Chapter 31
Addie sat still at the desk in the office as the paramedic did all his checks. Every so often, he asked her a question or directed her to look somewhere or take a deep breath. She was so distracted, he often had to ask twice.
All she could think about, all she wanted to think about, was Noah.
He stood near the doorway in the front area, talking to Jesse and Colt. Every few seconds, his eyes found her, running over her body, like he was checking to make sure she was okay and safe.
The day was a blur, everything from finding her birth date on the back of that photo to Toby pressing the muzzle of a gun to her head…none of it felt real.
“Okay, all done.”
She looked at the paramedic. “Can I go home?”
Noah appeared beside them, his intense gray eyes flicking from her to the paramedic. “Finished?”
The paramedic stood. “Yes. A mild concussion and some bruising and scratches.” He looked back at her. “You need to be woken every couple hours throughout the night, just to make sure symptoms aren’t getting worse.”
Noah nodded. “I can do that.”
“Good. If symptoms worsen—like nausea, severe headache, or confusion—please go to the emergency room.”
She swallowed. “I will.”
The second the paramedic left, Noah crouched in front of her. “How do you feel?”
“Tired.” Ha, tired barely touched the surface of how she felt. She was exhausted. The adrenaline crash had hit her about thirty minutes ago, and it had hit hard.
He slipped a piece of hair behind her ear. There was pain in his eyes. And anger and frustration and so many other emotions. “I hate what happened today.”
“Me too. And there’s still so much to sort out. Jules. Cass. Oh God—Cass.” She straightened. “Did anyone find her?”
“Just now. They’re bringing her up to the parking lot to take her down to the station. We can wait until we know she’s gone before leaving, if you want?”
Addie shook her head. “No. I just want to go.”
Understanding darkened his eyes. He looked like he wanted her out of here as much as she did.
As they stepped out of the office, she studied the broken window. “I’m sorry I dragged it all in here.”
“I’m not. You breaking that window alerted us that you were here. You saved yourself.”
“Thank God for the silent alarm.”
“Thank God for you.” He kissed the top of her head and they stepped outside.
When a female deputy walked out of the forest with Cass beside her in handcuffs, Addie stopped.
Then Cass met her gaze, and the other woman’s eyes flared in anger. “You’re still here?” She turned to the deputy. “She killed Rhett! Why isn’t she in cuffs?”
Noah took a step toward her, but Addie held him back. “No. I need to say something to her.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded before crossing the lot.
“You’re a murderer!” Cass spat.
“I didn’t kill Rhett,” she said carefully, when she reached her.
“You did. Toby told me everything.”
“He lied to you. Just like he lied to everyone else. He killed Rhett because Rhett became a liability after he paid him to tamper with the rock-climbing gear, the day Buck fell. He also paid Rhett to steal my house key.”
Cass paled before vigorously shaking her head. “No. That’s not true. Toby told me—”
“Toby only cared about getting his hands on Jules’s money. After killing me, he planned to kill you, then frame you for my murder.”
Cass blinked, the last scrap of color leaving her face.
“Come on.” The deputy pulled her away.
The second Addie was in Noah’s truck, she closed her eyes and leaned her head back.
“You’re safe to sleep,” he said quietly as he started the engine. “I’ve got you.”
She turned to look at him, a soft smile curving her lips. She loved him. An entire-body, didn’t-know-what-she’d-do-without-him kind of love.
She reached over and placed a palm on his knee. “I know you do.”
He’d just pulled onto the road when she saw the phone in the middle compartment…her phone.
“That’s how I knew Cass had you,” Noah told her.
Addie lifted her cell to see a missed call from her parents. They couldn’t know what had happened today. They would have just been checking in. But the second she told them, they would lose their minds.
That was a call that could wait until tomorrow.
She was about to set the phone back down when a text came through from Jules.
Jules: Addie, I need to know if you’re okay. Please tell me you’re safe.
She stared at the text for an entire minute, not sure how to respond. There was so much that needed to be discussed.
Noah shot a couple of glances her way but didn’t ask anything until he pulled into his garage. Then he turned to her. “What’s going on?”
“I think I’m going to call Jules.”
“You sure you want to do that now?”
“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep if I don’t.”
His gaze shifted between her eyes before he nodded. “Okay. I’ll wait in the house for you.” He squeezed her thigh before climbing out.
Her finger hovered over Jules’s name for a few moments before finally, she squeezed her eyes closed and dialed the other woman.
Jules answered immediately. “Addie? Are you okay? Are you safe?”
It was strange, but even her voice sounded different. Or maybe Addie only heard it differently because everything about Jules had changed. “Is it true?”
There was a small pause. “Yes. I…I’m your birth mother.”
Unexpected tears filled Addie’s eyes, and she wasn’t quite sure why. She’d never felt the need to find her birth mother, but now that she had? It was like this piece that she’d never known was missing just slotted back into her life.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was going to. There were so many times the words were right there on the tip of my tongue. But you’ve told me how great your parents are and I just…
I always got scared. That you had them, so you wouldn’t need or want me.
I have so little time left, and I didn’t want to risk you not wanting to be a part of that time. ”
And that was the added pain…that Jules didn’t have long.
Addie swiped a tear from her cheek. “You should have told me.”
“I should have. I’m sorry. And I’m sorry about Toby. I didn’t know. You’re safe now?”
“Noah and Jesse got there in time.”
“Thank God.”
Addie ran her finger down a seam in her jeans. “I need some time to recover from today and get used to this new information, but after that I’d like to see you.”
There was a small pause. “Really?”
“Of course.”
“I-I would love that.” Emotion clogged Jules’s voice. “You rest now, honey. Talk soon.”
Even though the other woman couldn’t see her, Addie just nodded before hanging up. Then she leaned her head back. So much bad had come from today, but learning that Jules was her biological mother? That felt like a small bit of good.
He’d almost been too late. The thought was on repeat in Noah’s mind, taunting him. Making him sick to his fucking stomach. A few more minutes and he might have been. Hell, even getting there to find the gun against Addie’s head made it hard for him to breathe.
A text came through on his phone, and he lifted it to see his sister’s name.
Indie: Colt just got home and told me she’s safe. But I need to hear it from you. Is she okay?
Noah: She has a concussion and some scratches.
Indie: And what about you?
How was he? He was in a world of fucking pain and what-ifs.
Noah: It will be a while before I’m okay.
Indie: What can I do?
Noah: You’re already doing it by checking in.
Indie: I’m leaving food on your doorstep tomorrow. And I’m making chocolate pudding for Addie. Let me know if you need anything else.
Noah: Thanks, Indie.
He lowered his phone and ran his fingers through his hair. What he really needed, the only thing he needed, was Addie.
He looked in the garage to see she wasn’t on the phone anymore. Her head was back and her eyes closed. But it was the track of tears down her cheeks that had his heart tearing in two.
Quietly, he crossed the space between them and opened her door. “Hey. How’d it go?”
She turned and looked at him. “Jules is my biological mother.”
“She is.”
“I wish she’d told me from the start.”
He reached up and brushed a tear from her cheek. “Me too.”
“How are you feeling after today?”
“Angry that you were taken from me. Furious that Toby was behind it and I didn’t see it. I want to kill him all over again for putting a gun to your head.”
“That’s a lot of anger.”
“Fortunately, I’ve got a great therapist.”
Addie’s brows flickered. “I hate that Toby used you.”
“But he’s gone now.”
“Thank God.”
Gently, he slipped his arms beneath her legs and back and lifted her.
She gasped. “Noah! I can walk.”
He didn’t care. He needed her close. As close as damn possible.
She sighed before leaning her head against his chest.
Inside, he lowered her to the couch. “I need to feed you and we both need a long-ass shower.”
Addie grabbed his arm before he could go. “That stuff can wait.” She tugged him down and there was no part of him capable of saying no.
He lowered to the couch beside her, and she immediately nestled into his chest.
“I’m sorry she took you,” he whispered.
Her head lifted. “Why are you sorry? It wasn’t your fault.”
“You should have been protected in my home.”
“I opened the door. I let her in. I’d just learned about Jules and I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“But—”
“No. No buts. It wasn’t your fault. If we’re going to blame anyone, let’s blame Toby. With Cass’s help.” She cringed. “Another staff member we need to replace at the park.”
“The park is the last thing I’m thinking about right now.” He pulled her closer, his arms wrapping tighter around her. It still didn’t feel close enough, but he had a feeling nothing would.
He wasn’t sure how long they sat like that.
At some point his phone rang. He wrestled it out of his pocket to see that it was Bonnie.
He needed to talk to his sister. Since she’d told him she lost her job, they kept missing each other’s calls, and Noah had gotten preoccupied with everything going on.
He’d call her back tomorrow. He needed to make sure she was okay.
He shoved his cell back into his pocket and closed his eyes, so fucking grateful that Addie was safe. That she’d survived. That she was his.