Summer slowly gets back up, warily taking a step closer.“Don’t,” I grit out.I’m afraid of what will happen if she touches me.If I let her get closer.There’s this sick feeling swirling in the pit of my stomach.
She freezes, pulling her hands back.Jaxon reaches for me next but I slap his hand away.
“Reid, what is going on?”he demands.
I place my hands on my knees, breathing heavily.So heavy—I feel like it’s getting harder and harder with each gulp of air.
“Shit!”he hisses.
I fall to my knees on the gravel, and it takes me a minute to realise Summer is back on the ground in front of me.
The roaring is back in my ears, blocking out all sound.She grasps my face, her lips moving rapidly, but I don’t hear a single word.
Her eyes, so light they’re almost translucent, flash with sympathy.I try to fixate on her hands, on her eyes, but my sight begins to grow hazy.
Lips slam on mine.There’s nothing soft about them, and for a moment, I forget the panic clawing at my chest and begin to kiss her back.Her hand lowers to my chest, right above my heart, as I begin to calm.I pull back, taking a breath.She goes to move away, but I clutch her hips, keeping her in place.
“I’m sorry,” I rasp.
“What happened?”
“I...I don’t know.I just...”
She runs her fingers through my hair, giving me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.“You were panicking.”
“I don’t panic,” I retort.
The corners of her eyes crinkle.“You panicked.”
“I’m pretty sure I didn’t.I’ve been stabbed, bombed, survived a haunted house whilst it was on fire.Pretty sure I would know.”
She shakes her head in amusement.“What you felt was panic for others.The adrenaline must have left your system.”
I’m about to deny the accusation, but Jaxon butts in.I had forgotten he was there.“You panicked, Reid.Tell us what happened.Maybe it will help.”
“I don’t know what to tell you.It happened fucking quickly.I heard the tyres, saw the horror on Liam’s face, and I just knew something bad was going to happen.I couldn’t move for a second.Liam didn’t hesitate.He moved.But I fucking stood there for a second before I remembered my feet fucking worked.I knew I wouldn’t get to her.I fucking knew it.Yet I prayed Liam would get there.I guess in my mind, I feared she would run through both of them, and then...”I glance at Summer, trying to calm my breath.“They were all in danger too.”
She keeps my gaze trapped in hers.“It wasn’t even a second, Reid.I blinked and you were gone.Don’t you dare blame yourself forheractions.”
My nose scrunches up.“Of course it’s not my fucking fault.Why on earth would you think I’d blame myself?”
Her lips twitch.“My apologies.Of course you wouldn’t.My bad.”
“Damn right,” I snap, clutching her tighter.“I blame myself for not being on alert.For not seeing the car sooner.For not being able to prevent it.”
“It fucking sucks.We know this.But it ends now.One down, two to go—three if the wife wants to fuck with us too,” Jaxon promises, keeping his voice down.“But, Reid, that was panic.Panic for her.For them.”
I don’t miss the glance he gives Summer, who is still in front of me.I know it’s not said as a dig, but it feels like it.I once called him out,allof them out, for overreacting when it came to their missus’.I get it now.Nothing, not even family, comes before them.You step in front of a train if it means saving them.
“You are starting to freak me out.She’s gone,” Liam announces, pulling my attention away from Summer.
Malia is still staring at the space where the police car was parked.She suddenly lifts her head, her sharp gaze falling to Liam.“You have a room here, right?”
I inwardly snort at his confusion.“Um, yeah.Why?”
“We’re going,” she warns, then briefly glances at Summer.“I won’t be long.”
She drags him away, and Summer lowers her gaze, hiding her smile.“He’s so fucked.”
