From This Moment

“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.