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Her eyes darted toward the hospital and back to me. “I get that he’s a grown man and chose to take the job. Knowing him, he won’t give up until it’s done. But that doesn’t mean I like it.”
“Got it.”
Ashley’s expression softened, and her shoulders sagged. “Are you okay?”
My lips twitched. “I’m okay. Are you okay?”
“No,” she choked out, her face crumpling. I immediately hugged her tight, and she melted into me. “I was so scared when I got the call, but when I saw him?” Sobs shook her body, making her words broken.
“Shh. I know. I know.”
Her thin arms squeezed me. “Of course you do. You’ve been here more than once with Luca.” She let go, wiping her cheeks. “How do you do it?”
I shrugged, taking a tissue from my purse and handing it to her. “With a lot of wine, and you. You got me through.”
Ashley rolled her eyes and huffed.
“I’m serious. Being with a man like Luca means this kind of thing is always possible, but having you in my corner gives me the strength to keep going. You've never given up on me, and I don’t plan on giving up on you.”
“I don’t like this.” She licked the tears from her lips, her usually cheerful face drawn into a miserable frown.
“Me neither.”
Ashley sniffled. “I better get back in there before he makes another enemy.” She gave me a tight-lipped smile and turned back to the ER.
I watched her walk away, feeling useless as hell. Malcolm and Ashley had a lot to work through. The man worked with a PI, accepted a job from the mob, and he took a beating like it was no big deal. My gut told me this wouldn’t be the last time Malcolm stepped out of bounds.
Ashley was in for more than she expected, and I promised myself that I would be there to help her along the way. Like everything else we’d experienced since college, we’d figure it out together.
