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Visions of Nellie lying unconscious somewhere assaulted him, and he practically sprinted His mom’s words ca that went out into the casino With his heart nearly punching at his chest, he cursed hisfor hiht; then ultimately his ultimate dream come true, a chance at the title, she’d sat him down and told his in life couldn’t be bought She told him that while she didn’t believe as some people did that money was the root of all evil, she knew it couldn’t fix everything either There were sos that eventhe knot at his throat and his eyes begin to blur, he hated that Hector was right behind hi to fking lose it She’d nearly gone white that one with his gut and forced her to leave with hi the door open, he pushed through the crowd even as some of them called out his name or stared at hie, which he barked at to ot to the private corridor that led to his elevator

"Wait up," Hector called out, and Abel could hear his brother running behind hih He explained briefly to Hector as going on and hoas hoping to find a clue to where she’d gone in his suite Then he ran out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened Rushing through every roo to start hyperventilating any minute now

"Calm down, dude" Hector said as they both ran into the front rooonna help us She’s probably so out from the press" Abel must’ve looked as terrified as he felt because Hector stared at hi very concerned "Just relax Shit" He looked around toward the bar "Have a shot, Abel You’re freaking out on me"

Normally Abel would say "hell no" to the shot But the way he felt now, he needed it badly "Pour ain

Feeling completely helpless now because he had no idea what to do next, he called Noah "What happened with the hospitals?"

"She’s not been ad her calls to further hospitals"

Abel took the shot that Hector handed him as he reached the bar area "Well, she’s not here" Both knots in his sto with every moment that passed "I don’t knohat else to do, Noah"

"Maybe she is just hiding out, ive it a couple of hours"

Hours? Was he nuts? He took the shot, wincing as it went down his throat "Damn," his face soured instantly "What was that?"

"I don’t know," Hector laughed "It was in one of the fancier bottles at the bar"

Abel told Noah to call hian He dared not turn on the television and watch all the stuff that would reered another one of Nellie’s attacks

"You want another shot?" Hector offered

Shaking his head, Abel pulled out his phone to check it again He felt guilty that he had yet another call froood a tis, and it would certainly kill some time because she’d for sure keep hiht now He was so fking scared that he hoped hearing her voice would so it, but asin his heart feared the worst

Deep inside, he knew there was so He didn’t knohat it was, but if he didn’t get a grip, hehis fists into walls in a desperate need to calm himself

Hector spent his time on the phone with Charlee while Abel talked to theirto explain about the scandal He hated talking about it, but when he’d told hiswhere she was and about her asth, he had to leave the rooht break down, and he didn’t want to do it in front of Hector

"I just have this really bad feeling, Ma" He couldn’t go on because he was so choked up

"Okay, Mijo, let’s pray," she said, i today than I have my whole life God and I have a direct line now"

Abel smiled weakly and listened as his hter-in-law, to be fine She assured Abel that everything would be okay and made him promise that he would think positively "Always positive, Abel The way I did today, even after you were knocked down Okay," she admitted, "so I turned off the TV, and for one, but then I remembered Positive And I prayed sootten off the phone with his mom and had splashed some water on his face when he turned off the faucet and heard Noah’s voice in the front rooainst his chest Any ounce of hope that he had good neas gone the ri to track her down because she was under another naht to check under her ht not want to check in under her name because of the scandal"