“Do you know him?” I ask Giacomo who glares at the screen.
“No. Maybe she knows him, though. Fuck, maybe she scored.”
“No. Not after last time. She wouldn’t be this reckless. Send his picture to everyone, I want to know who he is.”
Ignoring Giacomo’s snappy remarks about how she looked like she left willingly, I rush from the office and make it out into the street. “Pidge?”
“Still here.”
“I have a license plate. Can you guide me from Cloud?”
“The bar?”
“Mhm.”
“Sure, but it’ll take some time.”
“I don’t have time, Pidge. I have—” As I reach my car, chest heaving, a sudden painful tightness spears across my chest and I gasp. The pain collides with the fury igniting my blood as suddenly I’m right back where I started.
I scared Gina away. I scared her away, she ran, and she died.
Not again.
“Falco?” Pidge’s light voice immediately grows heavy with concern. “You good?”
I can’t speak. My chest has solidified into rock, making breathing impossible.
Fuzziness draws in around the edge of my vision, and the car door handle doubles as I reach for it, making me miss and scrape the paint with my fingers instead.
Did I do this?
Did I push her too far away that she would just leave with a stranger?
Maybe I missed something in her contacts and she does have a friend that she never mentioned.
History is poised to repeat itself.
“Falco?” Pidge’s voice fuzzes in my ears. “Falco! Talk to me, dude.”
My legs wobble and give way as my throat burns and my body screams for air, air that my chest refuses to allow with how tightly my muscles spasm.
It’s panic.
I’m having a panic attack.
Not now. Not now. Fucking hell not now!
“Falco!” Pidge suddenly yells, shocking me enough to gasp in a ragged breath and unlock the tension in my chest. A few seconds spread like an eternity.
“I’m here,” I croak. “Shit. I’m here.”
“Dude, I thought you died on me.”
“No, I’m—fuck.” Ragged pants tear through me as I climb to my feet. “I’m fine.”
“You’re far from fine,” Pidge replies. “I’m calling in some help.”
“I’mfine,” I gasp, finally unlocking the door. “Find me that car.”
