While he’d been talking, Jordan Googled Dare Nation on her phone. “A sports agency?”
Linc nodded. “Owned and run by Austin Prescott. He used to be a pro football player. I had the PI do some digging, and it turns out Aurora has been staying with a woman who is close to another Prescott brother and the rest of the family. So if I want to find out about my sister, I need to start with Austin Prescott, Aurora’s boss.”
Jordan nodded in understanding.
“I made an appointment to see him. I don’t want to spring myself on Aurora, so I’ll start with Prescott and see what he can tell me about my sister.”
The car stopped at a gate for Max to talk to a security guard. Linc handed over his ID and Jordan did the same, a necessity at Teterboro, the main private jet airport for New York City. The airport itself was located in New Jersey.
“We’ve arrived,” Max said as the car came to a stop in front of the main building.
“Thanks, Max,” Jordan said.
“Thank you.” Linc climbed out of the car and helped her out as Max pulled their luggage from the trunk.
They checked in at the desk inside and headed immediately out to the tarmac to board their jet.
Jordan didn’t know what awaited Linc when they reached Florida, but she was glad to be by his side when he found out.
Chapter Three
Linc braced himself as he and Jordan pulled into the parking lot of Dare Nation in the Ford Mustang convertible Jordan had rented for them. He appreciated both her practical and fun sides and enjoyed the convertible in the warmth of Miami. It was a nice change from New York, which still had cooler temperatures.
Jordan had enjoyed it as well, her face tipped up to the sun and the wind as they drove. Having her by his side calmed him, but the closer he’d come to their destination, the more rattled his nerves.
He turned off the engine and faced Jordan. “Ready?”
She treated him to a reassuring smile. “Whenever you are.”
Drawing a deep breath, he nodded and stepped out of the car, walking around to her door and helping her out.
A few minutes later, they were led to a desk where a beautiful woman with black hair and red lipstick sat.
“Can I help you?” she asked, looking from him to Jordan.
“We have an appointment with Austin Prescott,” Linc said.
“Mr. Kingston?”
He nodded. “And this is Jordan Greene, my personal assistant.”
“Hello,” Jordan said.
The woman smiled. “I’m Quinn Stone. It’s nice to meet you both.” She picked up the phone beside her on the desk and tapped one button. “Austin? Mr. Kingston is here to see you along with his assistant, Jordan Greene.” She listened and hung up, glancing at them. “You can go right in.”
Linc gestured for Jordan to precede him and stepped forward, opening the door to the office behind the desk. They walked inside, and a tall, muscular man who’d obviously once been an NFL player, a wide receiver for the Miami Thunder, greeted them.
“Mr. Kingston, Ms. Greene. Welcome.”
“Please, call me Linc.” They shook hands and Jordan did the same.
“Have a seat. Can I get either of you a drink?” He indicated the bar in the corner of the room.
Jordan shook her head. “No, thank you.”
“I’m good, thanks,” Linc said.
“Before you tell me why you’re here, I have a question.” Austin spoke as he strode around his desk. “I have a cousin in Florida who is married to Grey Kingston. He used to be the lead guitarist for the band Tangled Royal. Now he’s more of a songwriter. Any relation?”
Linc shook his head and laughed. “No, but my brother is Dash Kingston, also a musician, so we’re asked that a lot. Mere coincidence.”
Austin nodded. “Just curious. Now let’s take a seat and you can tell me why you’re here. He lowered himself into his chair. “I have to admit when I heard you wanted to see me, I was intrigued. I’m aware of you … well, your family company by reputation.”
In other words, he’d taken the appointment due to Linc’s name. He could live with that.
Once he and Jordan were settled in chairs across from Austin, he replied. “I came to talk to you about someone who works here. Aurora Michaels.”
“What about her?” Austin asked. He didn’t flinch or otherwise react, which told Linc what a good negotiator the man must be.
Linc hated discussing personal issues with anyone, let alone strangers, and he resented having to lay out his family skeletons to this man. “I’d really rather tell Aurora myself.”
“Yet you came to me first, not her. Why?” Austin pinned him with a direct glare.
Linc sat up straighter in his seat. “Because I’d rather not shock her with news until I learn more about her. I already know she has a relationship with your family, which is why I’m here talking to you.”
Austin nodded. Picking up a pen, he rolled it between his palms. “My family is very protective of her, so you’re going to have to be more specific about what you want.”
Linc gripped the arms of his chair. “You do realize I could walk out this door and call out her name to find her?” he asked, annoyed at being stonewalled.
Jordan put a brief calming hand on his arm, and he forced himself to relax and think. He wanted answers and this man had them. If he was to learn about his sister before meeting her, he had no choice but to open up.
“Fine. I recently discovered Aurora is my half-sister courtesy of my father.”
This time Austin didn’t hide his shock. “She grew up in foster care and you’re just here now? Where was your parent all these years?”
“My father was a bastard,” Linc said. And he proceeded to fill Austin in on everything from finding the checks, the surprise bank account, to ultimately tracking down Aurora’s mother and then Aurora herself. He had no choice.
The whole time he spoke, Austin rolled his pen, and Jordan subtly slipped her hand back onto Linc’s arm. Though he could handle Austin, having her here gave him peace and the strength to dig in to his ugly family truths.
“Jesus,” Austin said when Linc had finished his story. “A bastard is right. And Aurora’s mother? What kind of human being abandons her child?”
Linc swallowed hard. “My thoughts exactly, which is why I want to fix things.”
“So you’re here to meet your sister?” Austin asked.
Linc nodded. “Is Aurora here now?” Anticipation built inside him at the prospect of seeing her.
Austin met his gaze. “She’s out to lunch with my sister, Brianne.”
Linc was disappointed. “I see.”
“My brother Braden and his friend Willow have basically taken Aurora in. Made her part of the family. She means a lot to us.”
“I’m glad she found good people to help her after the way she grew up, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for her. But I want to do the same thing. Make her a part of our family and bring her home to New York.” To make her feel welcome.
“And I want to check out your story before we drop this bomb on her.”
Linc ground his teeth in annoyance. “I flew down here to meet her. Now you’re asking me to wait? It’s not like she’s your sister. What gives you the right to make decisions for her?” He rose up from his seat, and Jordan stood, grabbing his arm.