Sacrifice Love: Saints Protection & Investigations by Maryann Jordan Page A

admitted. “I had no idea. Or maybe I just didn’t want to see it.”
    “Come on, let’s sit back down.” He led her over to the sofa, making sure she was settled before he sat right next to her. He glanced down to her still flat stomach and when he lifted his eyes, he saw her staring at him.
    “Yeah, life can be crazy, right?” she smirked. “I get the visit by the ATF Chaplain to tell me that Adam was killed. It didn’t matter if we didn’t have the greatest love story in the world…we were husband and wife. We cared for each other.” Squeezing her eyes tightly together as though to ward off the agonizing memories, she sat still, the only movement the quivering of her chin. Finally, taking another deep breath, she opened her eyes to see Chad’s gaze holding hers tenderly.
    “And then the funeral…” he prompted.
    “Oh yeah, let’s not forget my brilliant performance at the wake.” Shaking her head again, she blushed as she admitted, “I just lost it. I was grieving my husband and friend and then to have that blonde fuck come in and…and…I just totally lost it. The realization that Adam had been fucking around behind my back and everyone seemed to know it…” She pushed herself away from Chad, piercing him with her gaze. “I was livid at everything and everybody at that moment. I got out of there, drove back to our house and knew I had to get out. I called my neighbor and well, you know the rest.”
    “Not all of it, honey,” he said, dropping his eyes to her stomach again.
    “How can you tell?”
    “One of my friend’s wives noticed you were only drinking water and your hand kept drifting down to your stomach. She’s pregnant and just got a feeling.”
    Dani’s hand slipped down to her flat stomach again in the unconscious, but timeless, movement of mothers-to-be. “I missed my period that was supposed to be right after he died. I figured it was stress. With moving and getting a new job, I kind of forgot about it. Then when I got morning sickness, I took a pregnancy test. Positive. Can you believe that?” she implored, her smile genuine. “I know most people would assume I’d be horrified…pregnant by my deceased, philandering husband.” Placing her small hand on Chad’s much larger one, she said earnestly, “But honestly? Once the shock was over, I was happy. I love this baby. Having lost one, and terrified until I can make it to the next trimester when the chance of miscarriage is much lower, I really love my baby.”
    Linking fingers with her, Chad smiled back at her. Her eyes were puffy and red. Her hair was falling out of the sloppy bun. Dark circles underneath her eyes accentuated her pale complexion. And she never looked more beautiful.

Chapter 8
    D ani’s head rested on Chad’s shoulder, with his arm around her protectively, as they sat on the sofa. Neither spoke for several long minutes, having exhausted themselves with the conversation. Her fingers splayed over his chest, the steady heartbeat pounding underneath. He pulled her in tightly, kissing the top of her head. The silence settled, blanketing them in a tentative peace.
    Finally, she lifted her head and peered into Chad’s eyes. “What now?” Her tongue darted out to moisten her dry lips and she trembled. “I mean, we’ve just had this big emotional talk…both realizing we should have said things to each other before you went overseas…and now…I…well, I…uh.” Flopping back, she huffed in frustration. “I don’t even know what I’m saying.”
    “No, no, you’re right,” he consoled. Shifting her body around so that she was facing him, he tightened his embrace. “We can’t change the past, Dani. But we sure as hell can change the future.”
    She cocked her head to the side, her hand once more on her stomach.
    He saw her expression of confusion and continued. “I wasn’t there for you the way I should have been before taking the mission. I wasn’t there for you when I came back. And I wasn’t