Rush of Redemption (Rush Series #2) (9 page)

He was running through his
mind about when he’d possibly be able to slip away for a few days to marry her.
But he just didn’t know. Things were crazy at the moment with two separate
jobsites, in both the Caymans and Mexico. He knew he was going to be forced to
go to both, but he was trying to put the trips off until after he had Trinity
safely married to him. He didn’t know who he was kidding. Even if she married
him, there was no guarantee she’d stay.

As he headed to the bar, he
was stopped at least a dozen times by those wanting to congratulate him. This
frustrated him as he desperately needed to get back to Trinity as soon as
possible. There was no telling what his grandfather or someone else might do.
Finally making it to the bar, he ordered a scotch on the rocks for himself and
a sparkling water for her. He leaned against the bar and drummed his thumbs
impatiently against its surface. He turned his head to where he’d left Trinity,
but she wasn’t there. He scoured the room looking for her. Maybe she’d gone to
the bathroom or had met up with 
Sundra
 or
Hunter. He saw 
Sundra
 still standing with
her parents and Hunter was on the other side of the room chatting up with a
leggy blonde.

He felt someone slip their
arm around his and he heaved a sigh of relief. Turning, he was taken aback to
realize it wasn’t Trinity attached to his arm but Olivia Terry, the daughter of
an investment banker, and someone he’d dated several months previously… dated
being too strong of a word.

“I guess congratulations
are in order,” she purred.

Not wanting to appear rude,
but desperately wanting to remove the woman from his arm, he slipped his arm
away and turned to face her as casually as he could. Olivia Terry was closer to
his age of thirty and an amazingly beautiful woman. Her Italian heritage was
prevalent in both her dark hair and dark eyes.

“Thanks, Olivia,” he
replied.

“I must say I was…
surprised to hear the news. Who would have thought you’d ever settle down?”

“It had to happen
sometime,” he replied lightly.

“I don’t mind telling you
that I have my doubts about her,” she said with a shake of her head.

“And why’s that?” he asked,
not really caring if she answered or not.

“I think you’ll tire of her
easily. She looks too young and naive to me. Don’t forget… I know what you
like.” Leaning into him so that her breasts were pressed against him, she
whispered, “I’ll tell you what, once you’ve had enough and get bored, give me a
call.” As she spoke she lifted her hand to curl it around his neck. He reached
up to capture her hand and removed it from him. She pouted prettily, and as she
stepped back, she pulled a card out of her clutch and handed it to him. Without
glancing at it, he slipped it into his coat pocket.

“I wouldn’t sit by the
phone, Olivia. I’m in it for the long haul.”

“We’ll see. Things change…”
she drifted off as she moved away.

Rush shook his head and
sighed, happy Trinity wasn’t close enough to have overheard that particular
conversation. She had enough to deal with.

Finally able to grab his
drinks, he moved back to where he’d left Trinity and looked around the room
again but still didn’t see her. As he glanced about, he noticed the door to his
grandfather’s office ajar. Heading towards it, he nudged it open further and
stepped one foot inside. The room was in darkness except for the light which
streamed in from the huge window on the far side of the room. As his eyes
adjusted, he saw Trinity’s small frame standing in front of the window with one
arm wrapped around her middle, her head bent, and one hand pressed firmly
against her brow.

He shut the door quietly
behind him and moved to where she stood. “What’s wrong?” he asked softly… as if
he had to ask.

He watched her gather
herself before she turned to him. 
“Nothing, just a small
headache.
 I just needed a moment, that’s all.”

He watched her strained
smile and his jaw clenched. Damn his grandfather to hell! “Do you want to go
home?”

“We can’t do that. All
these people are here for us,” she murmured.

“I don’t give a damn about
any of those people. I’m only concerned about you. Do you need anything for
your headache?” he asked.

“Just the drink,” she
replied as she popped two tablets in her mouth and washed them down with the
sparking water. “Thank you,” she said softly.

Rush set his glass down on
the desk and gathered her into his arms and held her close as he rested his
head against hers. “I love you, Trinity.”

“I know,” she whispered.
Pulling back, she lifted a hand and pressed it against his cheek. “I’m
sorry 
Marlena
 slapped you.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Wasn’t it,” she replied as
she pulled away from him and turned back to the window. Pushing her hair away
from her face, she said, “God, everything is such a mess. How will we ever
survive it?”

He moved behind her and
wrapped his massive arms around her waist. “The rest of them don’t matter. Only
you and I matter.”

He watched as she twirled
her engagement ring round and round on her finger. “I didn’t set out to trap
you. You know that, don’t you?” she asked with a catch.

He closed his eyes. He’d
known that was going to be a sore spot for her. “I know,” he replied simply.

Inhaling quickly and
letting the air out shakily, she said, “For our whole married lives, people
will always think I manipulated you into marriage.”

He buried his face her
hair. “I’m so sorry, baby. I don’t know what to do about that. But with time,
it’ll be old news.”

Slowly she shook her head.
“I grew up in the public eye, Rush. I know better. Reporters and others will
always want to dig for dirt. You, being who you are, will always make us a
target.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’ll
protect you the best I can,” he promised.

She shook her head again.
“I’m not worried about me. Before we go any further, I want you to think about
this and how it might one day affect you… affect Blake. 
People
are vindictive and coldhearted.
 They won’t care who gets hurt by
their words.”

Turning her to face him, he
pressed his forehead against hers. “The only way they can hurt me is through
you and Blake. I don’t need to think about it.”

He felt her tremble beneath
his hands. “We need to get back,” she murmured.

“In just
a minute.”
 Tilting her face up
to his, he pressed his lips softly against hers, trying to drink her in and
pour himself into her. Pulling back once more to stare down into her
exquisitely beautiful face, he whispered, “You and Blake are my life. I won’t
let either of you go willingly.”

Being a shy and normally
reserved person, Trinity found being the center of attention taxing. So much
so, that by the time she and Rush were finally driving home, she had a raging
migraine. But actually, other than being inundated with meeting person after
person and having to smile for photo after photo, the rest of the party had
gone smoothly.

She’d tried repeatedly to
get 
Sundra
 alone to warn her about
Anton 
Veretta
, but the opportunity never arose.
She’d have to call her. Trinity had danced a few times, but had tried to beg
off as much as possible. Rush had stayed doggedly by her side, refusing to
leave her for an instant. It meant a lot to her that he’d understood her
apprehension. She’d danced with Hunter and 
Sundra’s
 father.
The highlight of the evening was slipping into Rush’s arms as he’d slowly
twirled them around the floor. It brought back memories of their first night in
Vail.

She, of course, had had to
fend off questions about her father’s quick departure from the party. Several
people had made the connection between 
herselfand
James Franklin, and some even knew some of the details of his death. Rush had
deftly hedged those questions.

She bit her lip to keep
from whimpering against the pain of her migraine. She only prayed she could
make it home without throwing up in Rush’s car. She leaned her head back and
closed her eyes as she clutched her hands together in her lap. With her eyes
closed, she felt the gentle brush of Rush’s fingers against her cheek.

“We’ll be home soon. Just
hang on,” he promised.

How had he known? She
thought she’d hidden it from him. She captured his hand within hers and held it
in appreciation for his concern.

Chapter Six

Sunday morning, Rush woke with Trinity lying against his chest. He
tugged her closer and pressed his lips against her brow. It’d been a long night
with the baby waking up every hour and Trinity’s suffering. And he still needed
to go into the office. She snuggled deeper into him and pressed her lips
against his neck.

“How are you feeling?” he
asked softly, stretching his body luxuriously against her.

Running her hands over his
chest, she whispered against his satiny skin, “Better. This is my favorite
place to be. I wish it could always be like this… just you and me… and Blake,
of course.”

He knew her head was still
filled with vision of the night before. “I know, baby,” he murmured, not really
having any answers for her. He didn’t have the heart to tell her it would
probably get worse before it got better. “I hate to bring this up, but I have
to go into the office today.”

“Again?” she nearly whined.

“I’m sorry. There are
issues I need to resolve in the Cayman Island property. I’ll try not to be too
late.”

“But it’s Sunday.” This
time she completely whined.

“I know. I honestly don’t
have a choice. Trust me when I say I’d much rather stay home with you and the
baby. Do you want me to call Anna to sit with Blake so you can get some rest?
You’ve been up most of the night.”

“So have you. Are you sure it
can’t wait until tomorrow?” she nearly pleaded.

“No, there are things which
need to be done before the banks open tomorrow. I’d put it off if I could. Are
you going to be okay here by yourself?” he asked.

“Of
course.”

Once Rush dressed and left, Trinity heard the thin wails of her
son calling her to him. Moving swiftly to his room, she lifted the tiny bundle
from the bed and cradled him against her chest, cooing and talking to him as
she jiggled him in her arms. She breathed in his sweet baby smell and kissed
his head. This is what she loved the most. It worried her sometimes at how
helpless he was… so small, so vulnerable. She wanted to protect him and keep
him safe. She wanted to ensure he always felt loved and wanted.

After she changed and fed
him, she laid him in her lap, talking and reciting nursery rhymes from her
youth until he fell asleep. After placing him back in his crib, she roamed
around the condo and tided up. She reached up to touch her mother’s locket, but
instead felt the carved surface of the sapphire Rush had given her the night
before. When he’d placed it around her neck he’d said he wanted her to remember
that he loved her right then in that moment. She wished it could be that
simple. Unclasping the necklace, she moved to her jewelry box and laid it
gently inside.

She searched through her
jewelry box for her mother’s locket, but didn’t find it. She searched the
bedside tables and even under the bed. Where had it gone? She thought back
through the sequence of events, then remembered Rush taking it off and slipping
it into the pocket of his tux jacket. Moving quickly to the closet, she slipped
her hand into the jacket pocket, still not finding it. Reaching into the other
pocket, she felt the smooth, round locket. She heaved a sigh of relief and
lifted the locket out.

Something caught on the
chain and fluttered to the floor. Bending, she retrieved the small white card.
It looked like a standard business card with the name Olivia Terry printed in a
fancy script and listed several phone numbers. She flipped the card over and
read, then re-read, the words written with feminine flair:
Once you tire of
playing house, call me
. What the hell did that mean? Old insecurities began
to build inside her. Who was Olivia Terry? And what did she mean to Rush? Was
he already tired of playing house? Was that why he’d kept her card? Was he with
her now? What about all the nights he’d had business which kept him away? What
kind of business had it been? Things had moved along so quickly. What did they
really know about each other? Had there been someone important in his life
before she’d shown up pregnant?

The darkness of her
thoughts made her restless and so she decided she’d been housebound for far too
long. Changing quickly into jeans and a shirt, she fastened Blake into his
stroller and set off to the elevator. She headed down the sidewalk and crossed
over to the park. The sun shone brightly overhead and it reaffirmed her
decision to get out for a little while. She meandered for a couple hours in the
downtown area of Savannah, before making her way back to her apartment.
Whenever her thoughts would stray into her uncertainty about Rush, she
steadfastly pushed them away. Maybe she was burying her head in the sand, but
she didn’t want to even contemplate what it would do to her if he left her now.