Next to Never: Shattered Innocence Trilogy

by Long, A. L.

  Rade knew he also needed to take care of some things, but was adamant about not leaving Dylan alone. Against his better judgment, he gave in. “Let me take care of a few things and I’ll meet you back here in a couple of hours. I don’t want you going anywhere without me. Give me your number and I’ll call you when I’m on my way back.”

  Dylan wasn’t happy with this arrangement. “Hold on just one minute. There’s no way I am going to allow you to go with me. I don’t remember asking for your…”

  Rade lifted his eyebrow interrupting her before she could finish, “Listen, Dylan, until I can find out who was watching you yesterday, I’m not letting you out of my sight. I already feel reluctant leaving you for a couple of hours. I will be back to take you wherever you need to go. I’m not discussing this with you. Now, please give me your number so I can contact you when I’m on my way back here.”

  Dylan crossed her arms in front of her and stared at Rade with anger. The fury in her green eyes was beginning to excite him. He so loved her spunk. Rade slowly walked over to her and gently moved a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “Look, Dylan, I don’t want to argue with you. I don’t think you understand how serious this is. There’s a reason that guy was hanging outside your apartment. So until I can find out why he was there, I need you to listen to me. I need you to do this.”

  “Okay, fine, have it your way. I’m telling you right now, I think you’re blowing this whole thing way out of proportion,” she said with frustration.

  Dylan gave Rade her cell number and Rade did the same. Rade told her to lock the door and not to let anyone in unless she knew who it was. He gave her a soft kiss on her forehead and walked out her door. Dylan did as she was told and locked the door behind him. Once Rade left her apartment building, she knew then, there was no way she was going to let this man control her this way. Watching him drive away, she quickly dried her hair and put on a minimal amount of make-up, and headed out the door. Her first stop was going to be the closest property management office to see if they had any rentals available. She was hoping she would be able to find a reasonable place to rent and finish shopping before Rade called. She didn’t feel safe in her apartment anymore, especially since the guy from yesterday was watching her.

  *****

  Rade reached his penthouse in record time. His first move was to shower, and then call Richard to let him know what he needed him to do. He also needed to call Paul and let him know he no longer needed his assistance to go through with his plan. With the events that had taken place yesterday, he no longer had to create an excuse to stay close to Dylan. The guy watching her, whoever he was, had made it easier for him to get close to her. He just needed to find out who this guy was and what he wanted from her.

  After he finished his shower, his first call was to Richard. “Richard, I need you to find out what the relationship was between Dylan and the man I sent you a picture of. Dylan said that he had been her fiancé. I need to find out everything about him.”

  Rade hated this guy. He already had a pretty good idea whatever additional information Richard found on him wouldn’t be good.

  Richard pulled out his notes as he explained the information he found. “The minute I got your text, I did a little digging. I found out a few interesting things. His name is Michael Stewart, and get this: he worked as an executive accountant at Whitaker, Smith, and Associates. About eight months ago he disappeared. I found a news article saying something about him going hiking with a friend. Somehow they got separated and the authorities weren’t able to find him. They said the elements got him. I just don’t buy it. If you ask me, it just seems too coincidental that the money from one of your companies disappeared and so did he. I’ll see what else I can find out, but after reviewing the security footage, it’s definitely him.”

  Needing to cut the conversation short, Rade interjected, “Let me know what else you come up with. I have to get back to Dylan. I need to stay as close as possible to her. If she has anything to do with this, I’ll have a better chance of finding out if I stay close to her, especially if I can get her to trust me. Were you able to find out anything about the guy watching her apartment?”

  Richard paused with disappointment. “I haven’t been able to come up with anything. Ms. Adams is a private person. She has no dealings with anyone shaky. She doesn’t even have so much as a parking ticket. She pays her bills on time. Based on her checking and savings accounts, she’s been showing a slow depletion of funds, almost like she’s been using the funds to live on. There’s no sign of any large deposits or withdrawals. There’s enough money in both accounts to last a couple of months at best. Rade, if this guy had something to do with her missing fiancé, she could be in danger.”

  Rade was becoming more concerned about Dylan. He finished his call with Richard and headed out back to Dylan’s. Once he got to his car, he called her to let her know he was on his way. The cell rang several times before it went to voice mail. “What the fuck?” After trying several times with no luck, he was beginning to get pissed off. Beyond pissed, he texted her. Don’t you know how to answer your fucking phone? On my way. Not happy. He slammed his hands against the steering wheel, threw his car into reverse, and sped out of the parking garage. Uncertainty was running a marathon in his mind. What if something bad happened to her? He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself. He knew he shouldn’t have left her alone. If the guy watching her did have something to do with the missing money and Michael Stewart, then Dylan surely would be in danger.

  Rade pulled up in front of Dylan’s apartment. He tried calling her again, but still no answer. Trying to reason with himself, he thought maybe she was away from her phone and couldn’t hear it ringing. Rade decided to walk to the entrance and buzz her apartment. No response. He started buzzing the other tenants, hoping someone would let him in. He had no luck there either. He was going crazy with worry. His only other option was to see if Richard could use his connections and get a trace on her phone’s GPS. If she had it on, they would be able to track where she was. In the meantime, Rade couldn’t sit and wait. He began driving everywhere and anywhere he thought she may have gone. He didn’t even know if she had a car or if she would be walking. He just needed to do something.

  *****

  Dylan lost track of time looking for an apartment and shopping. When she looked at her phone, she could see ten missed calls. One was from Lilly and the rest were from Rade. “Crap, Crap, Crap.” She wasn’t going to hear the end of it. She silenced the ringer on her phone so she wouldn’t have to hear the wrath of Rade when he found out she didn’t wait for him. There was no way she was going to be told what to do. She was fine without him tagging along. She looked at a few apartments she thought she would be able to afford and she had also found a couple of inexpensive outfits for her new job. Her escape went without a hitch. She didn’t see or feel anyone following her. Rade was being overly protective for no reason

  Driving home, Dylan thought about the apartment she liked. It was perfect, with two bedrooms and a wonderful view of the city. She told the management company if they could hold it for her until Monday, she would be able to give them a definite decision on signing a lease agreement. The only problem was she had to put down a non-refundable deposit of five hundred dollars in order for them to hold it. She was pretty sure she would have a good salary with her new job. She didn’t want to take a chance of someone else snatching it up. Knowing her finances were tight, she went ahead and gave them the deposit.

  Three hours later, Dylan finally got to her apartment building. She pulled her beat-up Corolla into a parking space and grabbed her shopping bags from the back seat. A few feet from her apartment door, she knew something was wrong. She could have sworn she locked the door when she left. When she examined the door more closely, the lock had been jimmied and part of the door frame had been split. Dylan set her bags down just outside her door. With her mace in hand, she slowly pushed the door open. When she stepped inside, she couldn�
�t believe what she saw. Every cupboard in her kitchen had been opened, with every dish shattered to pieces on the kitchen floor. The cushions of her couch were sliced to shreds with the stuffing scattered everywhere. “Oh my God.” Tears began falling down her cheeks. She couldn’t believe that someone could do something like this. She sucked in a deep breath and began walking down the hall to assess further damage to her apartment. She stood still when she heard footsteps coming her way. She tried running back to the front door, but a strong hand grabbed her by the hair from behind. She couldn’t turn around, so with all the strength she had, she reached behind her. She managed to get a hold of the intruder’s face, digging her nails into his cheek as hard as she could. “You fucking bitch,” the intruder said before grabbing her around the waist and launching her body across the living room. She felt like everything was going in slow motion as her body became airborne. Her body landed on the coffee table with a giant crash. Dylan looked up, seeing the man standing before her was ready to grab her. She started kicking her legs, hoping to knock him down so she could get away. The intruder was getting angrier, punching her in the face, kicking her over and over, planting his feet in her sides. Dylan took one last look at the man before the room went dark.

  *****

  “Rade, it’s Richard. We were able to track down Ms. Adams’ phone. It’s in her apartment.” Rade was frantic, but he was relieved Richard got a trace on her phone. Rade was already on his way back to her apartment, and only a few minutes away. Once he arrived, he stepped out of his car and buzzed her apartment. There was still no answer on the other end. Damn woman! Rade finally entered the building, but only because another tenant was leaving. The man leaving looked pretty rough and in a hurry, but Rade’s only concern was to get to Dylan’s apartment and find out why she didn’t answer her phone.

  As the elevator door opened to her floor, Rade spotted a few shopping bags sitting outside of her apartment. She ignored his instructions and left without him. His temper hit the boiling point. Making his way to her apartment, he could see that her door was open. As he got closer, he saw the broken door jam. He was afraid of what he would find inside. He slowly entered her apartment and found it in total disarray. He began calling out her name, but there was no response. He cautiously walked down the hallway to check the rest of her apartment. As he slowly opened each door, there was no sign of her, only remnants of what was left of her things. Rade was walking back to kitchen area getting ready to call Richard when he heard a shallow whimper. He walked into the living room and saw Dylan lying on the floor under a couple of cushions between the broken coffee table and the couch.

  “Oh my God, Dylan.” Rade moved the cushions off of her and knelt beside her. He gently lifted her head and brushed her hair from her face. Her face was bloody. He could see a cut just above her left eye and some bruising on her chin. “Dylan, sweetheart, please open your eyes.” After what seemed like an eternity, Dylan slowly fluttered her eyes open and looked up at Rade. Rade took out his phone and dialed 911.

  It was only a matter of minutes before the paramedics arrived, but it seemed like an eternity. As an EMT assisted her, a police officer came up to Rade and began asking questions. Rade told them everything he knew and then insisted they let him go on to the hospital. He let them know he would be available for further questioning.

  When Rade got to the hospital, he walked up to the nurses’ station to find out where Dylan was. He wished the police wouldn’t have detained him. He would have preferred to have been with Dylan when she arrived. The nurse on duty said the doctor was with her, checking her injuries, and he could wait in the waiting area. She asked if there were any family members she could contact. Rade didn’t know where her dad lived and he only knew of her closest friend Lilly by first name.

  After about two hours of waiting, a doctor finally walked into the waiting room. “Is there a Mr. Rade Matheson here?”

  Standing up, Rade replied, “I’m Rade Matheson.”

  “Mr. Matheson, I’m Dr. Becker. I understand you made the 911 call.” The doctor put his hand out as he introduced himself to Rade. “Dylan’s injuries are not life threatening. She was pretty lucky she didn’t sustain any internal injuries from the abuse she took. She does, however, have a concussion, a couple of bruised ribs, and a sprained wrist. I’d like to keep her here for a couple of days, for observation. She doesn’t remember a whole lot, which may be a good thing at this point. She’s been through a lot. Eventually she will remember. It might have a traumatic impact on her. You can go ahead and see her if you wish. Her room is the third door on the left, down the east corridor.”

  Rade thanked the doctor and headed to Dylan’s room. When he opened the door, he felt responsible for how she looked. If he just stayed with her, this wouldn’t have happened to her. Rade walked closer to her bed and just watched as she slept so peacefully. The doctor gave her medication for the pain, hoping it would make her sleep most of the evening. Rade leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead. He quietly pulled a chair closer to her bed so he could be near her. Carefully, he took her hand and softly stroked it with his thumb. The nurse came in several times to check on her vitals and to make sure she was comfortable.

  Rade lifted his head from his arm, guessing he must have fallen asleep. He looked out the window and saw that it was still dark outside. Looking at his watch he saw it was 5:00 a.m. Dylan looked so fragile. Letting go of her hand, he stood, trying to work out the kinks in his neck and back. Just as he was ready to kiss her forehead, he saw her eyes flutter open.

  He looked into her eyes as he rubbed her cheek. “Hey, you.”

  A soft whisper came from her lips. “Water, I need water.”

  Rade walked to the other side of the bed to get a cup of water for her. As he held the straw to her mouth, she slowly took a drink.

  Dylan looked up at him with confusion. “What happened?” There was a tear beginning to fall down her cheek as she felt the cut above her eye.

  Rade took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Just rest, Dylan. We can talk about it later.”

  Dylan looked at Rade. “What happened to me, Rade?”

  Rade lowered his head to hers and gently kissed her lips. “Sweetness, you need to rest.” With her eyes filled with sadness, Dylan slowly closed her eyes.

  Rade stayed with Dylan a little while longer just watching her sleep. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. It was 8:00 a.m. before he left her. He hated leaving, but he needed to shower and get in touch with Richard. The doctor said she needed to remain in the hospital for a couple of days. This would give him plenty of time to take care of pressing matters at work and arrange for transportation from the hospital to his place. Rade wanted extra protection on her. Now more than ever, he needed to keep her safe. She didn’t know it yet, but no way in hell was she going back to her place. Even if he had to kidnap and lock her away to keep her safe.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  After three and a half days in the hospital, Dylan was finally discharged. Rade entered her room just as the nurse brought in a wheelchair. Dylan was being her feisty self, arguing with the nurse about leaving the hospital in a wheelchair. When the nurse explained to her it was hospital policy, Dylan finally gave in. Rade offered to push Dylan to her awaiting transportation. Once outside the hospital and into the fresh air, Dylan was ready to go. She had had enough. As she tried lifting herself from the chair, Rade quickly wrapped his arms around her and carried her to the Bentley SUV. Richard assisted Rade by opening the back passenger door. Rade tenderly placed a soft kiss on her head and lowered her onto the back seat.

  Rade could tell she was getting frustrated. “I don’t know what all the fuss is. I am perfectly capable of walking.”

  Rade raised his eyebrow and looked towards her with an I-don’t-think-so, look. Dylan was about to disagree when Rade lightly brushed his thumb across her soft lips. His touch made her heart melt, leaving her speechless.

&nb
sp; Curiosity took hold as Dylan saw the direction they were headed in. “Where are we going?”

  Rade embraced her right hand. “To my penthouse. You’re staying with me for as long as it takes to find the motherfucker who did this to you.”

  Dylan was stunned. “Oh no, there’s no way in hell I’m staying with you at your penthouse.”

  Rade looked over at Dylan with frustration. “Look, Dylan, you’re not going to go back to your apartment. It isn’t even livable. It’s not safe. At least at my place, I can protect you.”

  Dylan wasn’t going to let this man control her. So she came up with another plan. “I can stay with Lilly.”

  Dylan couldn’t stay with Rade. She wasn’t sure if she could control the feelings she had for him. Staying away from him was going to be her best bet. No man, not even Michael, made her feel the way Rade did. Just his presence made her sex quiver.

  “Dylan, you can’t stay with Lilly. I won’t allow it. With no leads concerning the dirt bag who attacked you, you may be putting Lilly in danger as well. At least if you’re with me, I could insure you would be protected 24/7 and you would be safe.”

  Dylan knew Rade was right. She didn’t want to put Lilly in danger. “Okay, but I need to call Lilly, and my dad, and let them know where I’ll be. I need to get a few things from my apartment as well.”

  Rade took Dylan’s hand and raised it to his lips. Looking into her defeated, but beautiful green eyes, he softly said. “If you need anything, just let Richard know. I don’t want you near your apartment. It wouldn’t be a good thing.”

  Unable to refuse, Dylan just nodded her head. Why was she always this defenseless against him?

  Dylan didn’t have her cell phone with her. She must have left it at her apartment. She looked at Rade and asked if she could use his cell to make her calls. Rade took his cell from his coat pocket and handed it over to her. When Dylan reached for the phone, she grazed his hand. It sent a tingle down her spine and straight to her core. Knowing the effect his touch had on her, he held onto the phone a little longer than necessary. He took his eyes off the phone and moved them to hers. There was something in those eyes that simply melted his heart. He was captivated by them. They were like a sea of emeralds sparkling in the sun. Little did he know he was hooked.