Page 56 of Cade

“I don’t like this,” Ryker agreed. “No one has seen her at the office either.

The car was moving again, finally. It felt better to be in motion, like they were doing something even though they weren’t, really.

“Security footage,” Ryker said. “She left with your father. Looks scared, but she left willingly with him.”

Ryker held out his phone for Cade to watch the footage. “He wasn’t forcing her,” Cade breathed. That was a good thing.

Ryker pulled his phone back. “I’m going to have him check on Catherine’s building. I don’t like that we aren’t hearing from her.”

Cade knew the feeling of not being able to get in touch with the woman he loved, so he didn’t push the issue of invading her privacy. This was about safety, and he should have thought to do the same.

Ryker typed quickly into his phone while cursing the traffic. After only a minute, he set it back down. “We’ll know in a minute.”

Cade felt like a vise was pushing all the air out of his lungs and keeping him from being able to catch his breath. He was so worried for April and the baby that he hadn’t thought to check on his sister right away, and that made him feel like an even bigger piece of shit than he had earlier.

“Hello.” Ryker answered the phone. “Are you sure?”

“Change in plans. We’re going to Catherine’s right now,” Ryker said.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

April

April had gone quietly along with Mr. Hawkins and so far, other than listening to his ranting and raving, she was okay. He had been on a kick the entire car ride about how she had corrupted his son and that everyone else was doing the same.

They had shown up at Catherine’s apartment, and she’d been floored. Immediately, she wondered if Catherine was involved in everything until she showed up.

Currently, Catherine was trying to convince her mother that something was wrong with this situation, but she was completely devoted to her husband and there would be no convincing her otherwise. It was a lost cause, April could see it, but Catherine pressed anyway.

“Shut up!” Mr. Hawkins finally yelled.

“You’ve also been a poor daughter, corrupted by these so-called friends of yours. They are making you think you are more than what you are. A daughter’s job is to marry well and until then, she is supposed to take care of her parents.”

Catherine snorted. “A daughter would need to have been shown how to take care of people in order to do that to others. I guess you two forgot about the raising your own children part?”

If her goal was to make her father have a heart attack, she was well on her way to it. Mr. Hawkins looked like he was going to explode and was getting redder by the second.

“Sit down next to her now. We will see both of my problems taken care of today. Don’t think anyone hasn’t noticed the way you chase after that Ryker guy.”

Catherine looked confused, but joined April on her sofa. “Cade will be here soon,” she whispered.

“No whispering,” her mother fussed.

“As I was saying before, I was interrupted. I am trying to do right by my wife and make sure the children that we have together been the best children they can be, but you’re making it difficult. First thing we need is for you to leave.” His eyes focused on April. “You can go wherever you want, but you must never return. I will leave you a nice sum of money to do it.”

“He’s my husband,” April countered. “And we’re having a baby.” She regretted reminding him of the baby as soon as she did.

“That’s the other thing. Take the brat with you. It never returns here either, and neither of you are to contact my son. You have nothing for you here anymore, so you might as well take the money and go because the settlement you will get in a divorce won’t be as nice.” He smiled like he had everything figured out.

“Cade wouldn’t let her just disappear. Do you not even know your own son? He loves her and the baby. Nothing would stop him from finding her. April is better than that anyway and wouldn’t take your money.” Catherine stood up again, yelling this time.

“Sit down, girl. We will get on the matter of you in a moment.” He ignored Catherine. “Now, are you going to go willingly, or do I need to have someone escort you? Everyone has a price and I promise what I am offering you is the best deal you’re going to get.”

“I’m not leaving Cade.” April folded her arms, feeling every bit the defiant child, and this wasn’t even her father.

“The hard way it is. I’ll have you know the fee for having someone escort you comes out of the money I would have given you and he isn’t cheap.”

“You really should just go along. It will be safer and easier,” Mrs. Hawkins said.

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