Rescuing Emily (Delta Force Heroes Book 2) by Susan Stoker Page A

having…problems…maybe you should talk to your friend? Maybe you guys can work it out between the two of you and I don’t have to be involved,” Emily tentatively suggested.
    “But you are involved, you live on my property,” Fletch said resolutely. “And I’ve talked to my friend. Believe me, we’ve spent a lot of time discussing the situation, and you and Annie. You’re better off where you are, doing exactly what you’re doing. Look, if someone comes around that you don’t like the look of, just tell me. I’ll take care of it for you.”
    “What if it’s your friend?” Emily asked quietly.
    “My friends won’t hurt you or your daughter. They’d rather die first.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “I’m sure. If they ask you to do something, do it. They have your best interests at heart.”
    “Do they have yours?” Emily asked, thoroughly confused. How could Fletch sit there and say that his friend threatening to take away or shoot Annie was “in her best interests”?
    “Of course. They’d do anything for me. Just as I would for them. No one fucks with what’s ours.”
    Emily’s heart dropped. There was her answer. His friendship with the asshole meant more to him than a struggling single mom. Money was obviously very important to him, to both men.
    Emily wanted to cry. She felt so far out of her league it wasn’t funny. Not only was she scared, but she was hungry, her savings was steadily being drained every week, and she was thoroughly disillusioned.
    This was the last time she was getting involved with any military man, ever. They were all scum. No matter how they seemed on the outside, deep down, all they cared about was themselves.
    “Okay.”
    “Okay?”
    “Yeah, okay. I’ll do what your friend wants. Do you think…after this is over…you’ll consider getting some help?”
    “Help? Help with what?”
    “You know…your situation.”
    “Don’t worry about that. My friends and I are dealing with it. I know what I’m doing.”
    “Hmmmm.”
    Fletch leaned over the table and picked up one of her hands. He brushed his thumb against the back of it. “I appreciate you being understanding about this. All I want is for you and Annie to be safe.”
    Emily almost choked on the bile that rose from her throat. Yeah right. Safe from who? “We will be. I’ll never let anything happen to my daughter.”
    “I know.”
    “I know you do,” she told him sadly, finally understanding that was why he’d rented the apartment to her in the first place. She was an easy mark. Lure in the single mother and get her grateful, then sic his friend on her. She was an idiot.
    Fletch’s head cocked as he examined her. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
    “Yeah, I’m sure. I don’t really have a choice.”
    He squeezed her hand once more then stood up. “It’s for your safety. Just remember that. I’ll see you later, yeah?”
    Emily nodded and sat stock still as Fletch leaned over and brushed his lips against her cheek in a chaste goodbye kiss. “Later.”
    “Bye.”
    Emily sat on the table in the hot Texas morning long after Fletch left. She thought through a million scenarios and couldn’t figure any way out of what was happening to her. She had held out hope that Fletch had no idea what his friend was doing, but it was obvious after their “talk” that he was fully aware…and didn’t give a shit.
    Finally, she pulled herself up and went back inside the PX and to the shelves that needed stocking. She was no closer to figuring out a solution to the situation now than she’d been that morning, and she felt more alone than ever.

Chapter 7
    T he knock on Emily’s door startled her out of a restless sleep. Since her discussion with Fletch a couple months ago, she wasn’t sleeping more than four hours a night. She was stressed out, hungry, and had lost around fifteen pounds.
    Breakfast and dinner were meals she usually skipped to make sure that Annie was getting enough to eat, but she was