definitely be me.

"I let you push me away without a fight, and I regretted it. Even if it was the right thing to do. I know now that I won't be able to forgive myself if I just walk away."

He took another step forward, hesitation in every movement despite his words. "I know you said you want some space, but I can't give it to you, Rhonda. Looking back, I realized I've held back for far too long and I can't change that. I promise you I won't hold back any longer. I want the real thing. I want you. I want to be with you."

I stared at him, speechless for once in my life.

"You don't need space," Sam continued. "I see you trying to run and hide, and I won't let you."

A smile burst out from deep inside me. It was so big that it made my cheeks hurt in the best of ways. My heart was thudding with a low, steady thrum, and warmth spread from my head to my toes. Sam had always had these moments of truth, where it seemed like he pulled back the curtain on the world and showed you exactly how it was. It was beautiful, wonderful, and absolutely perfect.

"Samael, you silly man," I said with a laugh. "You've already got me, sugar. You've always had me."

I closed the distance between us, placing my hands on his broad, bare chest and reached up to kiss him. His hands found their way to my lower back, the tips of his fingers just barely brushing the curve of my ass. The gentle, but firm touch sent a jolt of desire through me. It brought to life an ache between my thighs that only he could soothe.

I'd wanted him so badly for what felt like an eternity. We had gone through so many false starts lately. Sam pulled away from me or something else always interrupted us. Stopped us from moving forward. Not this time.

"Sam," I whispered against his lips, "I swear, if you leave me high and dry again, I might just lose my mind."

He pulled back just enough to meet my gaze, eyes filled with desire. "What do you mean?"

"I'm telling you that I don't just want you at this point, I need you. So, you had better—"

Before I could finish, his lips crushed against mine, robbing me of my voice, but giving me everything I needed in exchange. Him. The sheer need and forcefulness behind his kiss told me that he felt the same way.

His lips were so perfect, so soft, yet hard against mine that I could barely keep my mind straight as he kissed me senseless. He effortlessly lifted me and I locked my legs tightly around his back, our lips never parting. I could feel him walking, but I didn't care where he was going. I was nothing but sensation. All I could feel was him. The way he held and kissed me. One said I was delicate, the other said that he wanted to ravish me.

All my votes were going straight into the ravish me box. I locked my legs around him a little tighter, pressing myself against him as I bit down softly on his lower lip.

He groaned and came to a stop. I opened my eyes and saw his held a mixture of the warm brown that I had always known as his and that new color . . . the topaz glow of his bear. A low growl rumbled in his chest.

I lifted a brow. "Too far?"

"Not far enough."

I let out a delighted laugh as he suddenly sat down. To my surprise, I realized we sat on the couch with me straddling him. "You only made it ten steps from the door?"

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You have to look at it from my point of view."

"Which is?"

He looked at me from under his lashes. It was a look so sweet, yet so heated, that I felt as if his hands were already caressing me. My body throbbed in response. This man was going to be the end of me.

"I made it far more than ten steps," he murmured. "I made it three long years."

I took in a sharp, short breath, then slid a hand behind his head and pulled his face down and kissed him. It wasn't just any kiss, but a statement. My way of telling him that I had been waiting just as long to be with him—to taste and feel him.

Our hands were all over each other as if they were making up for lost time. Touching, tracing, kneading. Neither of us could seem to get enough. I had his scraps of clothing gone in a few careless tugs, and he nearly ripped each and every piece of clothing from my body.

We had already wasted so much time that I couldn't control myself. The moment my clothes were off and his thick length was bare, I had to have him inside me. I straddled his length and sank down, my moan matching his guttural groan as he filled me.

I placed my hands on his shoulders and he gripped my hips, lifting me up, then lowering me down. He kept the pace slow as if he wanted to savor every moment, yet I could feel him struggling to keep control. His thighs and arms were tense, straining from the effort. I tried to make him move faster as I did my best to kiss him senseless. I couldn't get enough. Everything about him felt so achingly perfect.

I pulled my lips from his and placed featherlight kisses along his jaw up to his ear. I rolled my hips against him as I whispered, "Don't hold back."

He buried his face in my neck with a groan, his hands gripping my hips tightly as his movements stilled. He lifted his head and met my eyes with a look that was as deep and as it was intimate.

"Don't hold back," I repeated, touching a hand to his cheek.

Primal desire burned bright in his eyes, melting away his control. He captured my lips in a fierce kiss as he dug his fingers into my hips and thrust inside me in a rhythm that matched the heated need that coursed through my blood. It was fast, hard, and filled with passion. Each and every sensation was heightened by the violent need I felt for him. I knew it wasn't going to take much for me to go over the edge.

As if he knew my thoughts, he deepened his thrusts. My hands tightened on his shoulders, and I threw back my head as my body exploded and I cried out in release. Sam thrust once more, then a shudder rippled through his body as he joined me.

I collapsed against him; his harsh, ragged breaths on my shoulder made me shiver. Neither of us spoke as we held each other, lost in the moment. It was more perfect than I'd ever imagined.

"I like your couch," Sam said in a low rumble.

I pulled back to meet his gaze. His brown eyes shone with happiness and even a little mischief.

"I'm glad you approve," I replied with a small laugh.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, his fingers tracing looping patterns on my skin, "I think we need to give your bed a try. See how it compares."

"Why don't we find out right now?"

He smiled and stood up, picking me up in his arms. He dropped his head and rained kisses down my neck and over my collarbone as he carried me to the bedroom. Gentle licks and nips following in the wake of his kisses.

He gently placed me on the bed, and I arched my back as he kissed his way across my breast. With each brush of his lips and tongue, each hard and soft touch of his hands, that heat between my thighs grew again.

His hands worked magic as he worshiped my body. He was determined to explore every inch of my skin with his hands and lips. I was a mess of desire, my need unbearable as I moaned at every touch. Sam crawled back up my body and kissed me deeply. I rolled my hips against him, desperate to have him again.

He answered my plea by sliding inside me. Each thrust was slow and deliberate as he ground against me in time with each roll of my hips. His hand moved between us, brushing against where I was aching and swollen.

His touch was exactly what I needed. So achingly perfect that sudden reverberations crashed through me. I tore my lips from his with a gasp that tapered off into low, breathy moans. Sam increased his pace, his hands gripped my hips and held me tightly against him. Each thrust drew out the waves of pleasure that echoed through me.

Sam tensed and let out a hoarse groan as he found his release. As his breathing slowed, he gathered me in his arms and collapsed against the mattress, holding me tight against his chest. I lay in a boneless heap against his chest. We were both covered in sweat. Each nerve ending in my body was so sensitive that the air brushing against my skin made me shiver. I was totally and completely spent.

Sam moved a little and I felt his fingers link in mine. I smiled as my head rested on his large, broad shoulder with a content sigh. "We should've done this a hell of a long time ago."

A deep, rich laugh rumbled through him, making me shiver slightly. "We'll make up for all that lost time."

His hand gently ran over my skin. I tightened my fingers around his and lightly squeezed. "Sam, why don't we just do this thing already?"

"What thing?" he asked.

"Make this official. We're already engaged, aren't we? I figure dating isn't out of the question." I laughed softly, mostly to hide that my breath was trembling. My heart felt feather-light in my chest. My God—I was nervous. Annoyed with myself for the hesitation, I pushed through. "I love you, Samael. If you'll have me, I want to be with you. I mean, we've practically been living like a married couple all these years and—"

"Rhonda," Sam's hand tightened around mine, "I can't tell you just how much I've wanted that. I've been in love with you for years."

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes even though I was smiling. "Why didn't you say something, you big lug?"

He unwound his fingers from mine and brought his hand up to my chin, slightly tilting my head back so I could meet his warm eyes. The way he looked at me nearly took my breath away. The love there was so pure that all doubts fled my mind. This man would do anything for me, and I would do anything for him.

"I just did. Since we're doing all this talking, how about we make that engagement real?"

A cheeky, cheesy, and unbelievably happy grin suddenly found its way to my face. "Did you just propose to me, Samael?"

He grinned back. "I think I did."

My heart ached in the sweetest way. I kissed him, long and slow. His hands kneaded at my thighs, a simple touch that reignited the fire at my core.

"My answer is yes," I whispered against his lips.

I couldn't imagine a man more perfect for me. And here he was, all mine. If I ever doubted my luck before in my life, I couldn't possibly do that now. It had been a long, tough road to get to this moment. As we melted into each other's arms, I knew that it had all been totally and completely worth it.