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Her face pressed into her legs, and I ignored the voice in my head, the one telling me to back off and back away. I ignored the one telling me to leave her so I didn’t make this worse. I got her arms. “Red…”
She stiffened up, curling into herself, but I guided her to look at me, focus on me. “Red, listen to my voice. Focus on me. Stay with me.”
She needed an anchor, something else but the storm around her. I knew that because I’d had my own panic attacks in the past. My sister being taken from my family caused a lot of trauma in my life. For many years, I tried to find her myself, but no matter how long I’d looked or how far I’d gone, I never did. I was literally riddled with anxiety at some points in my life, and the only way I was able to come out of it was by staying in the present and focusing on something.
I brought my hands down Red’s arms. “Just listen to me. Just stay here...”
She did for a second, her eyes on me. But then the storm had its angry way and threw itself at us. I felt the thunder in my teeth it was so loud, but my reaction to that was limited. Red grabbed me, and the next thing I knew, she forced herself into my chest. I was dripping wet, but she grabbed me.
She hugged me.
“Please,” she cried out, sobbing against me. “Please, make it stop. Please.”
I felt like death, like I died because she was in so much pain, and all she had was me to help. She had me who she hated, her enemy.
But she wasn’t mine. She’d never been, and I brought her closer into my chest. “You hear my voice, Red? My breathing?” Her nod was light, timid, and I swallowed. “Focus on that. Breathe with me. Take in lots of breaths.”
She did, the two of us in sync. We had to start again each and every time the storm threatened to shake her, but I brought her back. I always brought her back.
“You’re doing so good,” I coached, pushing her hair away. She was basically in my lap at this point, but I held her tighter. She couldn’t be close enough. “Just keep breathing. You’re doing so good, baby.”
She was doing good, perfect, and I couldn’t help what I said. I felt a claim over this girl I had no right to.
Despite my words, she didn’t shy away. If anything, she did the opposite. Her arms looped around my neck, she brought herself closer, her breaths even with mine, and I hated myself in that moment. I did because I allowed the proximity, and even though she was in her own personal hell, I wasn’t. Her closeness brought me life, and I couldn’t help it.
I think I might have been doing the same for her because despite the storm, she fell asleep in my arms that night. She did despite her fear…
And the warmth of her enemy’s arms around her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Fawn
I woke up in a place I didn’t recognize and with memories I didn’t like that I had. The majority of them had been with Wolf, his arms around me…
I sat up, feeling drugged. I’d cried myself to sleep last night, and I remembered that. I also remembered a voice telling me things would be okay. He’d told me what I was feeling was scary, but I’d be all right. I’d get through it.
Swallowing, I felt a dry mouth and squinted into sunlight. I recognized this room as the one I’d escaped into last night, but I had no idea I’d been in a bedroom. I was on a bed and under sheets.
Why was I here?
I pushed the bedding off. Wolf obviously had let me sleep, but I shouldn’t be here. I had no idea why he’d been here, or how he found me. I also had no idea why he’d left me here in this house.
Because he was a jerk.
He hadn’t been acting like one last night. He’d been that voice telling me things. He’d been comforting me, assuring me. But what I didn’t understand was why, and my attempts to get up only made me lie back down. I had a massive headache. Probably from all the crying. I lay for a second with my face in the bedding, and the sharp scent caused me to sit up instantly.
It smelled like him, the bed. One side smelled like me, but the other smelled like Wolf.
Had he stayed here with me?
I didn’t like the thought of it, and this time, I made myself get up. My phone was nearby, and I got that. I had no service, and a line being out due to the storm wouldn’t surprise me.
Fuck.
I’d stayed in a foreign place. In fact, the exact place that had been the subject of a fight I may or may not have been a part of. I hadn’t been throwing the punches, but my friend had.
Bru.
