She is mine, and she is safe.
It was late morning when he left his house. Lunch would have to be early so he could get home to sleep. He went to the Main Street Café to pick up sandwiches. He ordered his, Kayla’s, and their parents’ sandwiches then placed a delivery order for Cat. The girl behind the counter gave him a questioning look, but he just ignored it. He was sure the gossip would be around town before Cat was off work.
The drive to his parents was less than five minutes, and it surprised Thomas how nervous he’d become in that short amount of time. This was his family. They’d be supportive.
When he pulled up to his parents’ house, Kayla was already there. Taking the food, he made his way inside as he practiced controlled breathing. Kayla met him with a broad smile.
“Hey, bro.”
Thomas kissed her cheek. “Hey. I’m glad you were able to make it.” He laid the food bag on the counter.
“What’s so important that you had Kayla come out for lunch?” his dad asked.
“Um, I need to talk to all of you about something.” Thomas’s eyes darted to each one of them.
“Sounds serious,” his mother said.
“It is.”
“Does this have anything to do with what’s been going on between you and Cat?” Kayla asked with her hands on her hips.
“Yes and no.” He looked Kayla in the eyes. “I can’t tell you everything, but I’ll tell you what I can. It’s for your own good, Kayla.”
She blew out a frustrated breath and nodded.
“Is this something we can discuss over lunch or does it need to wait until later?” his mom asked.
“I’ve got to try to get some sleep this afternoon, so we need to start the discussion over lunch.”
They sat around the kitchen table, and three sets of eyes stared at him. Thomas took a bite of his sandwich to buy him a little more time to figure out how to address this. Finally, he cleared this throat. “Cat and I agreed to give the illusion we’d broken up to help Evan with a case.”
“What?” Kayla asked.
Thomas held up his hand to her. “Kayla, just hear me out. He and some others approached Cat and me at your reception. Cat thought about it, and I agreed to support her decision.” Thomas put his sandwich down and rested his forearms on the table.
“Now that she’s done all she can to help them, we’re getting back together, so to speak.”
“So that’s why everything was secretive about coming to the ranch. And that’s why you drove separately,” Kayla said.
“Yes. We couldn’t be seen together just yet. But after today, everything should be back to normal. Well, not exactly normal.” Thomas chuckled.
“What do you mean?” his mother asked.
“We’ve agreed to move in together. We don’t know where we want to live permanently, so we’re rotating houses until we do.”
“So what does that have to do with us?” his dad asked.
“That part doesn’t.” Thomas took a deep breath. “I want to ask Cat to marry me.”
Kayla gasped and smiled from ear to ear. Thomas held up his hand once again. “Hang on.”
“Why? What?”
Thomas’s expression turned more serious. “I’m here for two reasons. First, when I asked Cat who she considered as family, she said you, Kayla, and then she added Mom and Dad. So, I’m here to ask for y’all’s blessings.” He looked at each of them.
When Thomas looked at his dad, he wasn’t sure what to make of his dad’s expression. “I always thought of Catherine as another daughter. When her parents died, your mother and I helped her as best as we could. I never knew she felt the same way.” Mr. Gregory pinched the bridge of his nose. “So what exactly are you asking, son?”
“Dad, I need to know that you’d give your permission for me to marry Cat if she were your true daughter. That you’d approve of our union.”
“You’re my son, Thomas. From what I’ve seen of the two of you together, I think you’d make her a good husband. Do you want me to ask you what I asked Mitchell?”
Thomas nodded.
“Then we need to take a walk around the pond,” he said.
“Wait! I want to know what you asked him,” Kayla said.
“That’s none of your business, missy,” her dad said with a no-nonsense tone.
Kayla’s eyebrows furrowed. “Yes, sir.” She turned her attention to Thomas. “The two of you are good together, Thomas. You both deserve happiness. You have my blessing.”
A broad smile stretched across his face. “Thank you.”
“Do you love her, Thomas?” his mom asked.
“Yes, Mom. With all of my heart.”
“Does she love you?” his mom continued.
Thomas tilted his head and furrowed his brows. “Yes, ma’am. I do believe she does.”
“How do you know?”
“What? Mom, I know.”
“I’m not just talking about sex, Thomas. If you love each other, you just know that you know that you know. How do you know?”
“She tells me and shows me every day. It’s the little things she does. She takes care of me, Mom.”
His mother nodded. “How does she know you love her?”
“Well, I tell her every day. I cook her breakfast while she dresses for work. I try to make life easier on her. She had to go it alone for so long. I don’t want that for her anymore. I want her to have someone she can depend on, and I want to be that someone so I give her that.”
“I hear a lot of what you want for her. Do you give her what she wants and needs? Have you asked her what she wants?”
“Yes, ma’am, but I’ll make sure to do that more often.” Thomas smiled and nodded with determination. This is what he needed.
“Thomas, I think your mom has covered it better than I could,” his dad said with a chuckle.
“No, Dad. I need this from you. I can’t ask her dad, so I’m asking you,” Thomas said with conviction.
“Then, let’s go.” His dad backed away from the table and walked toward the door.
Thomas followed as they walked toward the pond. They’d barely made it to the pond dam when his dad said, “Thomas, I raised you in anticipation of a moment like this, but I didn’t think I’d be the one you’d have it with.”
“Yes, sir. Me either.” Thomas picked up a rock and skipped it across the water.
“So, you think Catherine’s the one for you, for always?”
Thomas nodded. “Yes, sir. Dad, she waited for me.” Tears stung his eyes as he made that confession.
“Can you say the same?”
Thomas looked at the ground as they continued to walk. “No, sir.”
“And she’s okay with it?”
“We’re good, Dad.”
“Have you asked her?”
“No, sir, but we can’t do anything about it now.” He looked at his dad. “I’ve told her everything in my past, and she’s still with me.”
His father nodded. “Just like I asked Mitchell, what kind of man are you, Thomas?”
Thomas tilted his head toward his father with a small smile. For as long as he could remember, his dad would make comments about the kind of man he needed to be, but was he that man? Thomas thought about Cat, and then he thought about himself. He cleared his throat because he didn’t think his dad was going to appreciate his answer.
“To be honest, I think I’m pretty damn selfish. I’m better since I’ve been with Cat, but Dad, I may demand too much of her.”
“Hmm, want to elaborate?”
“When we first started dating, I took the job with the medical examiner’s office. I said it was to give me something to do on my days off while she worked. I never asked her what she thought, though. I reasoned that we were new and didn’t have any expectations on the other.” Thomas blew out a breath. “She went out of her way to make us work. She was flexible with everything.” He rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about his actions.
“Then she got her new job
, and I think I’ve made it hard on her. I haven’t been flexible at all. When Evan approached her for help, I hit the roof. Even though I told her I’d support her decision, I’ve acted like an ass.”
“I see,” his dad replied.
“When I asked her about moving in together, I suggested rotating houses, even though I pushed a little for her to say she’d move into mine. Dad, I know what her house means to her. She bought it with her parents’ life insurance money. I should’ve never asked for her to leave her home. I should’ve voluntarily offered to sell mine.” Thomas stopped and looked at his dad. “Now, I don’t know if I answered Mom honestly. Does Cat know I love her?”
“Sounds like you’ve got a little work to do, son, but it also sounds like you know what you need to do. I’m confident that you’ll do it. And, Thomas, as long as you put her first and she puts you first, you’ll have a good union. Y’all do that, and I’ll give you my blessing,” his father said.
“Thank you,” Thomas said even as he was deep in thought. He needed Cat to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he loved her more than anything, and he’d gladly put her needs above his own.
25
It was after six when Mr. Jones stuck his head into Cat’s office. “Thanks for the help with Ms. Wells this morning, but I wish you wouldn’t have discussed the discrepancy in the deposit with her.”
“I didn’t know what else to do to pacify her,” Cat replied.
“I understand, but you let her know that you’re very observant. That may not be in your best interest, Catherine. I’ll try to smooth everything over, but from now on, let her act on her threats. My higher-ups know to ignore anything she says.” Mr. Jones leaned against her doorjamb. “I have final word on that account.”
“Yes, sir,” Cat answered with a sweet smile even though her stomach was turning.
“How much longer are you staying? There isn’t anyone here to walk you to your car.”
“Not much longer. I’m making a list of clients to call for appointments next week. I just wanted to find one more account.”
Mr. Jones nodded. “Don’t stay too late and be careful when you leave. Oh, don’t forget they’re servicing the elevator tonight. You’ll have to take the stairs in…” he looked at his watch, “thirty minutes if you haven’t left yet.”
Cat smiled again. “Thank you.”
As soon as Cat heard the elevator doors close, she hit a speed dial number.
“Anderson.”
“Buck, I have to make this quick, but supposedly Redline had a wire going out to the Cayman Islands today.”
“What do you know?”
“That’s about it. Ms. Wells called to say that a deposit wasn’t released and was holding up the wire. To buy some time to get it cleared, I asked which time zone it would be going to, and she said whatever time zone the Caymans was in. I don’t know if this is important, but if it went out of the Alabama account, they’re in Central time.”
“Thanks, Cat. I’m pretty close to having all the evidence I need. You’ve been a great help.”
“Thanks.”
Cat ended the call and looked for another client to add to her call list. It was close to seven when her phone sounded with Thomas’s ringtone. “Thomas,” she said.
“Are you home? You didn’t call me.”
“I’m packing up now. Where are you?”
“Pulling into the hospital parking garage.”
“I’ll text you when I get home, okay?”
“Sounds good. Cat, you know I love you, right?”
Cat raised her brows. “Yes, why?”
“Just making sure.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you in a bit. Love you.”
“Love you too, honey.”
Cat disconnected the call and packed up her tote. She lowered the blinds in her office, walked out, and locked the door. “Damn,” she whispered to herself as she checked her watch. The elevator maintenance had started almost a half hour ago. With a deep sigh, she clenched her keys in her hand before she started down the beautiful winding staircase the encompassed the three floors of the building.
Even though the sun hadn’t set outside, the lobby of the bank was dark since everyone closed their doors and pulled the blinds in their offices. With the maintenance on the elevator blocking one entrance, Cat turned toward the employee side entrance. She entered her code and was waiting for the click for entry to sound when her head was powerfully pushed into the door.
“Ugh!”
The sound was forced from her body as her head bounced off the door. A hand covered her mouth as a raspy voice spoke in her ear. “You need to listen, bitch. You were told to stay out of Redline’s accounts, and now we’re here to make sure you understand our employer doesn’t appreciate nosy people.”
Air brushed her face as she was pushed to the ground in the dark room that led outside. “Ahh!” No windows.
“Shut the fuck up,” another voice said in a stage whisper.
She tried to push off the floor, but a sharp pain cut through her side. “Stop. Please.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. She moved an arm to protect her ribs when another blow came to the other side. “I didn’t do anything,” she whispered as she felt for her keys.
Someone was so close to her face she could feel the air leaving their mouth. “Did you and your doctor boyfriend think you could fool us? Weren’t you told to mind your own fucking business for your safety and those around you?”
He hit her so hard she thought her eyeball would pop out of her skull. “Stay the fuck down and don’t do something stupid,” he said. “Who were you with at the bar? A cop?”
Cat tried to shake her head, but a hand was around her throat. “Old boyfriend,” she said in a barely audible whisper.
He leaned closer. “What did you say?”
Acting on reflexes, Cat quickly swiped his cheek with her keys. “Bitch,” he said a little louder than he wanted to. He backhanded her across the face and knocked her keys across the floor.
“Ahh!” Cat cried as he stepped on her wrist.
Banging came from the door leading to the lobby. “Who’s in there?” someone screamed. The men froze, and Cat opened an eye to see a thin strip of light.
“Fuck,” one of them whispered before they slipped out the side door. The door slammed shut, and Cat tried to speak. Nothing but sobs left her.
“It’s Ms. Livingston. Call nine-one-one!”
Even through closed eyelids, Cat could tell the lights were turned on. There was a kind voice very close to her ear.
“Ms. Livingston, can you hear me?”
Cat moved her lips to say yes—or at least she thought she did. Within minutes she heard sirens. Oh God, she silently cried. She tried to open her eyes, but only one opened a sliver.
“Son-of-a-bitch!”
Evan. That was Evan’s voice.
“Cat? Cat, can you hear me?”
She opened her eye again and saw her keys, so she tried to reach for them. “Evn, ke…”
“You want your keys?” he asked.
“Ke, bld.” She closed her eye again.
“Bag the keys,” Evan directed.
Another siren was getting louder.
“Evan, what do you want me to do? I heard female and United Southeastern Bank. There’s only one person it could’ve been this time of night.” —Nathan.
“Make sure the EMTs can get in here,” Evan said. A hand rubbed her head. “Cat, the EMTs are here. We’re gonna have to move you.”
A new voice. “Miss, I’m Eric.” He picked up her hands. “Can you move your fingers?” Cat tried to move them. “You did good,” he said. “Splint her right hand.”
As he moved, his hands lightly touched her body. She tensed when he touched her ribs. “Possible broken ribs.” He touched her knees. “Her pants are torn at the knees, lacerations visible.” When he got to her feet, she felt a shoe being removed. He stroked a finger up both of her feet, and she felt her body jerk.
“You did goo
d, ma’am,” Eric said by her face again. “Can you tell me if you were sexually assaulted?”
“No, rp,” Cat mumbled and slightly shook her head.
“Thank you,” Eric whispered, and then he spoke louder. “We need to get that gurney in here.” His voice was softer when he spoke to Cat. “We’re going to put you on the gurney, and it’s going to hurt, but I need you to hang with me a little longer.” Eric placed a collar around her neck before they lifted her as gently as possible onto the gurney.
“Here are my keys. I’m riding with her. Bring my car, and we’ll get your truck later,” Evan said.
“I’m right behind you,” Nathan replied.
26
Thomas had just walked into the ER when an ambulance called in. He and Dr. Michaels walked toward the centralized desk at the same time. “You’re here early?” Thomas said to him.
“Yeah, Dr. Peterson needed to leave early for his anniversary.” Dr. Michaels shrugged.
“White female, mid-twenties. Victim of possible mugging. Broken bones in the right hand, possible broken ribs, swollen eye, bruising and lacerations,” said the voice coming across the radio.
“I guess we’re starting the week off with a bang. Is it full-moon and no one told me?” Thomas asked as he and Dr. Michaels made their way to the ambulance’s entrance with a couple nurses.
As soon as the ambulance came to a stop, the door opened from the inside, and Evan jumped out with wide eyes focused straight on Thomas. He walked with purposeful steps and pinned him against the wall as they brought out the gurney. Nathan stepped up just in time to block his view. White female, mid-twenties, mugging. Recognition set in.
“That better not be Cat on that gurney,” he said with venom in his voice.
“Let Dr. Michaels take this,” Evan said.
Uninvited Visitors_A Riverton Crossing Novel Page 13
