Page 173 of Tell No Lies

His words made no sense.

“Look at me, Aubrey! Breathe!”

Darkness was closing in around me.

“No! Stay with me, Aubrey! You need to take a deep breath for me.” Other voices were being mixed with his. Shouts about numbers and an obnoxious beeping sound.

I tried to focus on what he was saying. Breathe? Am I not already?

“You’re having another panic attack, Aubrey. You need to breathe.”

Wouldn’t I know if I was having an attack? I felt still.

Something was suddenly blocking me from seeing Carter, and a second later, I felt something against my face. I told my hand to move it. I wanted it off.

“No, Aubrey. You need oxygen, just until you calm down.” I felt a squeeze on my hand. I clutched whatever it was, needing to feel connected to something, anything real.

I could feel a change in my chest as if something was being loosened. The pressure was dissipating slowly, taking the fog in my head with it. Carter’s voice was a constant pull away from giving in to the darkness that promised relief.

With each small breath, I felt my body lighten. When I was feeling well enough, I squeezed the object in my hand.

Carter appeared over me with a look of pain and concern. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, understanding his words clearly for the first time. I reached up and pulled at the mask before he could stop me. “Brandon?” My voice sounded raspy, as if I’d spent the whole night singing along at a concert.

He was suddenly at my side. “Yeah?”

“You’re here?”

He slid his hand into my free one and smiled. “Of course. I’m not leaving you ever again.”

I closed my eyes tight. “So, this is all real?” The fear was obvious to my own ears.

“Yeah, Bree. This is real.” He squeezed my hand tighter. “But it’s over now. He’s gone, and he’s not going to hurt you ever again.”

“Who’s next?”

“What?” It was Carter who asked that.

“Morgan is gone. Tucker is gone. Who’s next?”

“This is never going to happen again!” His voice cracked.

My heart dropped. They didn’t understand. I was never going to be safe again.

Brandon leaned forward, capturing my gaze. “I don’t know why Tucker was doing this to you, but we will find out, and we will make sure nothing like this ever happens to you again.”

Carter sighed. “I’m going to put a leash on you from now on. You’ll never leave my sight.”

I never wanted to leave him either. Ever.

But how long could we last with me never being safe again?

Twenty-Six

“Aubrey? Are you up?” I barely heard Brandon calling to me from outside the bathroom.

“Yeah, just a second.” Everything took longer with my arm in a sling, but I refused to have him help me with my makeup or hair. Covering the bruises over my body was impossible. The doctors told me they could take several weeks to fully heal, but that was nothing compared to my broken ribs.