Page 58 of Cade

Cade reached over and pulled her away from Ryker, holding her tight with one arm and April with the other.

“I’m so glad you’re both safe,” he whispered.

“You will need to stay somewhere else for a while, Ms. Hawkins. We have to tape this off as a crime scene and we will need everyone’s statements.”

It took hours to get through all the questions. They each gave their statement to several officers before they were able to leave. Catherine was coming home with them and it seemed that Ryker was going to as well. April didn’t question it, happy that everyone was safe now.

Both of their parents were arrested there and taken off. Catherine was already fielding reporters and had given a statement that there would be no statement from the family at this time. Ryker nearly took a few out as they left the apartment building and swarms of reporters came after Catherine. She managed them with perfection, as she was so good at.

They returned to Cade’s house and had dinner with everyone over before settling in for the night. Catherine was still downstairs, working, but she and Cade had headed upstairs for bed. Work was her distraction, even though it had to do with what she was distracting herself from. Cade had tried to talk her into going to bed, but she wouldn’t have any of it.

They laid in bed next to each other, Cade’s arm around her, just existing. April was the first one to break the silence.

“Do you think he really had another family somewhere?” she asked.

“I do. I’ll work with Ryker and we’ll find them and see if they can be helped. I’m sure there’s a trail of his support that we can find.”

“I just can’t imagine treating your children the way your parents did tonight or having a whole second family.” April rubbed her stomach as she thought of the little one in there.

Cade sighed and turned on his side to face her. “I’d never do that to you,” he told her.

“I know.” She leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. What she had learned during today’s events was that she did trust Cade and believe him when he said he wanted this to be forever.

“Did you mean what you said today?” Cade asked.

April tried to figure out what he meant. So much had happened in less than a day, really. “What?”

“So forgettable then?” He laughed before turning serious. “The text you sent. You told me you loved me. Did you mean it?”

She relaxed. “Of course I meant it. I love you, Cade. I want this to be real and forever.” She held her breath as she waited for him to say something.

“Thank God. I love you, too, April. This has always been real for me, before I even knew it was.”

His mouth covered hers and April melted into him. He deepened the kiss, and she thought she’d never get enough of this man, her husband.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Cade

Cade and Catherine sat in the front of the courtroom behind the prosecution as they waited for the verdict on his parents. It had been a quick trial even though it had taken months to get started, but he was confident that they’d done enough to convict them.

What his parents really needed was support. Someone to tell them that everything they were thinking didn’t make sense. They had chosen not to accept a plea deal for it and instead it had gone to trial.

Both of them had tried to get information from their parents about their missing siblings, but neither had come forward. Cade had also pressed to see if there was anything he could find out about the plans that Cade had supposedly ruined, not wanting to be blindsided by something else, but again, they’d both remained quiet.

He was surprised, but he was annoyed. To think that these were his parents, and they were prepared to get rid of their grandchild and daughter-in-law. At the end, they both seemed pretty willing to end Cade’s life as well.

It was hard to imagine thinking of your children like that. Cade’s child wasn’t here yet, and he was already certain he would do anything for him. April had her scan yesterday, and they’d gotten to see a glimpse of their little one, a boy, that would be joining them soon.

April didn’t come to any of the trial which hadn’t needed any witnesses. The cameras that were in Catherine’s old apartment had been damning enough without anything else. Then the cops had overheard the threats, and that was really it.

Catherine squeezed his hand as the verdict was ready.

“We, the jury, find the defendants guilty.”

Cade struggled to breathe. There were multiple charges, and he listened as each one came back with a guilty verdict. It was finally over for them. A sad ending, but an ending nonetheless.

“You did this and now it’s all your problem. Good luck dealing with him,” his father shouted at Cade before laughing hysterically.

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