There wasn’t going to be a contract. I didn’t do business with women I fucked.
I turned from the room, closing the door.
“Thanks, Eileen. I’ll be in the office—”
My eyes landed on the breaking news banner flashing on the screen. There was a special news report.
I reached for the remote, listening to each word. Confused. Numbed with shock. It was as if there was a buzzing sound coming from their mouths and not actual English.
I saw the pictures. The chaos. Flashing lights and sirens blaring.
“Actress Abi Lawrence has been rushed to L.A.’s Saint Simmons Medical Center. Authorities say her attacker is still on the loose and should be considered armed and dangerous. We are waiting for Lawrence’s spokesperson to update us on her condition. We can confirm she was shot this morning as she exited her gym in Hollywood. Witnesses at the scene say there was blood, and the beloved actress was unconscious.
“There is a second victim in the attack. We’re awaiting details while this story develops. Miss Lawrence was recently nominated as Best Actress for her role in Under Water Love.”
I blinked, scanning the news scroll. I saw her name. I saw the blood splatters on the sidewalk. I heard what they said, but putting the words and the scenes together was like trying to make the opposite ends of magnets meet. Everything in me wanted to reject what I heard and saw.
“Mr. Taylor? Are you there, sir?” Eileen’s voice felt faraway as if she were in a tunnel.
I swallowed hard. My chest tightened.
I pressed the phone to my ear. The buzzing hadn’t stopped. “Eileen, there has been an emergency. I need you to call the TS pilot. Abi—” I stopped myself from going into details and wasting seconds. “I’m headed to the jet immediately. We leave for LA as soon as he can get us in the air.”
“Sir?”
“Do it,” I gritted my teeth, unable to look away from the images of Abi. “Please.”
“And your schedule?” she eked.
“Cancel it. All of it.”
“Yes sir. I will handle it.”
“Thank you.”
“And sir?”
“Yes?” I paced the penthouse.
“If I can help—”
“I know. I’ll call from L.A..”
I shoved the phone in my pocket and grabbed my jacket. The door clicked behind me and I hurried to the elevator. I didn’t care that Vickie was still asleep and I’d left every light on.
Somewhere Abi was lying in a hospital. She was all that mattered and I had to get to L.A.
2
Abi
I cringed. The beeping was loud. So deafening I tried to reach out and swat at whatever was near me. It was like an aggravating mosquito I couldn’t find in the dark. But my hands were listless. Useless. I struggled to move the right and then the left, but nothing happened.
Could someone please turn off that alarm?
Ouch!
Something jabbed my upper arm like a fire poker. Did someone inject hot lava in my body? It hurt enough to make me cry, but even my tear ducts were unresponsive. And then there was a sudden feeling of floating. It was soothing, actually. A nice change from whatever was happening around me. I tried to reach out again, but I gave in to the warmth coursing up my arm and stopped fighting.