"Daddy, hug, the baby is scared, there are bad guys who want to hurt the baby…" Sophie Foster curled up in Nicholas Croft's arms, shrinking her shoulders in fear. Through the thin fabric of his shirt, Nicholas could clearly feel her body trembling.
He lowered his gaze, and what entered his eyes was a face—no, eleven faces—of terror and innocence, her mouth pouting in grievance, pressed against his chest, saying something…
Nicholas Croft knew his Lara was treating herself as the baby. He lifted his big hand to cover her head, gently stroking as he soothed her softly, "Baby, don't be afraid. Daddy's here, Daddy will protect you…"
He'd thought this kind of comfort would make the woman in his arms feel safe, but to his surprise, the woman suddenly pushed him away like a madwoman and raised her hand to slap him. The slap landed squarely on Nicholas Croft's handsome face—not very hard, but it tugged at his heart so much it hurt there instead.
