Rush of Redemption (Rush Series #2) (14 page)

Sucking in deep gasps of
air, he pressed his forehead against her shoulder and mumbled, “I really,
really like this hot tub. We’ll never get rid of it. 
Matter
of fact, if the entire house burns down, we’re saving the baby and the hot tub,
the rest can go.”

With her body still sagged
against his, she smiled. “I agree.”

Moving his hands to
encircle her waist, he pressed his lips into her neck. “So… this weekend… you
and me?”

She turned in his embrace
and wrapped her arms around his waist while burying her face in his chest.
“Yes.”

“Okay. I’ll make the
arrangements. My flight is at noon, but if you need more time I can bump it
back a little,” he said with his face buried in her hair.

“Please do. I have a few
things to do tomorrow. The later the better,” she murmured as she thought about
his grandfather’s visit. She was not marrying him before signing the prenuptial
agreement. She refused to have everyone – Rush included – having even a small
doubt that she was marrying him for 
who
 he was; and not
for 
what
 he had. Tilting her head, she rested her chin against
his chest. “I love you, 
ya
 know?”

He pressed his lips against
her forehead and smiled. “I know.” His soft expression became serious. “If you
aren’t happy here, we can find another house. I don’t care where we live, as
long as we’re together.”

She shook her head. “I’m
sorry. I was just having pre-wedding jitters, I guess. This place is fine. I
don’t care either. I just want to be where you are.” Laying her face back
against his chest, she said, “Thank you for the present. I should’ve told you
that earlier.”

“You’re welcome. I’m
excited to see what you come up with. You know you can change anything you want
in the house. This is your home. I want you to be comfortable here.”

“I 
am
 happy
here,” she said emphatically. “But, I do need to get out of this hot tub. I’m
pruning.”

He gave a light laugh.
“Your wish is my command.” Together they turned and climbed out. Just as she
was drying off with one of the big, white, fluffy towels stored in the cabinet
next to the shower, Trinity heard the wails coming from the monitor.

“Looks like we timed that
just right,” she told him with a grin. Wrapping the towel around her body and
stopping to scoop up her clothes, she hurried up the stairs.

Blake was up and down all night, crying, wailing, and refusing to
nurse. Nothing Trinity tried seemed to pacify him. Knowing Rush had to work the
next day, she kept the bedroom doors shut to both the master suite and the
baby’s room to muffle the cries. When Rush finally rose to prepare for work and
to finish packing for the Caymans, it was to find both Trinity and the baby in
tears.

“What’s wrong?” he asked
her quietly as he watched a teary-eyed Trinity bouncing Blake in her arms as he
wailed.

“I don’t know. He won’t
stop crying. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. He’s just starting to get a
little fever. I don’t know what else to do.”

“Here, let me take him. You
go and get a cup of coffee, then we’ll decide what to do, okay?” he said.

“What if something is
really wrong with him?” she nearly sobbed.

“I’m
sure it’s nothing. Now, go. I’ve got him,” he assured her.

She was only gone for five
minutes. When she returned, Blake was still crying. Rush had 
him
 nestled against his body as he spoke gently to him.
When he saw her standing anxiously just inside the door, he tilted his head and
gave her a look of sympathy. “Come here,” he said softly. She moved to him and
he wrapped one arm around her and drew her into him as well. 
“My poor baby.
 Did you get any sleep?”

She heaved a deep sigh.
“No. He’s been up all night. As soon as I’d lay him down, he’d wake back up and
cry.”

“It’s nearly seven. Why
don’t we call the pediatrician? It’s probably nothing, so don’t worry,” he
assured her.

She called the doctor’s office and they agreed to see him right
away. Having Rush Drayton for a father was proving to be helpful, thanks to all
the donations his family had made to the hospital over the years.

“You don’t have to go with
me. I’ll call you after the appointment,” she told him.

He gave her a quizzical
look. “Of course I’m going. Don’t be silly.”

If she hadn’t loved him
before that moment, she certainly would have after. She’d dreaded going alone,
afraid of what the doctor might find. In the end, it turned out to be a good
news/bad news type of situation. 
Double ear infections.
 While
antibiotics would certainly clear up the baby’s problem, he wouldn’t be able to
fly until his ears where healed.

Rush cursed internally.
Deep down he knew if he didn’t get her tied to him quickly, she’d find another
reason to run – no matter what she said. But it couldn’t be helped. Their
weekend island plans would have to be placed on hold for at least ten days –
which was how long Blake would be on antibiotics.

“I’m sorry, Rush,” Trinity
said when they were on the way back home.

He gave a shrug of his
shoulder. “I’m just glad it’s nothing worse than that. There will be other
opportunities for us… right?”

“Of course,” she promised.

Giving her a nod, he drove
in silence, lost in thought for several minutes. Heaving a sigh, and with his
lips drawn into a grim line, he said, “I’m hesitant to leave you here with
everything that’s going on – what, with the death threats against your father
and your run-in with the press. If I had any other alternative, I wouldn’t
leave.”

“We’ll be fine. Don’t worry
about us,” she replied.

“I’ll worry regardless, but
I am going to add additional protection for you and Blake.”

“I don’t think…” she began
before he cut his eyes at her.

“Please do not start with
that. It’s different now. I won’t be in the country. I need to know you and
Blake will be safe. Please do not fight me on this, okay?” he begged.

Inhaling deeply, she
nodded. “Okay.”

“I’ll try to hurry things
along and be home either late Friday night or Saturday. I’ll call and let you
know my details.”

“Do what you need to do,
Rush. We’ll be fine and waiting on you,” she said.

“You won’t try to go back
to your condo, will you?”

“No. I told you last night,
I’m not running anymore,” she promised.

“Okay,” he said with a huge
exhale of relief.

Chapter Eight

Even though Trinity had spent the bulk of her time at Rush’s house
alone during the day, just knowing he was now hovering somewhere thousands of
feet over head, made her feel even more alone. She missed him already. The
first round of antibiotics seemed to be helping Blake and he finally slept.
Once she was able to put him down, she tucked the monitor in her pocket and
went into Rush’s office. Looking through his rolodex, she found a phone number
for Drew Drayton.

“Hello,” he answered
briskly.

“Mr. Drayton, it’s Trinity
Grace,” she replied when he answered.

“Call me Drew,” he
insisted. “Is everything, all right? Did Rush get off okay for the Caymans?”

“Yes. He left a couple
hours ago. I need a favor,” she said quickly before she lost her nerve. She
knew beyond a shadow of a doubt Rush wasn’t going to be happy about this at
all.

“What?”

“I need you to get
the 
prenup
 paperwork and bring it by. If
you have a notary handy, I’ll sign it before you leave. I’m afraid Blake is a
little under the weather or I’d come to you.”

There was silence on the
other end of the phone.

“Does Rush know
about this?” he asked.

“No. I don’t want him to
until after we are married. I don’t want him for his money. But he’ll fight me
on this, I’m sure,” she replied.

“You’re probably right.
Good. You’ve made the right decision,” he said approvingly.

“Make no mistake, I’m not
doing this for you, I’m doing this for Rush. I love him,” she said firmly.

“I’ll be by this afternoon
or tomorrow,” was his only response before he hung up.

An hour later, the doorbell
rang. She remained seated as Radcliff answered it. She tensed in preparation of
dealing with Drew Drayton. She stood as she heard his footsteps. Turning her
head, she stood frozen for a moment. “Alex?”

Alex Masters, her father’s
previous bodyguard, moved towards her, stopping when he reached the edge of the
couch. “Ms. Grace,” he replied.

“Alex, what are you doing
here?” she asked, taking in his military bearing and short-cropped blonde hair
and eyes as green as glass.

“Rush sent me,” he replied.

“Sent you for what?”

“To protect you while he’s
gone,” he replied.

“You work for Rush?”

“Yes, ever since I left
your father’s employ,” he said.

“I didn’t know. What do you
do for him?” she asked.

“I’m head of security
for 
DrayCo
.”

“I bet you’re thrilled to
be on babysitting duty,” she said with a grimace.

Glancing around the room
with his ever watchful gaze, he replied, “It’s a privilege, Ms. Grace,” he
said.

“Come on, Alex. Call me
Trinity,” she insisted.

“As you
wish.
 I need to walk around to learn the
landscape. Is that okay with you?” he asked.

“Of
course.
 Do what you need to,” she assured him.

“I do have a few requests
if you don’t mind.”

She looked at him
expectantly.

“Please do not answer the
door and please do not leave the house without me. Is that understood?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I will also need a
place to sleep. I’ll be here until Rush returns,” he said.

“I’ll have the housekeeper
prepare something for you. Would you like me to give you a tour?” she asked.

“No. But if you’ll
introduce me to the household staff that would be appreciated.”

“Okay,” she replied.

It was late when Rush
finally called. He’d arrived safely and had just checked into his room.

“How’s Blake?” was his
first question.

“Better. He’s resting and
eating a little,” she assured him.

He exhaled deeply. “I was
worried about leaving you both. Did Masters arrive?”

“Yes. I didn’t know Alex
worked for you.”

“He’s the best,” was Rush’s
only response to that. “I miss you already,” he told her in his silky voice.

“I wish we were with you,”
she told him.

“I’ll be home soon. Then
we’ll plan a time away… just the three of us,” he promised. “I’ll call you
tomorrow.”

“I love you,” she said
before hanging up.

It was late in the
afternoon the next day when Rush’s grandfather finally arrived. The door was
answered as always by Radcliff. Trinity tensed when she saw Drew followed by a
short man – the notary, she presumed.

“Trinity,” Drew said in way
of greeting.

“Drew,” she responded.

With a wave of his hand, he
said, “This is Grey Whiting, the notary.” Moving towards her, Drew handed her a
package in the familiar wrappings of Federal Express. She reached out her hand
automatically. “This was left by your door,” Drew told her.

“Thank you,” she said
without looking at the package. “Let’s go into the office, if you don’t mind.
It will afford us a little more privacy,” Trinity told them. She didn’t want
Alex Masters reporting to Rush about the 
prenup
.
She wanted to be the one to tell him.

She placed the Fed Ex
package on Rush’s desk and sat down in his chair. Drew handed her a reasonably
small packet of papers. How many pages did it really take to sign away any
future hold on someone’s money? She read through the document carefully. When
she got to the last page, she thought she might be sick. She made herself read
it twice just to be sure. The last page said if she left and took the child
and/or children with her, not only would she forfeit her rights to his assets,
she would forfeit theirs as well.

With her fingers shaking,
she put the pen down. Rising to her feet, she swallowed hard to gain control of
her emotions. 
Feeling so bitterly betrayed, she looked
to Drew.
 “You say Rush drew up this agreement?”

Slowly, he nodded his head.

She nodded back at him, her
heart breaking. In effect, if she ever left him, she’d either have to leave
their children or steal from them their birthright. “I’m sorry, gentlemen. But
it seems I’ve dragged you both here erroneously. I can’t sign this after
all. I’ll have Radcliff show you out.”