comfortable having Bryce drive you back? I can ask Lexi or Gwen to take you.”
“Bryce will be fine. I don’t think he will hurt me.”
“ If what I’ve seen is any indication, Bryce couldn’t hurt you.”
Ashley just nodded. She didn’t know what the Alpha meant, but he was right. Bryce was safe. His family made her feel comfortable, but Bryce made her feel protected. He cared for her. She was beginning to care for him as well.
9
Bryce was thankful to be going back home. He would have to speak to Drew about getting some female doctors at the Rainer Clinic. Lexi had said Ashley had refused care because the doctors were all men. Faith had been a godsend. Ashley sat in the passenger seat. Her head rested against the window as she stared into space.
“Are you speaking to me?” Bryce asked as they started the long drive.
“I didn’t say anything,” Ashley said swinging her gaze to the man in the driver’s seat. She wondered what it was about Bryce that made him feel safe.
“No , you didn’t say anything. I was asking if you were still speaking to me. I figured you’d probably tell me where to go once we were alone.”
“ No, I’m glad you called them. I guess I needed someone like your sister to talk some sense into me.”
“Ashley , I …” Bryce stopped mid-sentence. What was he going to say? I like you. I need to know what tests you had to have before I go crazy. “I... I’m hungry. How about you?”
“I could eat.”
“You up for fast food? We don’t even have to stop.”
“Sure.” She had a sneaking suspicion that food was not really what he wanted to say. Ashley was trying to smile . Bryce was really trying to make her feel more comfortable.
Ashley sat quietly as they edged into the takeout line when her cell phone rang. “It’s probably your uncle or aunt,” Bryce said flashing a killer smile. He was really one of the most handsome men that she had ever seen.
Ashley looked at the caller ID and panicked. “What who is it?”
“ It’s… it’s a friend.”
“ A friend?” Bryce asked pulling out of line and off to the side.
“ Yeah. She’s someone I grew up with, Yasmin.”
“Are you going to answer it?”
“Should I?”
“Yes. See what she has to say. Maybe she’s just worried about you.”
Ashley nodded . Yasmin had been with her the night she was attacked. Of course, she was worried. Ashley had disappeared the next day.
Pushing the accept button, she put the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
“Ash , is that you? Please tell me it’s you.”
“It’s me Yas.”
“Oh god, honey, are you alright?”
“No Y as, I’m not alright.”
“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t help. I just...”
“There was nothing you could have done.”
“Yes there was. I was a coward. I’m trying to make it up to you, Ashley. Bane has sent Dan and Julian to look for you.”
“What !” Bryce’s chest felt like someone had stomped on it. He could hear the woman clearly in the confines of the car. Bane was making his move. “Who are Dan and Julian?” he snapped.
“They are the men that were with Richard that night,” she choked.
“Ashley , who is that? Where are you?” Ashley didn’t respond. She loved Yasmin. They had grown up together, but she didn’t trust her enough to tell her where she was. For all she knew, Bane was listening in.
“I’m nowhere, Yas. When did they leave?”
“Bane sent them out this morning to look for you. I couldn’t call then. There were too many people around. From what I hear, he told them to bring you back alive, or not come back at all.”
“Sounds like him. Thanks for the warning.”
“Ashl ey, be careful.”
“I will,” Ashley hung up on her friend . If this wasn’t a set up, then Yasmin had risked a lot just calling her.
“Ashley , honey, are you okay?” Bryce asked softly leaning into the girl. He was fighting the overwhelming urge to haul
“Bryce will be fine. I don’t think he will hurt me.”
“ If what I’ve seen is any indication, Bryce couldn’t hurt you.”
Ashley just nodded. She didn’t know what the Alpha meant, but he was right. Bryce was safe. His family made her feel comfortable, but Bryce made her feel protected. He cared for her. She was beginning to care for him as well.
9
Bryce was thankful to be going back home. He would have to speak to Drew about getting some female doctors at the Rainer Clinic. Lexi had said Ashley had refused care because the doctors were all men. Faith had been a godsend. Ashley sat in the passenger seat. Her head rested against the window as she stared into space.
“Are you speaking to me?” Bryce asked as they started the long drive.
“I didn’t say anything,” Ashley said swinging her gaze to the man in the driver’s seat. She wondered what it was about Bryce that made him feel safe.
“No , you didn’t say anything. I was asking if you were still speaking to me. I figured you’d probably tell me where to go once we were alone.”
“ No, I’m glad you called them. I guess I needed someone like your sister to talk some sense into me.”
“Ashley , I …” Bryce stopped mid-sentence. What was he going to say? I like you. I need to know what tests you had to have before I go crazy. “I... I’m hungry. How about you?”
“I could eat.”
“You up for fast food? We don’t even have to stop.”
“Sure.” She had a sneaking suspicion that food was not really what he wanted to say. Ashley was trying to smile . Bryce was really trying to make her feel more comfortable.
Ashley sat quietly as they edged into the takeout line when her cell phone rang. “It’s probably your uncle or aunt,” Bryce said flashing a killer smile. He was really one of the most handsome men that she had ever seen.
Ashley looked at the caller ID and panicked. “What who is it?”
“ It’s… it’s a friend.”
“ A friend?” Bryce asked pulling out of line and off to the side.
“ Yeah. She’s someone I grew up with, Yasmin.”
“Are you going to answer it?”
“Should I?”
“Yes. See what she has to say. Maybe she’s just worried about you.”
Ashley nodded . Yasmin had been with her the night she was attacked. Of course, she was worried. Ashley had disappeared the next day.
Pushing the accept button, she put the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
“Ash , is that you? Please tell me it’s you.”
“It’s me Yas.”
“Oh god, honey, are you alright?”
“No Y as, I’m not alright.”
“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t help. I just...”
“There was nothing you could have done.”
“Yes there was. I was a coward. I’m trying to make it up to you, Ashley. Bane has sent Dan and Julian to look for you.”
“What !” Bryce’s chest felt like someone had stomped on it. He could hear the woman clearly in the confines of the car. Bane was making his move. “Who are Dan and Julian?” he snapped.
“They are the men that were with Richard that night,” she choked.
“Ashley , who is that? Where are you?” Ashley didn’t respond. She loved Yasmin. They had grown up together, but she didn’t trust her enough to tell her where she was. For all she knew, Bane was listening in.
“I’m nowhere, Yas. When did they leave?”
“Bane sent them out this morning to look for you. I couldn’t call then. There were too many people around. From what I hear, he told them to bring you back alive, or not come back at all.”
“Sounds like him. Thanks for the warning.”
“Ashl ey, be careful.”
“I will,” Ashley hung up on her friend . If this wasn’t a set up, then Yasmin had risked a lot just calling her.
“Ashley , honey, are you okay?” Bryce asked softly leaning into the girl. He was fighting the overwhelming urge to haul
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