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When Elijah found out his brothers and sister weren’t going back to the Reynolds, the whole story came out. Clive Reynolds had been grooming him for about a month. Apparently, Clive had come into the boys’ room quite a few times at first and sat on Henry’s bed. Henry had been asleep, but Elijah hadn’t and he saw Reynolds lift the comforter and slide his hand in. Elijah had shot out of bed and Reynolds laughed and just said he wanted to check that Henry was warm enough. But then Reynolds started hinting that Elijah was stopping them from being a family. Said his wife wanted a baby. He taunted Elijah with all the horror stories of what would happen to Asa and Henry in the sort of foster homes he’d been in himself when he was a kid. It seemed to escalate, and Elijah was terrified he was going to be sent away.
Then he asked Elijah if he wanted to stay up later than the other two and watch a movie with him.
That’s how it had started.
Talon didn’t know what to say. He wanted to rage. “Are you going to be okay with telling this to the cops? We need to remove him as a foster parent at the very least. I mean,” Talon added, “I want his ass so far down in a prison cell he never sees the light of day, but that takes a process.”
Elijah gazed at him with hopeless eyes. Another social worker, Sarah Wilkins, and a cop arrived, and Elijah explained what he’d told Talon. Elijah just had to sit and watch movies with him, so his brothers were left alone and so they all stayed together. Except the last few times, Reynolds had put his arm around Elijah because he said it was what a father and son did. That all children needed to be loved in a special way.
Talon met the gaze of the cop, who was struggling to keep his face neutral.
Apparently, Elijah had this idea that the second he’d turned eighteen he could find somewhere to live and look after his brothers and sister himself.Seven years. He could cope for seven years to keep them safe.
Talon was dumbfounded. This boy was just a child himself, and what he’d put up with to protect his siblings made Talon want to get his hands around Reynolds neck. Although that would have been too good for him.
Elijah had said that was “all” he’d had to do.
All?All?Talon only kept a lid on his anger because of Elijah. What would have happened if Asa hadn’t transformed? The other social worker had been fooled by the Reynolds.
“We found somewhere for Asa and Henry,” Sarah said. “As soon as you’re better you can go visit them.”
“Visit, not live with?” Elijah asked with a defeated tone. One that shouldn’t come out of an eleven-year-old’s mouth. She shook her head regretfully, but Talon understood. Placing four kids together, including an enhanced and a baby?
The doctor arrived then and suggested politely that they leave. Talon promised Elijah he would visit tomorrow, and Sarah promised that as soon as he was feeling better, she would bring Asa and Henry to see him. He didn’t answer, just closed his eyes.
They walked in silence out of the ward and then Sarah just sagged against the wall. “This never gets any easier.”
Talon nodded, his throat embarrassingly thick.
“The mother has surrendered her parental rights, so at least they can all be put up for adoption.”
“Sure,” Talon said, knowing that they would be split up, and Elijah would blame himself.
“We do our best, and our policy is to give priority to anyone willing to take a sibling group, but with Asa that may be problematic.” She flushed as soon as she realized who she was talking to, but Talon wasn’t listening. Because he’d just had an incredible idea. In fact, he was nearly running as he left the hospital.
Chapter Four
Talon practically burst through the door, making Finn jump and nearly drop the dish he was just putting in the oven. He grabbed Finn by the arm and sat, pulling Finn onto his lap.
“What’s wrong?” He poked Talon’s chest. “T, is it Elijah?”
Talon carefully described every harrowing detail Elijah had confessed to, including how Clive Reynolds had managed to duck the cops as there had been an emergency admission involving a four-car collision, and the exit had been jammed with family. There was an arrest warrant out for him. Marjorie was being interviewed but was denying all knowledge, and Elijah said she’d never been present while the movies were on. He also went on to say how Asa had been separated because either he was the next target or Clive was even more of a racist than even they thought was possible.
“You think the wife knew?” Finn asked after he’d been silent for a moment.
“I don’t know. She’s obsessed with getting the baby back though. Even asked the cop if she divorced Clive whether she could she apply to adopt her.”
Finn sighed, “We need to make sure they know she tried to change Zuri’s name. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
“Zuri has very light skin,” Talon agreed. “And we know the only way of adopting a baby from foster care in a lot of states is by taking on a sibling group.” He added, casually. “The social worker thinks that may be problematic with Asa getting his mark. We know it doesn’t always follow, but many people will wonder if that means the others might transform.”
He felt Finn still in his arms, saw the fluttering of his pulse in his neck. “Talon,” Finn breathed out. Talon nodded, answering the unspoken question.
“We would have to go through everything, checks, a course maybe, but Sarah, the social worker, told me how hard it would be to keep them together, and priority is always given for an approved family willing to take them all. Of course, she didn’t know we would take them in a heartbeat.”
Finn blinked. “You would?” His voice was a barely heard whisper.
Talon kissed him as his answer. “I know Elijah has just demonstrated he’s willing to put up with just about anything to keep them protected and together, but I think he’s starting to trust me a little. Same with you and Asa.”
