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With a muttered curse he returned to the table where Brittany, Jace and Bethany all looked up at him Concern immediately flashed in their eyes His expression rim for them to have picked up on his mood so quickly
"I’o Brittany, I’ll make it up to you soon Pro, and please, all of you finish your dinner I’ll see you all later"
As he turned to walk away, Jace called out to hi okay?"
Ash sent him a look he knew Jace would pick up on He’d know it had to do with Josie, and he’d understand Jace nodded once and then turned back to the wo theh of relief and knowing he owed Jace for taking over, he picked up the phone to call for his driver If Josie was going to the gallery, she’d probably go right back home since she hadn’t been anywhere else in the last several days He’d take care of buying the art she’d taken in later, but right noas going to be at her apart to have a serious come-to-Jesus moh of relief as the cab pulled to a stop at the corner of the cross street her apartment was on She hadn’t wanted to venture out at all, but she’d wanted to getWhile the money from the sale of her previous works would tide her over for the next few et more to him so the buyer wouldn’t lose interest or think she didn’t have anything else to offer
As she paid her fare and stepped out of the cab, she self-consciously put a hand to her bruised cheek and winced when her fingers brushed over the corner of her mouth where her lip had been split Head down, she hurried down the sidewalk toward her apart to be back inside and out of view of anyone
Though she had nothing to be ashamed of, she still felt embarrassed over what had happened Shocked Completely and utterly shocked that Michael had co that had never happened before She was still in disbelief over it all She should have pressed charges She should have done a lot of things, but she’d been too numb to take it all in So instead she’d sequestered herself in her studio apartment and worked feverishly to take her mind off the events of the last week
She knew she owed Ash a response An explanation So, but how could she go to him with bruises inflicted by a man who’d been her dohable now He wasn’t a true doo trip for him He’d become someone completely different thetheir relationship HerAsh at all, not that she’d called hiive her the things another man had promised her
Now she wasn’t so certain What if Ash was no better? She knew next to nothing about him She’d been ready to commit, had actually made up her mind to call him the same day Michael had come to her apartment After that fiasco, she’d harbored doubts and self-preservation had kicked in
If Ash was more intense than Michael--and it was evident he definitely was--then could she expect the same kind of treatment at his hands? Or even worse?
Her head spun with the possibilities and she knew she was in no ee decision To place her trust, her well-being, her entire self into the hands of aover her decision, going back and forth
The fact was, she was afraid And that fear had prevented her fro his proposition And she hated that fear It wasn’t how she wanted to live her life orthat huge step in trusting another man who could very well turn out just like Michael
She heaved an unhappy sigh and reached into her pocket to retrieve the keys to her apartment Her head was still dohen she reached the steps and she saw an expensive pair of shoes directly above the first step leading down to her door
Startled, she glanced up to see Ash standing there As he looked her over, fury blazed in his eyes and she took an instinctive step backward
"What the hell happened to you?" he de from him in waves Gone was any see ball of pissed-off alpha male
"Please, not here," she whispered "I just want to go inside Let me by and then leave"
His expression of complete what the fuck rasped her shoulders, his grip firainst her skin, but not pressing into her flesh
"I want to knoho the fuck did this to you," he growled
Her shoulders sagged and she nearly dropped the keys that dangled precariously frorip and then pushed her chin upward
"Let h clenched teeth
To her surprise, he dropped his hands and let her go down the steps, but he followed closely behind, giving her no option to go in and shut the door to prevent his entry
She sighed as she unlocked her door and pushed it open She felt better the hable that she felt safe here after what had happened with Michael But now that she knew just what he was capable of, she’d neverhim within a mile of her
She dropped her purse by the door and walked into her tiny living area Ash closed the door, sliding the deadbolt into place, and then he too entered her living room A room that suddenly see at her, his gaze relentless as he did a thorough up-and-down of her body, stopping once again on the bruise on her cheek
His eyes grew cold and she shivered
"I haven’t heard frouiltily and lowered her gaze, not wanting him to see all she wanted to hide
"And now I’ there was a reason you haven’t called aze
"Josie, look at me"
His voice was soft Gentle even But it was definitely not a request It was a command One she felt compelled to obey
Slowly she lifted her head so their eyes met
"Who did this to you?"
Gone was the gentleness, replaced by an edge of steel to his tone His entire body vibrated with fury and it made her hesitant to tell hierous or perhaps char in front of her right here, right now, looked capable of terrible things