A surge of fear steals my breath. “V. Come here. Now.”
It’s not a request. It’s an order.
Hurt and confusion flicker across her face at the force of my tone. “What?”
“Now.”I’m already moving, instinct driving me to protect her.
“I don’t under?—”
A sharp crack is quickly followed by shattering glass.
I leap at Vienna, wrapping my arm around her as I take her to the ground.
We crash to the kitchen floor, and pain flares in my hip and side where I hit it. Trying to shield Vienna from the worst of the impact, I palm the back of her head as I hug her close, attempting to cushion her body with mine.
I roll us to the side of the kitchen, out of view of the living room window. Then I just lie there, heart thundering and adrenaline zipping as the reality of our close call sinks in.
Someone shot at us.
Shot at Vienna.
This isn’t the safe haven I thought it was.
The enemy is out there. Armed. On the offense.
Panic explodes, taking over everything.
My lungs compress.
Someone shot at us.
The enemy’s out there.
The enemy is coming, and he won’t stop until he kills Vienna.
I’ll fail another person I care about. I’ll see her bloodied and gasping for breath, crimson pooling around her on the pale wooden floor. I won’t be able to save her. She’ll die, and it’ll be all my fault.
Everything around me fades to a low buzz as the panic takes over.
Vienna’s going to die. And it’s all my fault.
In the back of my mind, I know it’s a panic attack. Iknow it, because I used to have ones even worse than this.
“Caleb.” Vienna touches my cheek. Her small hand is cool on my heated skin. “Did someone justshootat us?”
Her question pierces through the thick bubble of panic surrounding me.
Vienna.
She’s in trouble.
I need to protect her.
And I can’t do shit if I’m lying on the kitchen floor, freaking out.
So I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then I do it again. And again.
I command my muscles to work.
