Page 11 of Rescuing Sadie

“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’ve 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.