SAFE (Escape #2)

Chapter Sixteen

I'd been broody all day. My employees had stayed as far away from me as possible when I snapped after the second time Bradley came to get a confirmation of something from me. There was no reason for it but everyone realised that I wasn't in the mood for company so no one bothered me and did their own thing. Thankful, I sighed for the fiftieth time and ran my hand over my wet face as the water from the shower head in the gym, rained down from the top of my head down to the rest of my body.

I got no sleep the night before, whatsoever. Every time I tried to close my eyes, Ava flashed in my mind and then Blackwell followed close after. My head and heart didn't seem to want to accept the fact that she was actually going through with it and was in Manhattan—back in the city where everything went horribly wrong for her.

After the conversation I had in the morning with her, I gathered that she was in good spirits yet I didn't miss the slight undertone of apprehension in her voice. Nina on the other hand, she was squealing in the background about a shopping spree after the trip to the hospital. I was gratified to her for being there as support and also, to keep Ava uplifted. It wasn't a secret that Ava was scared to see the state that Blackwell would be in. And I had no doubt that after seeing him, she'd be leaving that hospital, probably feeling a little anger towards me but mostly hurt. Hurt for Blackwell lying beaten—which the thought of was even bizarre to me—and hurt that I could be capable of something so wrong.

Locking up the gym early, I drove to my apartment with an odd feeling settled in my stomach. As I stepped in the elevator of my apartment building, my phone rang startling me. Pulling it out of the back pocket of my sweats, I answered after reading Kade's name on the screen.

"Yeah?"

"Ava called you yet, bro?"

Immediately, my heart lurched up and I anticipated that something was wrong. "No. Why? Is she okay? Did something happen?"

"Lincoln, man, calm down. I was just checking because I got a few calls from Nina that I missed about an hour ago and now I've tried calling her, she isn't picking up."

"Oh." I didn't breathe a sigh of relief yet, because I still felt like something wasn't right. "She didn't leave you a message?"

"No, she didn't. I'm not worried though. They're probably out having a girl day or something so you should relax too, man. Stop sounding like you're about to discover a murder."

"Don't say shit like that, Kade." I snapped—not even slightly amused with the joke.

"Jesus, you're wrung up. Seriously, take a Xanax and chill the fuck out."

I sighed as the elevator pinged open, knowing I needed to stop being so edgy but there was no point because I couldn't calm down until Ava was safe, back home and in my arms. "It's almost five. That means they should have visited and left the hospital ages ago." I wondered out loud trying to unlock the door to my apartment with a marginally shaking hand. "She should have called. I haven't heard from her since ten a.m., this morning."

"Did you try calling her?"

"No. I'll call her now." I told Kade, slipping the gym bag off my shoulder. Rogue ran to me from down the hallway and yapped loudly nudging his head against my legs.

"Alright, cool. I think Nina's phone might be dead or something because it's unlike her not to answer it. That girl never puts the thing down, so text me and let me know the deal."