Chapter 4 #2
“I’m gonna say something else here, and I hope you don’t take it the wrong way.
I don’t know you that well, but I know you’re Rayne’s brother, and she’d do absolutely anything for you.
Anything. Rayne’s smart in a lot of ways, but she’s also not experienced enough to see what me and the others see.
Somethin’s eatin’ at you. Same as it’s eatin’ at Sadie.
Not sure what it is or when it happened, but just like you know that Sadie needs to get something off her chest, you need to do the same. ”
“I’m fine,” Chase said immediately.
Fletch held up a hand. “Yeah, that’s what we all say, but it’s complete and utter bullshit.
I’m not sayin’ you need to tell me. Or your sister.
But you need to find someone you can unload that crap on.
All of it. Not just the superficial stuff.
One thing I’ve learned over the years being on the team is that if you don’t lance the wound, it continues to fester. ”
The two men stared at each other without saying a word.
Chase knew Fletch was right, but he wasn’t quite ready to talk to anyone else about the Delta Force team that had been murdered yet.
He wasn’t sure why he’d told Sadie, except that it had felt right.
The good men who were blown up right in front of his eyes.
They had families…children. Why he’d survived when they hadn’t…
It hadn’t made sense to him then and it didn’t make sense to him even today.
He nodded once at Fletch. A brief movement of his head.
Fletch returned the nod and clapped Chase on the back. “Right, so…my monkey cause any problems?”
“Of course not. You have your hands full though,” Chase told the other man.
“Yup. Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“She informed us that she wants her little brother…like pronto.”
Fletch chuckled. “Yeah, she tells us that every other day too. We keep telling her she has to be patient. That the baby inside Mommy’s belly isn’t done growing yet, but she doesn’t seem to care much.”
“Everything okay with Em?” Chase tried to ask delicately.
“She’s good. The baby is progressing normally. And in the meantime, we’re enjoying the hell out of her increased libido.”
Chase chuckled. “I bet you are. But word of warning…”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t want to ever know anything about my sister and Ghost’s love life. That’s just TMI, you know?”
Fletch outright laughed. When he got himself under control, he said, “I’ll let him know.”
“Appreciate it.”
“Daddddddy!”
Fletch had just enough time to turn and open his arms before a little bundle of messy hair and childlike exuberance threw herself into his arms. “Hey, sprite. Have a good time?”
She nodded against his shoulder. “Yeah! The Maze monster captured the Power Rangers, but Ryan was able to use his smarts instead of his guns and they gotted free. But then Fury was all like, pew pew pew, and the ranger shot back, pew pew pew, and the bad guys were all dead!”
Fletch shook his head. “We need to find you a new show, squirt.”
Annie scrunched up her forehead and frowned up at him. “Why?”
“Pew, pew, pew?”
The little girl giggled.
Chase was grinning at the big bad Delta Force soldier snuggling with his little girl—until he turned his head and looked at Sadie.
Sadie was standing by the couch, arms crossed over her chest and a faraway look in her eyes. Chase’s feet were moving before his brain gave them the command to do so.
He stood in front of her and asked in a soft tone, “Sadie?”
She jerked and her eyes swung up to his. “Yeah?”
“You okay?”
“Uh huh.”
“What were you thinking just now?”
She shrugged, but said in a quiet voice, “Just about some of the kids at the school down in San Antonio.”
Chase’s eyes gentled, and he put a hand up and stroked the apple of her cheek with his thumb.
Her head bobbed a fraction of an inch. “They were so innocent. Jeremiah and Jonathan really screwed them up. They brainwashed them into thinking what they were doing to them was normal. That sex between adults and kids was fine. I worry about where they are now, who they’re living with, what they’re thinking. They have to be so confused.”
Chase wasn’t sure what to say to make her feel better.
Fletch’s voice sounded from behind Chase. “With counseling, hopefully they’ll be okay, Sadie.”
She nodded but didn’t look convinced.
“Put me down, Daddy,” Annie said softly.
Fletch leaned over and placed Annie on her feet. The little girl immediately went over to where Sadie was standing and wrapped her arms around her waist. She laid her head on Sadie’s belly and simply held her.
Chase watched as Sadie’s surprised gaze went from him, to Fletch, and finally down to Annie.
He saw the moment she lost the iron control she’d been holding on to.
Her arms went around Annie and her head drooped.
Chase took a step toward the two and put one hand on Annie’s head and the other on the side of Sadie’s neck.
They stood like that for several moments before Annie lifted her head and looked up to the woman she had her arms around.
“Feel better?”
Sadie gave her a wobbly smile. “Yeah, thanks, Annie. Your hug is amazing.”
“I know,” Annie said, as if she knew her arms held magical powers and it was no big thing. “Wanna see my Army man? I used to have two, but my boyfriend has the other one. He lives out in California and we’re gonna get married someday.”
“What?”
Fletch broke in before Annie could explain. “Not now, squirt. Sadie and Jackson have stuff they need to do.”
“What stuff?” Annie asked, looking up at Sadie.
Sadie had no idea, so she turned her gaze to Chase in question.
“We’re meeting with Rayne later.”
“Oooooh, I haven’t seen Rayne in forever!” Annie gushed. “Can I come too? Please, please, please, please?”
“You saw her two days ago, Annie. And no, you can’t go with Chase and Sadie. We’re going to go to Fort Hood and check out that new obstacle course…remember?”
Without a word, Annie spun away from Sadie and raced for the front door. She wrenched it open and was gone.
Fletch chuckled. “Knew that would light a fire under her butt. The kid loves obstacle courses like a squirrel loves nuts.”
Chase grinned.
“Anyway, thanks for keeping your eye on Annie this morning. Most of the team is gone, but I thought I’d invite Ghost and Rayne over since they’re around and we could have a small barbeque tonight at the house. You want to come over?”
Chase turned to Sadie. “Since Fletch has the biggest place, he usually hosts their get-togethers.”
“You want me to come?” Sadie asked hesitantly.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Fletch asked.
“Well…because Jonathan wants to find me, kidnap me, probably rape and kill me, and he won’t care who gets in his way to do it? Your wife and kid will be there, right? It might put them in danger.”
Before Fletch could answer, Chase stepped into Sadie’s personal space and backed her against a wall.
His hands went to her waist and he held her tightly as he said, “No one is going to kidnap you, Sparky. Fletch’s yard and house is probably the safest place you could be…
The cameras are all connected to Fletch’s watch, so he’ll know the second someone steps foot on his property.
Besides, I’ll be here too. I’ll keep you safe. ”
“If you’re sure… The last thing I want to do is drag someone else, especially another child, into this fucked-up situation. It was bad enough Jonathan and his father hurt those girls at Bexar, but then they brought JT into things—”
“Annie will be safe,” Fletch interrupted.
“I know you haven’t been around her other than this morning, but she knows how to take care of herself…
more than I’d like, actually. It’s just a barbeque, Sadie.
A few men and their women hanging out, drinking beers and eating some good food. Don’t overthink it.”
“In that case, I’d love to,” Sadie said. Her gaze went from Fletch to Chase, who was still standing in her personal space.
“Great. I’ll see you later then. Around five?” Fletch asked Chase.
“Sounds good.”
After Fletch left, Sadie looked at Chase. “Wanna let me go so I can get ready for shopping?”
Did he want to let her go? No, actually, he didn’t. “No.”
She looked surprised for a moment, then annoyance crept in. “Chase, step back.”
Instead of doing what she asked, he stepped forward until his thighs touched hers. He slid a hand around to the small of her back and pulled her into him until her breasts brushed against his chest.
She looked at him with her eyes wide with shock and her brows drawn in confusion. Her hands came up and gripped his T-shirt on either side of his waist. “Chase—”
“Jonathan isn’t going to touch you. Tell me you believe that,” he ordered.
Sadie pushed at him for a moment, but when he didn’t loosen his grip, she merely sighed. “Fine. I believe you.”
He brought one hand up to her face and tilted her chin so she had no choice but to look him in the eyes. “Now say it like you mean it.”
“You’re just like some of the guys at McKay-Taggart,” Sadie told him.
“All macho dominant, sure that you’re Superman and nothing can touch you.
News flash—you can’t promise that. Shit happens, I’ve seen it firsthand.
People get hurt. They disappear. Chase, you don’t know Jonathan.
You don’t know what he’s like. If he wants to get his hands on me, he will.
You can’t guard me all day, every day. Eventually, I’ll have to go back up to Dallas.
To my job, to my life. He’ll just wait me out.
Postpone the inevitable until you aren’t around. ”
Chase wanted to immediately rebuff her words, but he took a moment to examine the woman in his arms before he replied.
Her hands were gripping his shirt as if he were the only thing holding her together.
Her lips were pressed together in a thin line, and he could see the pulse hammering in her throat.
She wasn’t mad, she was fucking terrified.
“Tell me what happened inside that room, Sparky,” he ordered gently.
Sadie shook her head.
“Please?”
Her eyes dropped down and to the right, but Chase didn’t release her chin. Finally, her eyes came back to his. “I don’t want you to think badly of me.”
“Sadie, I absolutely am not going to think badly about you for anything you may or may not have done while inside that hellhole.”
“I think badly about myself.”
Chase’s stomach clenched. He hated that. Abhorred it. “You have absolutely no reason to think that way.”
“I do,” she told him.
Chase looked at her for a long moment, then said, “How about we table this conversation until tonight?”
The relief on her face was easy to read. “Yes.”
“We’ll go shopping with Rayne. Have dinner with Fletch and Ghost. Then tonight when we’re back here, relaxed after a couple of beers, we’ll talk. It’ll be easier.”
“It’s not going to be easier,” Sadie told him.
“It will. Trust me. Talking about what’s fucking with your mind is a lot easier in the dark than the light of day.”
Sadie’s eyes whipped up to his. She peered at him intensely for a beat before whispering, “Okay.”
“Okay.” Then Chase pulled the woman who had stolen his heart into his embrace. She buried her face into his shoulder and they stood like that for a minute or two. Simply enjoying being held by each other.
“I need to call Rayne,” Chase said, pulling away.
“Okay.”
“I’m not sure how long it will take her to get over here.”
“Can I go lie down until she arrives?” Sadie asked.
“Of course. Take a nap. I’ll wake you up when it’s time to go.”
Without another word, Sadie took a step to the side and headed toward the bedroom.
Chase ran his hand through his hair. Sean Taggart had asked him to keep him informed regarding anything he found out from Sadie about what had happened to her.
Her uncle knew as well as he did that something had to have transpired between his niece and Jeremiah’s son.
He wouldn’t be so hell-bent on getting to her if it hadn’t.
Whatever it was had Sadie completely torn up inside.
He’d have to wait until she told him to decide what, if anything, he’d relay to her uncle. The man was lethal. He could be sweet with Sadie and his wife, but Chase knew without a doubt, he’d kill Jonathan if the situation warranted it. Hell, any of the Taggarts would.
But they’d have to get in line behind him.
He needed to know what happened between Sadie and Jonathan, what she wasn’t telling him—but he also didn’t want to know.
He did know, however, without a doubt, that tonight would change his and Sadie’s relationship.
He hoped it brought them closer together, but he also knew, after hearing whatever it was she was so ashamed of, it could drive them apart.
Because if she told him Jonathan had violated her…had taken her against her will… Chase knew without a doubt that he’d tell the Taggarts he couldn’t look after their niece anymore—so he could go AWOL and hunt down that son of a bitch and kill him with his bare hands.