At any rate, he’d given her all the time he was going to. As soon as this fucking meeting ended, he was out of here. He was going to Josie’s apartment and would get on his knees if he had to. Whatever it took to get her back home. To their apartment. In his arms and in his bed. And then he was never going to let her go again.
His phone vibrated and he glanced down, his heart clenching when he saw it was Josie calling. Without saying a word, he abruptly got up and walked out of the meeting, the phone already to his ear.
“Josie? Baby?” he cut in before she could even say anything.
There was a long silence and at first he thought she’d hung up. But then he heard it and the sound froze his blood. A low whimper. Of pain. His heart dropped into his stomach.
“Josie, talk to me,” he demanded. “What’s wrong? Where are you?”
“Ash . . .”
His name came out barely a whisper and it was obvious that she was in a lot of pain.
“I’m here, baby. Tell me what’s happened. Where are you?”
“Need you,” she whispered. “Hurt. It’s bad.”
Panic froze him in place. He couldn’t think, couldn’t act, couldn’t process anything but the agony in her voice.
“Where are you?” he demanded.
“Apartment.”
“I’m on my way, baby. Hold tight, okay? I’ll be there in just a minute.”
He turned in the hallway, having gotten no farther than the door where the meeting was being held and ran solidly into Gabe.
“What’s wrong?” Gabe demanded. “I heard you on the phone with Josie. What’s happened?”
“I don’t know,” Ash choked out. “She’s hurt. I have to go. She’s at her apartment.”
“Come on. I’ll go with you,” Gabe said grimly, even as he started striding down the hall toward the elevators.
Not arguing, Ash ran after him, his heart beating like a hammer.
“Did she say what happened?” Gabe asked when they’d gotten into the car.
“No,” Ash clipped out. “Fuck!”
“It’s okay, man. We’ll get to her. She’ll be okay. You have to believe that.”
“You said Mia and Bethany had lunch with her. Have you heard from Mia? What could possibly have happened? They can’t have finished that long ago.”
Gabe paled and then immediately dialed Mia’s number.
“Are you okay?” Gabe asked bluntly.
Then his shoulders sagged in relief. Mia must be fine. But Josie wasn’t. What the fuck could have happened?
“When did you and Bethany leave Josie?” Gabe asked.
He listened a moment and then said good-bye without telling Mia anything about Josie.
“Well?” Ash demanded, silently urging the driver to go faster. They were already driving recklessly.
“She said Josie walked back to her apartment after they had lunch. That was an hour ago.”
Ash closed his eyes. He should have kept a man on her. What if Michael had gotten to her? He’d refused to put anyone on her, not wanting to upset her even more than she already was. He’d promised her space and now that space had cost her.