Page 68 of Beyond Question

I grit my teeth. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Ending the call, I step into the elevator, hit the button for my floor, then grind my teeth as the door closes slowly. I stare at my reflection in the mirrored elevator doors and tap my foot against the floor, then I realize the Reed Enterprises private jet isn’t scheduled to return for me until my flight home Sunday morning—fuck!—and quickly dial my assistant.

The elevator doors open to the fourteenth floor as she answers.

“Travis? What time is—”

“Cate, hey, I need a flight home.”

“Now?” she asks, her voice thick with sleep.

“Yes, why are you asleep? It’s only ten there.” I wave the key card in front of the door, wait for the green light, then push inside. “And it’s Friday night.”

“Yeah, well, we aren’tallscouring the club scene for a single-serving friend.”

“Jesus, Cate, tell me how you really feel about me.”

“Sorry, I’m tired. Iwasasleep.”

“Right. Sorry. I’ll give you a raise, grumpy Gus.” I open the closet and grab my suitcase, then start ripping clothes off the hangers and tossing them inside. “Get me on a flight as soon as you can. I can be in a cab in ten minutes and I think I’m, like, forty-five minutes from Burbank airport.”

“Okay, um—”

“First class, coach, I don’t care. Just get me on the next flight to LaGuardia.” I hang up and slip the phone into my breast pocket, trying not to focus on the way it feels to be on the opposite side of the country when Paige is in trouble.

It shouldn’t feel so intense, this need to be near her, but I gave up trying to understand my feelings where Paige is concerned weeks ago.

All I know is that they’re strong, and right now there’s an urgency that vibrates in my veins.

Sweeping my arm across the bathroom counter, I push my toiletries into my leather Dopp kit, then shove that into my suitcase and zip it up. From there, I grab my laptop and slip it into its shoulder bag, tossing it over my arm, slide the handle of the suitcase out and stride to the door. Turning around, I scan the room quickly, then leave. If I’ve forgotten anything, they’ll call me.

If they don’t call me, it doesn’t matter. All of these things are replaceable.

But if something happens to Paige while I’m out here looking for a stray sock, I’ll never forgive myself.

As I punch the elevator call button, I shake my head.

She really has changed me.

A month ago, when Cate booked this business trip so I could attend the most boring conference in the history of conferences, I had her extend my stay through Sunday so I could find a starlet or two, maybe spend my weekend discovering what’s so heavenly about the City of Angels.

And now I’m rushing home to a woman who’s pushed me away countless times.

But sometimes she’s wrong. Even brilliant, beautiful women make mistakes. She was wrong about me and she’s wrong about thinking she has to do everything on her own.

So she may not want a knight in shining armor, but she’s damn well going to get one.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Paige

I’m running. Everything is pitch black, a night sky stretching out above me and on all sides, midnight with not a single star. Not even the moon shines to light my way. It’s so dark here I can’t see ahead or behind, but I know I’m being chased because I can feel them closing in.

It’s an itch between my shoulders, that knowing, a sensation that travels down my spine.

“Paige.”

I try to run faster but my pace slows.

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