Page 20
COLE
“ Fucking tire.” I wiped my hands as Noah grinned behind me.
“Impressive.”
I arched a brow. “Please don’t tell me you don’t know how to change a fucking tire, LeCav.”
“I do, but I just sent a picture of you changing it to the chat. And Eden. Lucky for you, she must still be busy, because you look hilarious in it.”
“There is something wrong with you.” The wind began to pick up as I eyed the clouds gathering.
“Looks like a storm. And we have an auction to get to,” he said. A look of concern flashed across his face. “Have you talked to Eden?”
I shook my head. “No, my fucking phone died and my charging cord is messed up. You were the only text I sent before the battery juiced out. Why?”
“I texted her when I left in case she needed me to pick up anything, and she hasn’t responded.”
Fuck. My stomach dropped. “Do you have a charger in your car?” He nodded. I locked my SUV and jogged to his car. “Get in and drive, LeCav. Now.”
Noah wasted no time, and once we were on the road, phone charging, I took the card out of my wallet for the security company and used his phone to call.
“Mr. Sunders, are you in the residence? A few minutes ago, panic protocol was activated. We’ve alerted the authorities and they are on route. Ten minutes ETA.”
“Panic protocol?” My blood coursed through my veins, pounding until it was all I could hear. I took a deep breath.
“-and the room is sealed. But no one is entering the code. EMT’s are also arriving. Are you hurt? Is anyone with you?”
“I’M NOT HOME,” I yelled, and Noah hit the gas when I made a motion with my free hand. “Is she ok?”
“Sir, we don’t know. But the door was activated and shut within the parameters.”
Noah sped through the streets as the agent tried to get the laptop online in the room. Shit. I never showed Eden what to do after the room was activated. Just how to get in.
An eternity passed and suddenly, Noah flew up the driveway to my house. Eden’s home.
A red pickup truck sat in the driveway. Noah said in a confused tone, “What the fuck is Shaw doing here?”
Like a rush, the pieces fell into place. Shaw dating Zoe in secret. Him knowing her number, where she lived. That she was with me in Seattle. All the little detail he’d terrorized her with. We jumped out of the car and ran up the front stairs. The door was unlocked, the alarm deactivated. I searched the entryway with my eyes as I ran in.
“Open the fucking door, Eden, and I will only make you bleed a little bit. You’ll like it.” the voice was coming from the butler’s pantry. And where the door to the panic room was. A loud pounding, and Shaw started yelling. “OPEN IT NOW YOU CUNT. YOU’RE MINE, AND I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ACT LIKE A SLUT AND SPREAD YOUR LEGS FOR SOMEONE ELSE!”
He had his hand pulled back to pound on the door again when I rounded the doorway. He looked my way, eyes wild and crazed. I let out a roar, and barreled into him, catching him by the waist and tackling him. Noah came running up the hallway, but I had Shaw on the ground. He fought back, years of landing punches in the NHL kicking in instinctually.
But I had the advantage because he was trying to hurt my girl.
And I protected what was mine. Blow after blow, I hit him until I heard sirens and Noah pulled me off.
He was out cold, and never getting near Eden again.
As the police swarmed in, we raised our hands, yelling explanations as they pointed their guns. One officer spoke into their radio. “Suspects in house. One down, two standing. Request owner's name to verify passcode?”
“Coleman Sunders.”
I waved my hand but kept them high. “Wallet in my back pocket but my fiancée is missing and might be in the panic room. Passcode is Beetlejuice.”
Noah groaned beside me, arms still raised.
One of the officers retrieved my wallet and nodded.
“Passcode confirmed.”
“Does Eden know it’s Beetle-”
I punched in the code, and the door slid open. Just inside sat a sobbing Eden, who leaped up as soon as she saw me. “Baby, are you okay? Did he?’
Her eyes darted to where Shaw was coming around as he was being cuffed. “No, I’m fine. He didn’t get a chance to-” she broke down in tears.
A flurry of activity happened, statements and evidence gathered. But the entire time, Eden stayed by my side, and I only released her once to hug Noah. I glared at him the entire time, which made them both amused.
After things settled, and the officer asked if we would come down to the station in the morning to make our statements, everyone but Noah left.
I took Eden’s hands in mine. “We can leave, and you never have to see-”
“No, I love our house. I’m keeping that room. And I prefer your version of stalking, Junior Mints and all,” She sucked in a breath. I let out a relieved chuckle. “Plus, where else can I say I kicked the bad guys ass and my best friend and my boyfriend rescued me? This is our home. But we are changing the passcode.”
Noah giggled and covered his mouth, but Eden followed second later. Tension and scary moment melted away. I shot the goalie a grateful look and he nodded with a small smile, taking my girl in my arms.
Hands on her upper arms, I pulled back and looked into her brilliant greens eyes, and brushed her colorful hair off her face. Then, I cupped her cheeks in my hands. “I love you, Bunny. And if anything had happened to you-”
“But I didn’t. Because you took care of me even when you weren’t here. And I love you, too. Cole. Fiancée?”
I shrugged. “So I forgot to officially ask.”
“Well, I officially say yes. I already know where I want to marry you.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yep. Where it all started. But this time, no chasing until after the event. ”
“I’ve already caught you, little bunny.”