From This Moment

by Lexi Buchanan

  “Why Cade, are you by any chance trying to tell me to shut up?” Her grin has me groaning. “I can think of something else to keep my mouth, um, occupied.”

  Hell, I nearly choke on my coffee.

  “Time out, you two. Please. I can’t take anymore.” Jake does the ‘T’ sign with his hands as he sits next to Elise.

  Giggling, Rona replies, “No, neither could I.”

  “I’m really not having breakfast with you again.” Jake looks appalled.

  Rona

  God, I’m not sure what’s wrong with me this morning. I can’t seem to stop the sexual innuendo. I must still be on a high after the shower with Cade this morning.

  I decide it might be best to take Cade up on his advice and eat my bagel. Cade has brought me coffee to go with it. After a brief silence, I ask, “Is there any news from Daniel’s office?”

  “No, they haven’t found Tom yet, but the good news is that Grace will make a full recovery. She came round in the night, but is still a bit out of it. They’re hoping to talk to her this morning. There’s also a guy from out of town, a DEA agent, waiting to talk to her as well. And he wants to talk to Elise,” Jake replies with a frown.

  “Why does a DEA agent want to talk to Elise and Grace? I thought the outside interest was about Nick?” I ask, confused.

  “Daniel hinted they might be connected, but he didn’t say how,” Jake replies.

  “This sounds pretty big. Neither Rona nor Elise goes anywhere without one of us with them and they don’t stay in the house alone.”

  When everyone stays silent at Cade’s announcement, Elise asks, “So you think Tom will come here?”

  Standing, he runs his fingers though his hair. “Yes, I do. He will come looking for you and maybe Jake. I don’t like that he could also get to Rona.”

  I go to Cade and slide my arms around his waist. “I’ll be okay.” He wraps me in his arms as I continue, “And so will Elise, they’ll catch him.”

  “I hope so, sweetheart.” He kisses my forehead.

  I can see how much this situation with Tom is bothering him. “Cade, come and sit with me.” I coax him to the sofa and he pulls me against his chest, holding me there. I bring his hand up to kiss his palm before placing it back on my stomach.

  Jake and Elise are cuddling on the other sofa. “Do you guys have anything planned today?” I ask.

  “I’m taking Elise to see our house,” he tells me with such pride.

  “Good. It’s about time.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  I smile at him. “I’m really happy for you both, and I’m so glad Jake didn’t have to kidnap you.”

  Jake starts laughing, but Elise gives me a quizzical look.

  “Kidnap?”

  “Don’t worry, Elise. It was just a suggestion I made to Jake for getting you on your own.”

  “I think I’d like to be kidnapped by Jake.” Elise pinches Jake’s leg.

  “That can be arranged.” Jake nods toward me. “I knew there was a reason I like you.”

  “You mean because of my beauty, charm and wit? Or did you mean for making your father happy or for interfering between you and Elise?”

  I catch the cushion Jake throws at me. He laughs. “All the above.”

  “Good answer son.” Cade nuzzles the back of my neck.

  Settling back into him, I let the conversation carry on around me, because my head is starting to throb. I reach up and rub my temples.

  “Are you okay?” Cade asks me, replacing my fingers with his over my forehead.

  “Not really. I have a headache that’s crept up on me out of the blue. I’m going to have to excuse myself and go and lie down. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t worry. You’ll feel better after lying down for a while,” Elise says.

  Cade stands too. “I’ll go up with you and get you some painkillers.”

  “Thanks.” I gesture to Elise and Jake. “I’ll see you guys later?”

  “You will. Elise is staying here,” Jake takes Elise’s hand and kisses the back of it.

  “Good.”

  By the time I arrive in the bedroom, my head is throbbing and I start to feel sick. Pulling the sheets back, I climb into bed just as Cade arrives with my prescribed migraine tablets.

  “Here, sweetheart.” He helps me to sit up so I can take the tablets.

  “You don’t need to stay with me. I’m just going to sleep it off.”

  He joins me on the bed. “I want to stay with you. Just shut your eyes and rest. I’ll be right here.”

  “Okay, honey.” I take hold of Cade’s hand and close my eyes.

  Cade

  Lying here beside Rona, holding her hand, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so content in my life. She’s been asleep about three hours and I guess I’d drifted off not long after she did.

  I curl on my side to gaze at her and realize she’s turned during her sleep and is now facing me. She’s breathtaking.

  Pushing the hair away from her face, I caress lightly over her cheek as she starts to wake up.

  “Hi, honey, you stayed with me,” she states, rather sleepily.

  “Always. How are you feeling?”

  “The headache is gone. I just feel as though my head is full of cotton wool.”

  “Do you think you could eat something?”

  “Not right now, but a glass of cold water would be good.”

  I roll from the bed. “Coming right up. Give me a couple of minutes.”

  She turns over, closing her eyes.

  Downstairs, I find a note in the kitchen from Jake saying he’s taken Elise out and that they’ll be back later.

  I’m just about to head back upstairs with my woman’s drink when the house phone starts to ring. I’d rather ignore it, but decide to answer just in case it’s urgent. “Hello, Matthew residence.”

  “Dad, it’s Anna. Can you or Jake call up to the house and help Justin pin down the tarpaulin that’s over the back porch? There’s a leak in the roof and it’s making a mess. Justin was trying to sort it out on his own and nearly fell off the roof. I’m not strong enough to hold the ladder for him.”

  “Hell! Jake’s out. Can it wait until he gets back? Tom’s still loose and he may come to the house, and Rona’s in bed sick. She can’t exactly come with me.”

  “Dad, please. Won’t she be fine for a few minutes? It won’t take long. Justin is going up there on his own, otherwise.”

  I realize I need to go and help. “Give me fifteen minutes then I’ll be there.”

  Shit, what the hell am I going to do with Rona?

  I don’t think she’s up to traveling and I feel very uncomfortable leaving her here alone.

  Damn it!

  I return to the bedroom and find Rona getting back into bed.

  “I have to go out. I’m hopefully only going to be about thirty minutes. There’s a leak in the roof over at Anna’s. Justin is about to go on the roof on his own and I can’t let him do that.” I sit on the bed and hold her hands, not wanting to let go.

  “Of course you have to go. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” She lifts my hand and kisses my palm.

  “Tom is still out there. I really don’t want to leave you alone.”

  “Cade, I’ll be fine. And you said you won’t be gone long, plus there’s a key in the door. I’ll lock up when you leave and you can lock up downstairs. And my cell is fully charged.”

  “Hell.” I can’t seem to leave her.

  “Cade, go. The sooner you go, the sooner you’re back.”

  “I better get changed first.”

  After slipping into old jeans, I bring Rona close to me. “I’m going now. You need to lock up behind me.” My mouth hovers mere inches above hers before I steal a soft kiss from her parted lips.

  Rona climbs out of bed and follows me to the door. “I love you.” She kisses me all too briefly. “Don’t worry.”

  I hear the lock engage after I shut the door.

  Hell, I hope she’ll be okay.
>
  Chapter 19

  Rona

  Once Cade leaves, I climb back into bed, feeling a bit better. But I prop myself up and grab my cell just in case. I wasn’t too concerned about Tom coming after me, until Cade got all stressed out about it. His concern has kind of rubbed off on me.

  Hearing a car outside, I wonder if it’s Jake and Elise. I decide to stay put in case it’s Cade coming back to make sure I’m following orders.

  Five minutes pass when I hear what sounds like breaking glass. Then, nothing. My heart starts to pound. I don’t know whether or not to ring Cade. It might just be my imagination.

  Then I hear footsteps on the stairs. “Elise!”

  Shit. I grab my cell and ring Cade.

  “Elise, I know you’re here, you little bitch.”

  Is this bastard Tom?

  Cade, answers. “Rona is—”

  I don’t let him finish. “Someone’s upstairs. I think its Tom.” I panic, fear crawling through me.

  “Fuck! I’m on my way. Stay on the phone.”

  I hear him in the background shouting for someone to call the sheriff.

  “Cade,” I whisper.

  “I’m here. We’re on our way,” he says, his voice strangled.

  “He’s trying the doors up here.” I clutch my cell to my ear. “Who’s with you?”

  “Justin and Anna. She’s called the sheriff. He’s on his way.”

  Oh God, he’s outside the room. Please go past—please go past.

  No such luck.

  “Cade, he’s trying to get into the room,” I whisper.

  “I’m less than ten minutes away. Go in the bathroom and lock the door.”

  “Okay.”

  Diving out of bed, I try to get around the side just as my door flies open and Tom stands there. I freeze for a split second. I run.

  He grabs my hair and pulls.

  “Cade!” I scream.

  “You little bitch. This is all your fault.”

  Cade

  “Rona!” I shout, but the phone has gone dead.

  “He’s got her.” I can barely talk with fear like a fist in my throat.

  “Dad, try and calm down. We’ll be there soon and Daniel isn’t too far out,” Anna says, squeezing my shoulder.

  “It’s not that easy,” I whisper, gripping the steering wheel, trying not to crash the car.

  Rona

  After having my hair yanked and brought up close and personal to a guy I haven’t seen before, I try to kick him, but he’s so big and has me in a tight hold.

  “Where’s Elise?” he snarls, dragging me out of the bedroom.

  “I don’t know.” I swallow back tears.

  “You’re lying!” he shouts. “Well, it doesn’t matter, because we can have some fun while we wait.”

  He’s pulling me down the stairs. It’s difficult and painful, because he’s still holding onto my hair and I stumble on the landing as more tears flood my vision.

  Downstairs, he throws me into the living room. I land on my right side, after hitting my left hip and thigh on the coffee table. The pain is overwhelming.

  “Tom, what the hell are you doing?”

  What the hell is Nick doing with him?

  “I want to know where Elise is!” Tom raises his hand to strike me.

  Just as he slices his hand down, Nick stops him. “If she’s too banged up, she won’t be able to transfer the money.”

  I take a steadying breath as Nick helps me up onto the sofa.

  “Now babe, you need to make the transfer and then we’ll leave you alone.”

  “You expect me to believe he’ll walk away?” I jerk my chin in Tom’s direction. My hands won’t stop shaking. I’m actually more terrified of Tom than Nick.

  “Yes he will, because we’ll have the money we need. Then we’ll go.”

  “I thought you were in jail.”

  He laughs at me. “I have a good lawyer.”

  Openly sobbing now, fear grips at my heart and turns it to ice. I’m so scared and my left hip and thigh are throbbing with pain. “I don’t know where Elise is. I went to bed with a migraine and she left while I was asleep. As for money . . .” I wipe at my face. “Get my notebook from the bedroom. I’ll give you the money as long as you promise to leave me and everyone else alone. Just go and promise to take him with you.”

  Nick stares at me for a few moments. “As long as you don’t try anything,” he says.

  “How can I?” I cry.

  Nick nods to Tom. Silently, Tom takes the stairs two at a time.

  I don’t have much time before he’s back. “What are you into?” I whisper to Nick in the hopes of distracting him.

  He runs his hands through his hair. “I was selling drugs with Tom and a couple of other guys, but we were skimming from the top and putting the cash in an account in the Caymans.”

  He sees my shocked expression. “Not everyone has an easy life.”

  God, I really hate him.

  “So what happened?”

  “Turns out the big boss knew what we were doing and was waiting for us to trip up. Now he wants his money back before he buries us. I have to disappear.”

  “If you were skimming from your boss, why do you need money from me?”

  “You can never have enough money.”

  “You aren’t going to get away with this.”

  “Yes, I will.” Then he looks at me. “Look, I’m sorry Rona. I really am. I promise after you’ve completed the transfer I’ll leave you and everyone else alone for good.”

  He must think I’m an idiot.

  Tom runs down the stairs with my notebook clenched in his fist. “I think we have a problem. I found her cell on the floor. She made a call just before I found her.” He rushes at me, and shouts, “Who did you call?” He flings the notebook in my face.

  I snatch it off the floor. “I called Cade! And he called the sheriff!”

  Tom hits me hard across the face, knocking me over onto my side. Breathing heavily, he goes to hit me again, but Nick stops him.

  “Calm down, damn it. We have to get out of here. She’ll come with us until we get the money.” Nick rips my notebook from my hands and picks my boots up from the door, tossing them at me. They land with a thud, just missing my feet.

  “Get them on now!” Nick shouts.

  Oh God, no. Cade, where are you?

  “Tom, you stay here and bring her out when you hear the car.” Nick leaves, shoving my notebook into his pocket as he slips out the door.

  The whole time we’re waiting for the car, Tom towers over me glaring, even as I put my boots on.

  He’s one creepy guy.

  Within a few minutes I hear a car, and just pray its Cade or Daniel.

  Tom grabs hold of my arm and drags me to the front door, yanking me through. I can barely maneuver in freezing snow and ice with my injured leg—

  “Tom. Let her go.” A confident voice calls out and I catch sight of Daniel with his hand resting on his weapon.

  I sag in relief at hearing the sheriff’s voice. As I try to concentrate on what’s going on, Tom lets go of me and I fall the rest of the way down the steps. I scream as I see Tom reaching for a gun.

  Then a shot rings out, the sharp sound slamming into my head and bringing my migraine roaring to life again. I barely notice the pain in my body as I roll to a stop at the bottom of the steps . . .

  My eyes are on Tom as the bullet slams into him.

  He loses his balance on the stairs and drops to the ground beside me. As my vision goes cloudy, all I can think about is that I hadn’t known Tom had a gun.

  Like viewing the world in slow motion, I watch as Daniel runs over to Tom and kicks his weapon out of reach, before checking for a pulse. His lips are a hard slash as he focuses on me.

  He hurries over to help me up. “Rona, we meet again. Are you okay?”

  Ready to burst into tears, I just shake my head. My leg and hip throb. The fall down the last few steps hasn’t helped and has left me ev
en shakier than I was a few minutes ago.

  I discover I haven’t the strength to stand. I’m in too much pain.

  “Let me help you.” He takes my arm and tries to help me up, but we don’t really get anywhere so he picks me up and carries me inside. Putting me down on the sofa, he grabs the blanket from the back and wraps it around me. “The paramedics are on the way. They’ll get you comfortable, okay?”

  “Okay.” Tears roll down my face.

  He passes me a tissue. “Rona, I need to take a statement, but that can wait until you get into dry clothes. I’ll help you upstairs once the coroner arrives to remove Tom.”

  “Cade’s on his way, he can take me upstairs to change when he gets here. Daniel, Nick is still out there.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “He was with Tom and when they realized I’d made a call, he went to get the car and Tom was supposed to bring me out when he heard it.”

  “Give me a minute.” He reaches for his radio to tell dispatch to look out for Nick.

  “What did they want?” Daniel probes.

  “Nick still wanted money and Tom did as well, but he also wanted Elise.” I take a couple of deep breaths. “They said they’d been selling drugs. Skimming off the top and that the big boss was after them so before he buries them, he was going to disappear. But Nick never mentioned Tom when he talked about disappearing.”

  “I need to make a phone call. After you get changed, we’ll have you checked out by the paramedics, and then we’ll take your statement.”

  “Will you find out where Cade is, please? I really need him.” I struggle not to cry again, but a couple of tears escape.

  “Will do. I’m just going back outside for a few minutes. Will you be okay here?”

  “Yes.”

  Chapter 20

  Cade

  Pulling up outside my home and seeing Daniel there with Tom motionless at the foot of the steps has my heart nearly jumping out of my chest. As soon as I stop the vehicle, I run over to Daniel.

  “Where’s Rona?”

  “Cade, calm down. She’s okay. Listen, I think he hit her across the side of the face because a bruise is forming. She’s limping slightly so maybe she’s banged up on one side. She’s agreed that the paramedics can check her out when they arrive.”