Vedika dropped the handle to her suitcase, bending at her waist, her hands coming to rest on her thighs as she fought for air. She sucked in a strangled breath, but it didn’t seem to hit her lungs.
“What the hell is happening right now? Are you dying?” His irate voice cut through the fog enveloping her.
“Sorry to inconvenience you,” she choked out. “Go away.” A short gasp escaped her. “And I can die in peace.”
A short silence ensued and she could almost feel his gaze burning into her back. “What’s happening?” His voice was gentle now, bringing unexpected tears to her eyes as she fought for control over her out-of-control body.
“Anxiety attack,” she managed to squeeze the words out.
His worried face came into view as he ducked down to look at her. “How can I help?”
She shook her head. “Can’t,” she panted. “Need to focus.”
“Okay.” A large palm came to rest gently on her back, rubbing small, soothing circles. “Easy now, Mouse. I’ve got you.”
Got her…no one had her. She had herself, always had. She knew all too well what happened when you gave someone else control.
She wanted to knock that hand off her back. She wanted to scream. She wanted, oh God, all she wanted was to take one proper breath. But it wasn’t happening. A tinny buzzing filled her ears as she fought to stay conscious.
And then her feet left the ground. The damn ape just swung her off her feet and carried her to the nearby chairs. He sat down in one of them, settling her onto his lap, her head against his chest.
“Come on Mouse. This is damn inconvenient. Don’t faint on me.” The irritable mutter almost had her smiling. Almost. But his hands, she noticed, were still gentle.
“You need to breathe,” he instructed in that bossy voice of his.
She was trying to breathe, she thought crossly. What the hell did he think she was trying to do?
She cranked one eye open to glare at him, but it was a little hard given he had her smooshed against his chest, one giant palm cradling her head.
“There you go,” he said encouragingly. “You’re doing so much better. Breathe now.”
She was going to stab him in the eye with her pen.
“Breathe,” he said again.
No, not stab. She was going to –
“There you go.” He sounded very pleased with himself. “I’ve always been good at calming others down. I’m really good with Champ too, you know.”
She sat up in his lap, the top of her head connecting with his chin. She saw stars, pain slicing through her. What was his chin made of? Granite? But anger had her breath steadying. Thank God for small mercies.
“Fucking hell!” he cursed.
“Are you comparing me to your family dog? Champ?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he snapped, massaging his chin with one hand. “Champ is a sweetheart.”
The unspoken ‘unlike you’ hung heavy in the air.
“Excuse me?” One of the airport security agents stood there, eyeing them warily. “Is everything okay?”
“No.” Vedika jumped to her feet, accidentally stepping on Daksh’s foot. He groaned as she faced off with the guard. “I need my luggage.”
“No one will get luggage now, Madam,” he said tiredly. “It will be sent to your address eventually. Just go, fill out the details at the counter.”
Horror filled her. “But if I give an address here, I’ll have to stay in Goa till I get the luggage.”
“Correct.” The man nodded, smoothening his impressive moustache.
