Page 37 of Rescuing Sara

“So, Grace would be ten?” Danni asked slowly. “Sara’s age. Oh, Patrick, I’m so sorry. This explains so much.”

“Explains why I’m a screw-up?” Bitterness laced his tone. “I never should have said anything in Haggerty’s office. I never–”

“Oh, will you please stop?” She managed to pull him into a sitting position to face him. “You are a compassionate man who cares about children and abused women, otherwise you wouldn’t be in Brotherhood Protectors. You’ve probably been blaming yourself for years that Morgan didn’t listen to you about leaving Kyle. Her decision was not your fault. Hearing Mrs. Everett’s story and us thinking he probably knocked her down the stairs has stirred up all those old memories. Trying to help me find Sara has added to that, but there’s no one I would rather have by my side right now but you.”

“You’re sure?” Tears began to run down his remarkable face.

“Straight up.” She leaned in to kiss his cheek.

“I think I would prefer something like this.” He gathered her to his chest and she pressed against him, accepting his kiss. One that was eager and hungry. Soft but demanding. Heady and breath-stealing. Danni’s heart sang in her ears as their mouths explored and feasted until he pulled back and slowly exhaled a long, weary breath.

“I think we need to stop,” he said. “Or something is going to start that I won’t be able to stop. I’m going to get dressed in thatlittle room over there and then we’re going to go have dinner. You okay with that?”

“Yeah,” Danni agreed, willing her heart to return to a normal rate. “Sounds good.”

Only when they were in the elevator did he speak again. “Thanks,” he said gruffly.

“For what?”

“Listening.” He kissed her again and then exited the elevator to open the door to their suite and call, “Kristopher? Do I smell something burning?”

“You have reachedthe rank of Alpha,” The Man intoned into the candlelit room. Incense still wafted through the air after the cleansing ritual. “The highest of them all. Great will be your reward on Earth, and greater still in Heaven. You are the new patriarchs that will help build a new world order.”

The robed men before him bowed their heads. The Man was the supreme leader of Soli Deo Gloria–to God Alone the Glory. To the outside world, they were a traditional church, doing many good works, with members following traditional roles as God intended. Within their ranks, they were dedicated to ensuring that men held the power over their households while the women stayed in their place, raising their many children, who one day, provided enough sons were born, would grow up to rule the world.

But too many sons–if there were such a thing–had been born over the last twenty years and not enough daughters to provide more sons. Females were designed to breed and breed and breed. And the younger the female, the better. Which was why Soli Deo Gloria needed child brides for the men anxious to start creating their own new dynasties.

And so, they would simply take girls. And the younger the girl, the better. Eleven was the best age since it was on the cusp of puberty when the girls could be planted with the men’s seed. Such was Soli Deo Gloria’s custom now since its founding thirty years ago.

“We now have your child brides,” The Man intoned. “More are being sought and will be with us soon, so you may eventually have more than one bride at a time. As is our custom, you will be officially betrothed to these on Christmas Eve and marry two months after their menarches begin. By this time next year, you could very well be fathers of new sons. Hail Soli Deo Gloria!”

“Hail Soli Deo Gloria!” the men responded. The Man began to chant the closing prayer for the country’s return to a patriarchal state, ending the rite.

Only one remained after the other three were gone. He was older than the others, and the most eager for a child bride but he could also be impatient, which meant he could possibly be careless. “What is it?” The Man asked now.

“Is Danni Blake going to continue to be a problem?” he asked.

“Not for much longer,” The Man said. “She is too clever for her own good and very soon she’ll walk into the trap I am laying for her. She will not stop Soli’s mission. Rest assured; I have the situation in hand.”

The other man nodded, bowed to show The Man the respect he deserved and left the room.

When he had gone, The Man snuffed out the candles in the candelabra with the brass extinguisher he took from his pocket. Oh, he had plans for Danni Blake. Very soon it would all come together. As he had told the other man, no one stops Soli Deo Gloria.

And if she should lead him to the Brotherhood Protectors, then The Cadre could have them and welcome to them. He didn’tcare a damn about the Brotherhood but if helping stop them put The Cadre in his debt, so much the better and they would owe him for a very long, long time.

CHAPTER 14

Saturday Noon.The Museum at 4thand Main.

“Mrs. Celia Masters?”

At the sound of Danni’s voice, the woman in the red coat jerked around to face them. Weariness rested on her features and a wariness too that Patrick recognized all too well. Celia Masters was terrified.

“That’s me.” Celia Maters’ reply came out in a husky rasp. “Are you Danni Blake?”

“I am.” Danni gestured at Patrick. “This is my friend, Patrick Danton, retired Army. He’s a friend.”

“Ma’am.” Patrick inclined his head. “If I may say so, you look like you could use something hot to drink. There’s a coffee bar upstairs. Why don’t we get something to warm us up?”

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