"Another few minutes, and you wouldn't have. I was trying to fight, but whatever he made me breathe made me so weak. I tried to kick him."

"I saw that. You distracted him enough that he didn't see me coming. We make a good team."

"You shouldn't be on my team. I'm trouble. And when you're with me, you're in trouble, too."

"I've been in trouble before. You don't need to worry about me." He paused. "So, do you have to stay here?"

"No. They're going to discharge me. I should be fine by morning. Will you take me home?"

"That's good to hear. We'll stay together in the house tonight. I won't let anyone get to you."

"I don't know why you're sticking around, Kade."

"I want to find out the truth about your mother, and we're getting closer."

"Why on earth would you think that? Every lead ends in nothing."

"Not this one. The police have a man in custody. They'll find his employer."

I shook my head in bemusement. "When did you get to be optimistic?"

"Someone needs to think positive. As difficult as this whole night was, the police have someone to talk to now, and a trail to follow. That's more than they had before."

"Well, I'm happy to help by almost getting kidnapped," I said dryly.

He smiled. "I'm glad you can joke about it."

"I'm trying to stay in the light," I said. I didn't think I could function if I let myself think about how bad things could have gone.

The door opened and the nurse walked in. "I have your discharge papers if you're ready to go. However, we strongly suggest that you have someone stay with you tonight, until you get your feet back under you."

"I'll stay with her," Kade said.

"Good."

For the second time that day, I checked myself out of the ER. But this time when we went into the parking lot, Kade was right next to me. He got me into the passenger seat and then slid behind the wheel.

When we got back to my mom's house, it was almost eleven. The street was very quiet, and the house was dark, but as we walked up the steps, I froze, seeing a man in the chair on the porch.

As the man stood up, Kade rushed past me and threw him up against the wall.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Kade demanded, giving the man a hard shake.

That's when I saw the man's face for the first time. "Stop," I said, shocked once more.

Kade threw me a questioning look. "Do you know him?"

"Yes. He's my father."

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Kade immediately let my dad go. "Sorry," he muttered.

My father gave me a bleary look. "Is that you, Brynn?"

As I moved closer, I was overwhelmed by the smell of alcohol. "Are you drunk?" I asked in surprise.