I don’t know how long I sat there, with Moose’s ravaged body next to me, the smell of feces and death swimming all around me. But, eventually, the sound of footsteps had me looking up from my injured hand and I saw a tall, handsome man step through the door.
He surveyed the room dispassionately then asked, “You the photographer?”
I nodded.
“Your man is on his way,” he said strangely, then left as quickly as he’d arrived.
I waited, drifting along in a fog as I thought about absolutely nothing.
After a while, bits and pieces of clarity began to take hold of me, and I began to shake. Just a little bit at first, then more and more, until my entire body was rattling. I hugged my hands around myself to try and stave it off, but it only got worse as my senses came alive.
Next the smells in the room registered, and the magnitude of everything that had happened began to hit me. I dropped to my knees as the tears began to fall, and I looked to my right.
Moose.
I think that’s when the wailing began … As I looked over at Moose’s lifeless body, all of my focus on the knees that I had broken, the pain I’d inflicted on the man who’d been my boss.
I was throwing up on the ground in front of me when Cade hit the room at a full sprint.
“Mother fucker!” he exploded, but I wasn’t sure if he was talking about me or Moose, because I was still dry heaving on the floor.
I felt a presence at my back and the hair being pulled off the nape of my neck, then the heat of Cade’s breath against my ear.
“Lila, darlin’ … fuck…”
His hand rubbed small circles on my back until I stopped heaving, then I was lifted into his arms and he was carrying me out of the warehouse.
As we neared the exit, I could hear the sound of sirens outside, and I looked at Cade dazedly.
“How’d you find me?”
Cade looked into my eyes sharply and asked, “They give you something?”
I nodded, then flinched when the bright morning light hit my face.
“What time?” I managed, watching as Bea rushed toward me.
“It’s about eight AM. You were taken yesterday around four, according to your ex.”
Surprised, I brought my eyes to his face, taking in his beautiful features, drawn tight in angry lines, and a little more reality slipped in. Although it had felt like very little time had passed for me during the ordeal, I was obviously gone much longer than I thought.
“My kids?” I asked, suddenly filled with the terror that had evaded me for the last sixteen or so hours.
“Fine,” Cade answered instantly. “Your ex has them.”
“Are you okay?” Bea asked anxiously when she reached us.
I looked at my friend, my eyes filling with tears and answered truthfully, “No.”
“She needs a hospital,” Cade butt in gruffly. “You can get her statement later.”
I saw Bea stiffen, offended that Cade would think she’d take her profession more seriously than her friend’s abduction, but she looked at me, her face filled with worry, and rather than tearing him a new one she simply agreed, “Yeah, the ambulance is two minutes out. We’ll get you checked out.”
“I’m taking her,” Cade replied, shooting her a look that brokered no argument.
I saw her bite her tongue again and nod, then Cade started walking, still cradling me in his arms. When we reached his truck he kissed me sweetly on the forehead before placing me gently inside.
Beep … beep … beep…