Jayce: I’ll keep you posted if I need the backup. I’m gonna head up now. Talk later.
I put my phone on silent and shove it into my pocket before getting out of my car and heading to the elevator.
Reaching my floor, I step out into the private landing and hurry to my door. When I open it and step into the apartment, the scene I walk into is worse than I’d imagined.
Sutton and her mother are in the kitchen together, the top of the island covered in those binders Mrs. Holloway brought with her. She’s talking excitedly, moving her hands over the pages of her binders, while Sutton sits next to her, seemingly trapped. She’s staring blankly ahead, blinking slowly, as if she’s lost in a daze.
“Now, I was considering the guest list,” Mrs. Holloway says, having not noticed my arrival. “And I know it might be a little odd, but I really think Aubrey and Leon should be included. Even though it didn’t work out between you two, they’re still good friends.”
Leon? She wants to invite fucking Leon to the wedding?
Even though the wedding will never happen, the mere idea of that fucker being there is galling.
Sutton doesn’t speak, just nods in response. The sight of her brittle smile makes my stomach clench. Her eyes are glazed over, and her fingers are trembling, clutching the legs of her black pants. I can tell she’s barely hanging on right now, and is likely to snap at any moment, so I jump into action.
“Well isn’t this a lovely sight?” I ask, startling both women as I stride into the kitchen.
“Oh, my goodness!” Mrs. Holloway exclaims with a surprised smile. “We didn’t even hear you come in, Jayce!” Her brow furrows in confusion. “Weren’t you not coming home until tomorrow?”
I give her what I know is a charming smile and lean down to kiss her cheek as I reply, “I couldn’t stay away. I hate being apart from Sutton for so long.”
Mrs. Holloway’s eyes go wide and her smile is tender as she appears to melt at my words.
“Oh, that’s so sweet,” she gushes, flapping her fingers together before reaching out and grabbing Sutton’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Sutton, you’ve really found yourself a gem of a man.”
Sutton doesn’t say anything. I look at her and she just stares up at me imploringly. Silently begging me to help.
Turning up the charm, I say, “I hate to break up the party, but it’s getting rather late. You must be exhausted, Mrs. Holloway.”
Blinking, she checks her watch and her jaw drops. “Goodness! It really is late, isn’t it? I completely lost track of time. I should get going!”
I move to stand between her and Sutton, essentially blocking her daughter from view as I subtly and strategically begin corralling her toward the door. “You should go get your rest,” Igently tell her. “There’s so much work to do for the wedding, and I’d hate for you to exhaust yourself because of us.”
Mrs. Holloway pats my arm, packs up her stuff, and gives Sutton a kiss on the cheek. Then, she waves goodbye as she moves toward the door.
“You’re so considerate,” she replies. “Thank you, Jayce. I should be getting back.”
“All right, we’ll coordinate more tomorrow,” I promise as I open the door for her. “Have a good night, Mrs. Holloway. Get a good night’s sleep.”
“You too.” Then, waving over my shoulder, she calls out, “Good night, sweetheart!”
Sutton doesn’t respond. Mrs. Holloway doesn’t seem to notice as she steps out into the landing in front of the elevator. I wave at her before shutting and locking the door.
The moment she’s gone, I let my smile drop and whirl back around to face the kitchen, expecting to find Sutton still there… but she’s disappeared.
Fuck! Where is she? Panic courses through me as I charge through the penthouse toward her room. Her glassy-eyed stare is burned in my mind, and the urge to find her is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. It’s more powerful than any wave of adrenaline I’ve felt during a game. She needs me right now, I know she does, and I need to help her.
Her bedroom door is open. I hurry inside. She’s nowhere in sight. I continue to her bathroom. I find her, and my heart clenches at the sight of her sitting on the floor, her back pressed to the far wall, arms wrapped around her knees. Her chest is heaving as she fights to breathe. She’s hyperventilating, her eyes wide, glassy and unfocused.
“Sutton.” I keep my voice gentle as I cross to her and kneel next to her. Up close, I can see her whole body is trembling. “Can you hear me? Sutton, baby, I’m here.”
Slowly, she blinks up at me but she’s still gasping for breath.
Cupping the side of her face as tenderly as if she were made of glass, I murmur, “Breathe with me, Starling. Come on. In, and out.”
Grabbing her hand, I press it against my chest so she can feel what she’s supposed to be doing. I demonstrate for her and she watches my mouth. She tries to follow me, but her breaths stutter and it only pushes her further into a panic as she struggles.
I need to calm her down. Need to break her out of the spiral she’s in so she can get control of herself, otherwise I’m afraid she’s going to pass out.
