Take Me Down (Suits in Pursuit) (2 page)

After returning to the loft’s main living area, Ashley slid on a pair of flip-flops. She grabbed the keys and Copper’s leash from the wooden console table. Releasing Copper from the crate, she scooped him up and exited the apartment.

She always used her knuckles to punched elevator buttons. Hundreds of thousands of filthy fingertips came into contact with those archaic buttons, including those of Paul and his little skank. Ashley pressed a hand to her belly. The thought made her stomach revolt. “Dirty knuckles,” she muttered and rubbed the back of her hand on her pants.

The elevator ride to the building’s lobby didn’t take long. At least the oversized tin can didn’t lodge between floors today. She could skip her typical breathless sprint down nine flights with Copper tucked under one arm.

A quick flick of the wrist, she waved to Carl, the door attendant who always wore headphones, head bopping to the beat. The twitch in his jaw hinted at a smile. He didn’t lift his head or wave back. Ashley nudged the old rickety doors of the Carlisle, forced them open, and stepped outside. She dialed the number and then pushed a button on her hands-free earpiece.

“Hello,” the winded husky male voice answered.

“Hey, Axel. This is Ash. Is Kerri home?”

“Hi.” He paused. “Uh, yeah. Hold on a minute.” His exaggerated sigh didn’t faze her.

Ashley’s Yorkie circled brightly lit lampposts and yipped at strangers strolling down the dark sidewalk in front of her apartment building. She tugged Copper’s leash. Understandably, he was more hyper than was usual.

A small breathless voice whispered in her ear. “Hey, Ash. You never call this late. What’s going on? Are you okay?”

Kerrigan didn’t sound like herself. “Kerri, did I catch you at a bad time?” Ashley
’
s eyes stretched wide, and her jaw dropped. “Oh. No. You and Axel are fu...” Ashley halted her words as she caught the crumpled frown of a craggy old woman who resembled Maxine, sprung to life from the cover of a Hallmark greeting card. “Oh. God. You are screwing.” Ashley stared brazenly and rolled her eyes at the old hag who stood at the building’s entrance, puffing on a cigarette. She imagined the woman, like the Carlisle building, must have been beautiful once. “I’m sorry I called after ten. I forgot married people with an infant only have sex at night. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Kerrigan let out a guilty giggle. “Ash! You know I’m always here for you. Let’s talk now. What’s wrong?” Ashley heard Axel grumbling in the background.

“Kerri, go take care of your man. Axel is still my boss. You don’t have to deal with him at work now that you’re off running your boutique. I don’t need your grumpy husband after me on Monday.”

Kerrigan laughed again. “Don’t worry about Axel. I’ve already taken care of him. We can talk now. Do you want me to come over?”

Ashley let out a sigh, and tears pooled in her eyes. “Oh, Kerri. My life is a mess, and… and… I… shit!” The leash slipped from her clammy fingers.

In a frenzied rush, Ashley bolted down the sidewalk, her legs carrying her as fast as she could move them. “Copper, come back! No, no! Oh my God. No! Copper!” Her smartphone crashed to the sidewalk, the face cracked, and the device landed on the concrete.

Ashley held her breath. She watched Copper dash into the road, cross to the other side, and scamper down a dark alley. His bark faded into silence. She loved Copper, but she knew better than to chase him into an alley at that hour of the night. The last time he escaped, she found him the next morning scurrying in front of the building, waiting for her to appear.

She retrieved the battered phone. “Hello. Kerri, can you hear me?”

Nothing. Three minutes and counting displayed on the screen indicated a connected call, but there was utter silence. Out of breath, tears trailed across Ashley’s cheeks, and tangled hair whipped across her face. She clutched her sides and bawled like a two-year-old whose favorite toy had been snatched away. If anyone deserved to have a mental breakdown at ten thirty on a Wednesday night on Peachtree Street, she did.

With rapid steps, Ashley paced up and down the block. “I can’t believe this is my life,” she muttered under her breath, helpless like a sailor adrift a tattered raft and without the mental strength to plan next steps. Attempting to skirt a man who jogged past her, their shoulders grazed and she nearly fell. The jogger didn’t stop or offer an apology.

“Excuse you, asshole.”

She trailed behind the man, quickened her gait to a stride. The jogger raised a hand and presented his one-fingered salute over his shoulder. His legs carried him full sprint. The red, five-fingered hand halted her pursuit at the end of the block as the crosswalk signal changed. Two lanes of idling cars were the great divide between Ashley and her assailant.

From the opposite side of the road with his chest puffed out, he yelled, “Lunatic,” and then continued on his way.

Ashley’s heart pounded in her chest. She glared at the man’s back getting smaller and smaller until he vanished into the night. Breathless, she limped back to the front of the Carlisle building and leaned over, open palms pressed against her knees.

Two minutes later, Ashley’s shallow breathing returned to normal and she stood up. She moved her hand to her tear-stained face and wiped the moisture away. Suddenly a warm sensation blanketed her right shoulder.

Ashley jumped. “Ah!” She whirled around, arm arched back and ready to throw a punch. “You can’t rob someone on one of the shittiest days of their life! I don’t have any damn money.”

The stranger snatched his masculine hand away and stepped back. Slowly her eyes settled on his Nike sneakers, crawled up his navy jogging pants to a muscular chest and then landed on a face so perfect that she had to lift her jaw up from the sidewalk.

“Miss, I’m not going to hurt you. Are you okay?” The handsome stranger’s voice soothed her fear.

She stared into his gray eyes.
Gorgeous.
“Yes, I’m okay. I’ve just had a bad day. Thanks.”

“Me too.” His eyes were dark and sunken. “Do you live in this building?” He pointed at the towering Carlisle building behind them.

She gave a cautious half nod.

“I was watching you. Saw you hunched over. I thought you might need some help.”

“Well, that’s a little creepy,” she blurted out.

He frowned, wrinkled his brow. “You’re welcome,” he said with a smirk.

His snappy quip triggered Ashley. “Maybe you should mind your own business. I’m not a damsel in distress who needs rescuing. If I want to cry or scream in the middle of the night, that’s none of your business.”

The stranger’s eyes widened, and he took a step back. “It is my business when there’s a crazy woman chasing people down the block and throwing a tantrum in front of my building.”

Ashley’s hand mounted her hip. “You don’t own the building. I live here too. I can stand here. I’ll cry whenever I want. Asshole!”

“I do…” He paused midsentence. Waved a dismissive hand. “Forget it. Good-night, miss. Obviously you’re the source of your own problems.” The pesky stranger turned and stalked away, giving her a final glance, and he tossed the Dogfish Head beer bottle into the trash bin and then disappeared into the building.

Before he could punch the elevator button, Sebastian’s cell phone rang. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes and release a sigh that accompanied the gesture. “Hello, Garrett. I know why you’re calling.”

“Good. How soon will the proposal be ready?”

Sebastian huffed. “Couldn’t this wait until morning?”

“Probably, but I’m worried. I don’t trust Stephen, and neither should you. You missed the meeting today, and the board is becoming impatient.”

His voice rose. “You do remember who I am?” Sebastian circled the small, dingy lobby, shaking his head at mucky carpet stains that trailed from the entrance to the elevator. “Stop worrying. I have a plan,” he said, his voice returning to a natural cadence. Glancing through the large lobby window, Sebastian eyed the Chinese restaurant across the street. “Some of the people who live here…” He paused, his encounter with the ranting woman still fresh on his mind. Her small frame curved in all the right places. Too bad she’d opened her mouth. “I have my work cut out for me, but yes, I do have a plan.”

Harsh light filtered into the living room and pried Ashley’s tired swollen eyes open. She lay in the streaming daylight, empty sorrow ripping her heart in two. A loud banging at her front door jolted her into an upright position. Both pieces of her torn heart hammered. She froze. Paul would be the last person she wanted to see. She lifted herself up from the sofa where she had fallen asleep last night. One step, two steps, three steps, and slowly she made her way to the peephole.

“Who’s there?” Her strong voice didn’t give away her frayed nerves.

The knot in Ashley’s stomach loosened when she peered into the world on the other side of her door.

“Hey, Ash. It’s Kerri. Open the door.”

Ashley twisted the knob, and the door opened. Kerrigan shoved her way past, whirled in, and glanced around at Ashley’s disheveled apartment. Kerrigan hopscotched across the room toward the kitchen, avoiding a shattered wineglass and the remnants of Ashley’s cell phone scattered on the floor.

Nearly stumbling on top of an overturned stool, Kerrigan paused her steps and grabbed the edge of the breakfast bar for support. “What happened last night?” She spun around, leaned down, and grabbed Ashley’s shoe dangling the stiletto in the air by its snapped heel. “Ash, are you okay?” Her nose crinkled as her eyes landed on Ashley.

Ashley clutched her stomach. “Nothing.” She shook her head. “I kicked Paul’s sorry ass out. I caught him in my bed with some random chick. I can’t sleep on that bed. I want to burn the whole freaking mattress.”

“You were yelling and screaming last night, and then our call disconnected. I tried to call you back, but you didn’t answer. I was worried about you.”

Ashley lowered her gaze. “Sorry.” Her shaky voice pitched. “I took Copper out last night, and he broke lose. When I went after him, I dropped my new phone. Broke it. No insurance. My life is awesome.” Ashley sneered and then rolled her eyes.

Heat rushed to her cheeks. “Only I could lose a man and my dog in an hour. Honestly, I’m more upset about Copper’s running away. You know how much I love that little fur ball.” Her anger being so intense raised her temperature ten degrees. Ashley dabbed her forehead, drying light perspiration.

Kerrigan reached out and wrapped Ashley in her arms. “Oh, Ash. I am so sorry.”

Ashley sobbed on Kerrigan’s shoulder.

“You’re better off without Paul in your life. You and him, the whole relationship, was toxic. You’re a knockout—absolutely gorgeous. Smart. Sassy. Any man worth anything and with half a brain would be lucky to have you. You deliberately put yourself into relationships with jerks to avoid getting too close. Is this about Chris?”

Ashley squirmed out from Kerrigan’s embrace. “Damn you, Kerri. That’s not fair. You can say whatever you want, but you know talking about Chris is off-limits.” Dragging heavy feet, Ashley dawdled into the kitchen. She sank into a chair at the round glass table.

Kerrigan followed and sat next to her at the kitchen table. “Ash, I’m your best friend and nothing I say is ever meant to hurt you. You need to let him go. It’s been six years.” Her voice softened, and tender eyes met Ashley’s.

Ashley squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back conflicted emotions. She inhaled a deep breath. “I know you’re right. I’m trying.” Sharing her vulnerability, even with Kerrigan, had been rare and difficult.

“Take a long weekend, go on an exotic trip. I’d go with you if I could leave my family, but Alexa is so young she needs me.” Kerrigan consoled Ashley, patting her hand with graceful fingers.

Ashley’s gaze landed on Kerrigan’s wedding ring. The massive diamond probably had its own atmosphere. Envy stung her eyes again. “You have a different life now—husband, baby, your own boutique. I get that. Kerri, you know I’m happy for you.” She stared at the photo deliberately placed at eye level where she could see him whenever she sat at the table. “Chris and I always talked about going…”

Kerrigan shifted in her seat and took Ashley’s stiff hands into hers. “Ash, Chris is gone. You had a wonderful life with him. If he were still alive, I know he’d want you to be happy. You need liberation from the past, from him—a new happiness.”