Shaking my head, I finished my way to my apartment with a small smile on my face.
I barely shut the door behind me when my phone sounded with an alert.
Without thinking, I opened the text message, and my heart froze in my chest before taking off twice as fast.
You can’t hide forever.
It was too quiet and too loud at the same time. I could hear each lungful of air I breathed in. My racing heart beat in my ears like a drum. My knees bounced; my body hunched over them as I sat on the couch. My chest pinched as I gasped out each breath.
Fuck!
I squeezed my eyes tight, rocking back and forth as I willed the panic to ease off. My head was swimming in circles as I fought to come back to the surface.
Without conscious thought, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed the last person I had texted. It took a few tries to get my fingers to cooperate with me. It didn’t help that I could hardly see through blurry eyes.
Hope brushed her cold nose under my chin, purring loudly. I wrapped one hand around her, holding her to me as I fought to stay at the surface.
By the time I got the phone onto speaker, Dominic’s voice floated through.
“Hey Scarlett.”
“I…I…can’t….” I couldn’t finish getting the words past my lips.
“Okay,” he said, on instant alert. I heard shuffling coming from his end before he spoke again. “Do you need someone?”
“Just…just talk to me…” I panted.
“All right,” he sighed. “Um...There’s a new movie out. I haven’t seen it yet, but it looks good. Something about a huge storm that takes out part of the world. I was thinking I may go see it, but I don’t know if it’d be worth the time, or my money.”
As he talked, his words filled with worry, my breathing slowly calmed. It was still labored, but with each passing second it became easier.
“What else? Oh. Peyton wants to hang out sometime, but I really don’t think that is gonna happen. We don’t see eye to eye on much anymore.”
“Why?” keeping the focus off me was better.
“Remember, your brother’s ex tried to use me for her own personal gain?” Oh, right. I had forgotten that fact. Quietly, so I probably wasn’t mean to hear it, he muttered, “Wish I could forget.”
“How many have there been?” The question barely made it past my lips before I had second thoughts. “Never mind. Don’t answer that.” I already felt something that I didn’t like, just knowing that little detail.
He paused for a moment, probably debating on answering my question or not. “Tell me what has you panicking, Scarlett.”
“I don’t know,” I said, forcing a deep breath out. That was a lie. I knew exactly why, but there was no way I’d tell a soul. Everyone would pounce, and I wouldn’t do what I came to do here. “It just hit, and I didn’t know who else to call.” Tears clouded my vision. Maybe I wasn’t as strong as I wanted to believe. How was I going to get past everything if I had to fear breaking down like this every time I felt halfway decent?
“Panic attacks like to do that,” Dominic said softly. “I’ve had a few. But youcanhandle this, honey. You are strong enough, so don’t go second guessing yourself. You were able to voice want you wanted, so don’t you dare let this little thing stop you.”
“H…How did you know?”
“Know what you’re thinking?”
“Yeah,” I breathed, closing my eyes once I was leaning against the back of the leather couch. My heart was still racing, but at least my breathing was becoming easier.
“I just do,” he answered. “It’s hard to explain. I’ve been around you long enough to know where your mind will take you. Answer me this: after everything you’ve been through, is this the thing to break you? You were so determined to leave just days ago.”
“No.” I wouldn’t allow it to.
“Good,” he replied, his voice strong. “You got this, then. I just wish I could be there to help.”
“I know.” Did I ever.
