Page 36 of Midnight Ink

I nod even though my vision blurs. “Good. That’s good.” He presses his forehead against mine as my eyes slam shut. “Press your feet on the floor. Feel it. Do you feel that? Focus on the carpet beneath your feet.”

I breathe through my nose, exhaling through my mouth, and nod. I focus on the rough carpet beneath my shoes. “Now breathe with me,” he continues, forehead pressed close, hand solid in mine. “That’s it. In . . .” We inhale together. The air trembles, but my chest rises steadily. “Hold for two . . .”

My lungs ache, but I hold it.

“Out for six.”

I exhale shakily, my shoulders relaxing a fraction.

The plane rocks again, a long uneven sway that makes a woman near us swear under her breath. How is this thing still in the air?! I flinch, but Ian holds my hands steadily in his. “I’ve got you, Jules,” he murmurs. I feel his thumb stroke the back of my hand, slow and repetitive. A soft hum that lulls and eases the pressure in my lungs. “You’re here. You’re safe. I’m right here.”

The storm hammers the plane. Rain pelts the window. Thunder is muffled but unmistakable. Each jolt sends a spike of fear through me, but Ian stays calm. Unshakeable.

“Tell me five things you can see.”

I open my eyes and focus on him. “What?”

“Focus. Five things, Jules.”

I swallow, pulling back a little. “I um, I see your cellphone in your lap. Your tank top.” He nods. “The packet of shitty crackers you took.” He laughs. His thumb keeps smoothing across my hand. “Um, I see, I see the bag the woman next to us is trying to hide under her seat.” He laughs. “And I, I see your eyes. I see you.”

“Great.” His thumb smooths over my hand. “Now four things you can feel.”

“Your hand.” I say immediately, because even through the sharp fear I can feel how good it feels. “Your hand is warm.” I swallow, heat rising on my cheeks. “I feel the seat beneath me. It’s uncomfortable.”

“It is. Anna got us the cheapest seats she could find.” He laughs.

“I feel, I feel the floor beneath my feet.” Ian shocks me, leaning forward and pressing a firm kiss to my forehead. I swallow hard. “I feel your lips.” I lick my own in response. “Warm and soft.”

He pulls back a little with a small smile. “That’s good. Now three things you can hear.”

His soft words hum through my core. “I hear, I hear, I hear⁠—”

“Hey, just focus, okay. Close your eyes.”

I nod, shutting them. “I hear the rain, it’s loud. I hear people talking, the announcements.” I open my eyes. “I hear your voice.”

Another dip makes my hand tighten in his.

Ian leans closer, his knees nearly touching mine. He’s grounding me in a way that feels protective. As if he can shield me if we do plummet from the sky. “I’m very proud of you, Jules.” He kisses me again. My cheek. “I know this is hard.” His forehead dips to mine. “You don’t have to be brave right now. I’ll be brave for us both.”

Something knocks loose in my chest. The panic doesn’t fade, but it mutes. Manageable now with his body close and his hands in mine.

When the turbulence finally eases, my breath evens out, slow and controlled.

His fingers still locked in mine for the rest of the flight, Ian doesn’t pull away.

And neither do I.

“How long?”

“We’ve got another hour,” Ian says, chewing slowly as we sit in the food court. The rest of the flight was hell on earth. Well, I guess hell in the sky, but it was clear the entire rest of the trip that the storm wasn’t letting up. “Did you check the weather?”

“No, I was really stupid and assumed our assistant would do her job and mention any storms coming our way.”

“Yeah, you’re right, that was dumb.” I laugh softly.

“Hey, no big deal, right? Just a storm.” I’m not sure if he’s trying to convince me or himself. My guts only just started to settle. Turns out landing is somehow worse than taking off. Too fast. Too sudden.