Free Belong to You by Cheyenne McCray

and he enjoyed being around her. He’d never felt like this around any other woman.
    It had been some time since he’d been in a relationship. Being a public figure and doing his job as sheriff hadn’t left a lot of time for a relationship or much of a private life. Everything he did was scrutinized.
    He frowned as he thought about that. It was too soon to start thinking of long-term with Anna, but he still wondered how she would handle being in a relationship with a man in the spotlight, not to mention the fact he was a lawman.
    With a shake of his head he pushed his thoughts away from the permanent and focused on the here and now. He’d take it one day at a time with Anna.

Chapter 9
    In Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Anna stood with the choir, waiting as the priest conducted mass. She clenched her hymnal, tried to push distracting thoughts out of her mind, and concentrate on the mass.
    It did no good. Her thoughts bounced from the amazing time she’d had yesterday at the pumpkin festival with Mike, to the moment he had to leave and the reason why, to Chad’s blackmail. She knew she should go to confession, but she was afraid of what the priest would say. What might he consider to be the right thing to do? What if he thought she should have her aunt and uncle turn themselves in?
    A sick feeling bottomed out her stomach. What would she do if they were deported?
    What about Josie and Pablo?
    Jaci elbowed Anna in the side and she jumped. Everyone in the choir had raised their hymnal and Sister Gracie was standing in front of them, ready to lead them in a hymn. Anna raised her own hymnal and waited for the cue from the nun.
    Anna was grateful for the reprieve from her thoughts. Her voice rose with the choir as they sang If Ye Love Me . She focused on singing each verse with her heart and soul.
    As she sang, she glanced at the place where her family was sitting—and faltered in song. Chad Johnson was sitting beside her cousin, Josie.
    Anna’s throat seemed to close off as Chad gave her a knowing look. He glanced at her family and then back to Anna and smiled.
    Flames burned her cheeks as she forced herself to continue singing. She couldn’t look away from Chad as he smirked at her. Finally, she was able to tear her gaze from his and back to Sister Gracie’s as the last strains of the hymn faded. The sister turned to face Father Bernard, who then continued to conduct mass.
    Every word that was spoken was nothing but a buzz in Anna’s ears as she was hyperaware of Chad sitting next to her family. Chad was not Catholic and she had never seen him at mass. She knew that he attended the Baptist church with Chandra. His presence here was a message to her—he knew about her family and was making sure she knew he was serious in his blackmail.
    The rest of the service passed in a blur. Even after accepting the sacrament, she was on autopilot. She went through the ritual of shaking hands with those around her and giving the traditional greeting, “Peace be with you,” and receiving the response back, “And also with you.” She barely head the words.
    As Father Bernard walked down the center aisle at the end of the service, she and the rest of the choir sang a final hymn, Nunc Dimittis. The parishioners followed the priest outside the church. There was much greeting, talking, and smiling as usual.
    Anna was praying that Chad wouldn’t be there when she walked out of the church. But when she made it out into the sunlight, Chad stood to the side on the church steps, talking with Uncle Tito and her Aunt Maria with Josie and Pablo standing nearby.
    Heart pounding, she walked up to Chad and her aunt and uncle. She tried to sound normal as she said, “Hi, Chad.” She smiled at her aunt and uncle. “I assume you’ve met Chandra’s brother, Chad?”
    Her aunt and uncle nodded and smiled at Chad. “It is nice to meet your friends, hija,” Uncle Tito said. Even though he was her uncle, he still called Anna daughter in Spanish