Page 63 of Rush

“I will.”

He canted his head as though he knew she was full of it but didn't push. “We’re all wishing for Sophie’s safe return home. She’s a sweet little girl.”

“You know her?” Nora asked, surprised.

“Linc brings her by the stadium every so often. I’m the team doctor. Sophie’s the reason I now have lollipops and stickers in my office.”

She should have figured Linc would call the team doctor. “Well, thanks again for stopping by.” She hoped that didn’t sound rushed but her head was really throbbing and she just wanted to take that Tylenol he suggested and go sit back in her chair where no one bothered her.

The doctor’s eyes darted to where Linc’s voice could be heard and back to Nora. “He's got too much in his head to see what’s in front of him right now, but he was deeply worried about you.” He patted her knee again. “I’ll see myself out.”

It wasn’t until she heard the front door close that Nora got down from the table, took the painkillers, and made her way back to her chair. She looked at the time on her phone.

Four o’clock.

Six hours until Linc had to make the money drop.

Six hours until they’d get Sophie back.

Funny how six hours could feel fleeting and endless both at the same time.

Chapter Twenty-three

He'd fucked up.

Linc’s gaze landed on Nora for the… Hell, he wasn’t even sure how many times his eyes had strayed to her in the past five hours. She hadn’t moved since the last time he’d looked. Or the time before that. And by that he meant literally. Sitting hunched, barely breathing, it killed him every time he glanced at her face and saw the forlorn expression he’d put there.

Fear-fueled adrenaline had spurred his initial reaction to Nora’s phone call along with a heaping dose of his own guilt. That Nora had been an easy target to lash out at was something that would haunt him forever. Because for the first time in his life, he’d ignored his gut instinct. Linc had known Sid Parker wasn’t going to back down easily. He’d seen desperation before on the field and he’d seen it again in that conference room.

He’d lost count of the number of times he’d wanted to apologize for his words. But, then he’d remember how he’d ignored her curled on the floor when he’d walked into the house. Of how she’d been hurt not just emotionally but also physically. His woman. The lady he referred to with every beat of his heart as one of his two girls. And then he’d sit his ass back down because he was a damn coward. If she turned away from him now— No, he couldn’t take that chance because his energy and focus needed to be on Sophie and getting her away from that bastard and his crazy ass wife.

Linc just hoped that once Sophie was home and he’d have the time to apologize and explain himself to Nora properly that somehow she wouldn’t hate him as much as he hated himself.

“Lincoln!”

His manager’s voice caught his attention and he looked over to see Elizabeth Torres stomping over in heels so high they defied her no-nonsense stride. She dropped a bag at his feet and from the sound of its heft, she’d done the impossible and rounded up one million in cash in just a few hours.

“Thanks for coming so fast, Liz.”

The five-foot nothing barracuda stood in front of him, feet planted as wide as her pencil skirt would allow. “It’s my job.” Then she belied all that assertive authority when her face softened and she asked, “How’re you holding up?”

“I’m okay. Be better once I get Sophie back.”

Her eyes darted across the room, sticking on Nora for a few seconds before coming back to him. “That the fake fiancée?”

Liz had been against the scam from the start, calling it a PR nightmare, and knew Linc hated it when she called her that. “We’re gonna have a problem if you don’t curb that shit. You know her name. Use it.”

Her head canted, something working behind her eyes. “Nora’s not looking so great. Why aren’t you over there with her?”

“I’m the last person she wants to be around right now.”

Her eyes narrowed into the stern expression he’d seen a thousand times. “What did you do?”

He sighed, “Let’s just say, I should’ve thought before I spoke.”

Proving why she was so good at her job, she correctly deduced the situation, spitting out, “Please tell me you didn’t blame that poor girl for what’s happened?” His expression musthave been answer enough because she admonished, “You need to apologize.”

“I know, and I fully intend to but now’s not the time.”

---