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Fear churning inside my gut, I hasten my steps. I ignore the water fountain, the beautiful lobby I had admired on arrival. Now, it all seems like too much, like it would crush me till I’m nothing.
The sunlight on my face as I exit the building, doesn’t help me calm down any. I almost break into a run, the envelope in my hand feeling like a brick. I’m seconds away from a bad panic attack and I need to find some place to calm down.
“Miss West!”
I hear the voice, my mind in so many shambles that I can’t pin whose it is. Instead, I start running.
And then suddenly, a pair of firm hands are gripping my shoulders and I’m being turned around.
Caleb Starr is staring at me, his hands and those eyes, pinning me to the spot.
3
Caleb
Coming back from a meeting, the last thing I expect to see is a pale-faced Kendall, running out of the building as if the hounds of hell are after her.
It’s the look on her face that has me running after her, a look I recognize, having soothed it away so many times, in another lifetime.
She doesn’t heed my calls, moving so quickly through the crowds that I almost lose her.
I have no qualms about shoving people out of my way to get to her and when I finally do catch up to her, I grab her, forcing her to face me.
Her eyes are unfocused as they stare at me and I see the recognition slip in alongside shock at seeing me. However, I’ve seen the emptiness in her eyes, and I’ve seen that look before.
“Miss West.” I keep my tone calm, despite fury wrapping me in its chilling embrace. This is exactly what I had hoped to protect her from, creating a place for her in my world, where she will be provided the comfort and luxury, she deserves not to be tormented.
It takes a lot of willpower not to shake out the name of the person who put her in this state. Keeping my voice pleasant, I pretend that I’ve not been running after her for two blocks as I add, “Just the person I was hoping to see. Do you have a few minutes?”
Kendall looks bewildered by the way, I gently take her by the elbow, and guide her back towards the car I just abandoned.
Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to be in the frame of mind to refuse.
In a matter of minutes, I have her in my car.
Duke, my driver, looks over his shoulder from the driver’s seat, surprised to see me back.
“Duke.” Just touching Kendall has shown me how thin she is, and that doesn’t sit well with me. “Take us to Tuscany.”
&nb
sp; I see the question in my friend’s eyes but give an imperceptible shake of the head.
Not now.
“Sure thing, boss.”
I study Kendall for a few seconds before clearing my throat.
She looks dazed.
I keep talking, pretending I have no idea of what’s happening to her, and yet knowing that simply talking to her calmly will bring her out of her state. “I haven’t had lunch, a bad habit of mine; I keep forgetting to eat. Now that you’ll be here, I doubt that will be a problem.”
She’s prone to panic attacks ever since I met her and there were times when she would be so overwhelmed that she would ‘shut down’ in a matter of speaking.
“Tuscany is one of my regular places, so I hope you remember that.” I glance at the envelope she’s still holding on to. “I see you signed the contract. You’ll have to do your shopping today or tomorrow.”
Duke gives me a disbelieving look at how much I’m talking. I usually prefer to hold my silence.
