Page 81 of This Moment

Cadie pushed past us and ran to the bedroom.

“Stay here,” I told Mark as I went after her. I found her pulling the suitcase out of the closet.

“What are you doing?”

She didn’t even bother to stop and look at me. “I’m leaving. I need to get out of here.”

“No, you’re not leaving.”

Pulling out the drawer, she grabbed a handful of clothes and threw them into the suitcase.

“For fuck’s sake, Cadie, will you just stop for a second, please.”

She opened another drawer and did the same thing. I walked over and grabbed her, turning her so she would look at me. “Stop. Stop this right now.”

Her eyes looked crazed. “You don’t understand, Kian. If the CIA knows I’m here, they also do.”

“The CIA didn’t find you, the FBI did.”

She let out a humorless laugh. “Because that makes it better.”

“Cadie, stop for two seconds and just breathe.”

“I can’t!” she screamed. “If they find me, they’ll kill me. And they may kill you or Opal or Katherine. No, I can’t risk it.”

“Do you trust me?”

She looked up at me, and when I saw the tears in her eyes I nearly fell to the floor. She nodded.

“Say it.”

“I trust you, but–”

Pressing my finger to her mouth, I shook my head. “But nothing. I just found you, Cadie, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you walk out of my life. We’re going to do this together.”

She chewed on her lower lip. “Your brother is in the CIA?”

I closed my eyes and sighed before looking back at her. “Today has been a day of surprises. My mother and father are also coming for Easter this weekend.”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“One problem at a time.”

I saw the corners of her mouth twitch with a hidden smile. “I think my problem is a lot bigger than your parents coming to visit.”

“You’ve never met them.”

That time she did laugh.

“Are you calmed down?”

She nodded, but tears appeared again. “I would never forgive myself if anything ever happened to you or Opal, Sally, Katherine. Aurora. I’ve met so many amazing people in this town. The last thing I want to do is bring trouble.”

“You won’t.”

“How did the FBI find out about me?”

I took her hand in mine. “I think you should let Mark tell you that.”

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