Page 69 of The Broken Keys

“Nothing else is wrong.” Her jaw sets in that stubborn line I know too well. “I just got overwhelmed. It happens.”

“It shouldn’t happen like this.” I gesture toward the floor where she was lying unconscious thirty seconds ago. “Lily, you scared the hell out of me.”

“I’m sorry.” She wraps her arms around herself, suddenly small and fragile. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just needed someone. You were on the phone, and I knew you could help me.”

The admission does something to me. It softens the edges of my terror.

“I’m glad I was here for you.” I sit down properly, crossing my legs so I’m at her level. “But love, if you’re having panic attacks this bad, you need to see someone. Get back on medication, talk to a therapist?—”

“I said no doctors.” Her voice rises, sharp with a tinge of hysteria. “I don’t need medication. I don’t need therapy. They don’t work for me.”

She huffs and turns her face away.

“Then what should I do?” I lean forward, trying to catch her eye. “What do you need?”

She shakes her head and presses her palms against her eyes. “I don’t know.”

“Okay.” I take a breath, forcing myself to stay calm even though everything in me wants to scoop her up and drive her to the nearest emergency room. “Okay. No doctors. But Lily, let me take care of you for a while. At least until I know you’re stable.”

“I’m fine.”

“You passed out five minutes ago.”

“Because I hyperventilated. That’s normal with panic attacks.”

“I’m not gonna drop this.” I run my hands through my hair, frustration bleeding into my voice. “What triggered this? What happened?”

Her eyes go wide for a fraction of a second. Fear flashes across her face so fast I almost miss it.

“Lily? Talk to me, please.”

“It’s probably because I haven’t eaten today.” She rises, using the wall for support. Her legs wobble, but she stays upright. “I was just stressed about last night, and my appetite escaped me.”

I get to my feet, observing her. “So this is about us?”

“Not just us. It’s about everything.” She ambles toward the kitchen, one hand trailing along the wall like she doesn’t quite trust her balance yet. “The club, Zara, Sebastian, the media, and a ton of work that has to be done. It all just built up.”

“That’s understandable.” I follow her, staying close enough to catch her if she falls. “Lily, you can’t just ignore this. If stress is hitting you this hard?—”

“I’m not ignoring it.” She reaches the kitchen and grabs a glass from the cupboard. Her hands shake as she fills it with water from the tap. “I’m dealing with it.”

“By having a panic attack and passing out?”

She drinks half the water in one go, then sets the glass down harder than necessary. “What do you want me to say, Callum? That I’m a mess and don’t have my shit together? Fine. I’m a mess. Are you happy now?”

“That’s not what I…” I stop to regroup. Getting into a fight with her right now won’t help anything. “I’m not trying to come down on you. I’m just worried about you.”

“Well, don’t be.” She refills the glass. “I can handle myself.”

“I know you can, but you don’t have to do everythingalone.” I shift closer, careful not to crowd her. “Let me help. Please.”

“I don’t know how.” She stares at the floor. “I don’t know how to trust anyone right now.”

“Then let me show you.” I reach out, giving her time to pull away. When she doesn’t, I take the water from her hands and set it on the counter. “First step is sitting down so you can regain some of your strength.”

She lets me guide her to one of the kitchen chairs. Once she’s seated, I kneel in front of her. My hands rest on her knees.

“Second step is telling me what you need right now. Water? Food? Do you want me to leave?”