Page 46 of His to Save

“Nora, where are you?”

My ears ring and my entire body trembles as visions of Rand busting down the door and dragging me back to his house flash through my mind.

I can’t go back there, I just can’t. I won’t.

Silent sobs rack my body and tears blur my vision as I cradle my belly, waiting for the inevitable…

CHAPTER 15

ATLAS

Only two more hours stand between me and Nora. I’d like to say I haven’t been checking the time religiously, but I’d be lying. I’d also like to say I didn’t send Ellis to check on her, but again, lies.

And now, to add to all of that, I’m obsessively checking my phone for messages, waiting to hear how she is.

Finally, my phone rings.

“How is?—”

“You need to come home,” Ellis says, cutting me off, his words rushed. “Now.”

“10-4.” I put the call on speaker and fire off a text to my chief ranger letting him know I had to leave due to a family emergency and then hightail it to my truck. “But I need you to tell me what’s going on.”

“Well, I came to check on her like you asked, but I guess she didn’t realize it was me and flipped out.”

“Where. Is. She?” I grit out the words, trying to leash my temper. It’s not his fault she got scared, but the urge to lash out is strong. I should have known better. I should have known she’d be scared.

“In your room. I think.”

“What do you meanyou think?” I crank the engine and gun it out of the parking lot.

“The door’s locked.”

“Fuck.” I fly down the service road before turning out onto the main highway and punching it. “I’ll be there in ten.”

“It’s at least a fifteen-minute drive.”

“I’ll be there in fucking ten. Tell your boys if you need to.” I end the call and focus on the road, driving like a madman.

Thankfully, the lunch hour rush is over and there are no cops on my route, allowing me to make it home in record time.

I squeal to a stop in front of the house, throwing my truck into park and killing the engine before marching into the house.

Ellis meets me at the door. “Man, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean?—”

“I know you didn’t.” I wave away his concern as I stalk down the hallway, my sole focus on getting to Nora.

“Nora.” I try my doorknob, but it’s locked, like Ellis said. “It’s me, Pip. It’s Atlas.”

I press my ear to the door, listening for any sign she’s in there, but I don’t hear much of anything.

Reaching overhead to the lip of the door frame, I feel around for the emergency pin lock key. It takes a few tries, but eventually my fingers brush against it. I grab it and shove it in the small hole on the knob, effectively disengaging the lock.

Everything in my room looks as it should—aside from the neatly made bed, which is clearly Nora’s doing. The doors to the closet and bathroom are both shut, but before I can decide which to check first, the sound of muffled crying gives away her location.

Every part of me is screamingget to her now, but I approach the closet slowly. Rushing in would only scare her more. Patience is the name of the game, and I’m playing to win. How could I not be, when Nora’s trust is the prize?

“Pip, it’s me,” I murmur, slowly pulling the door open to reveal Nora huddled in the corner, rocking back and forth as she cries.

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