I’m doing this for a reason, though. I can’t forget that. This engagement is giving me time to land the Romero contract so I can prove that I’m capable of running the company on my own. That I don’t need a husband to do things for me, or hold my hand while I do my job.
Once I land the contract, everything will be fine.
Except…I’m supposed to stand in front of Jackson Romero and his entire board. I’m supposed to convince them that I deserve that contract. If I fuck it up…this will all have been for nothing!
Another wave of panic slams into me.
My hands start shaking. What if I freeze? What if I start hyperventilating in front of all of them and they watch me fall apart the way I am right now?
All those people. All those disappointed eyes looking at me.
My stomach churns violently.
They’ll know. They’ll see right through me and see I’m not capable of running anything.
That I’m weak.
A fraud.
Tears stream down my face as I pant, desperate to get air. I’m drowning. Curling up into a ball, I gasp and sob as my body shudders. This is more than I can handle. The room is closing in on me. Suffocating me. I know, deep down, that I’m not going to be able to pull myself out of this one.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: BREATHE
JAYCE
The momentI open the penthouse door, I call out for her.
“Sutton! You here?”
When I’m met with silence, I frown. Is she not back yet? I figured she’d get here before me. A small feeling of worry starts buzzing in my head. Unable to shake it, I make my way through the penthouse looking for her.
I find her shoes sitting on the floor in the kitchen and her purse sitting on the island. There’s no other sign of her in the kitchen or living area, but she’s gotta be here, so I hurry down to her room.
I open the door and poke my head inside. “Sutton?”
No answer, but the light is on, and the comforter on her bed looks mussed. That feeling of worry intensifies. I cross the room to the bed, but she’s not under the covers or on the floor on either side of it. I even drop to my knees to check underneath, which strikes me as a little ridiculous, but I’m not going to leave any stone unturned until I find her.
I rush into the bathroom, but she’s not in there either. Finally, move to the walk-in closet. When I step inside, I don’t see her at first and I briefly wonder if she’s left the penthousefor some reason, then remind myself her purse is still here. She wouldn’t leave without it.
Suddenly, movement in the back corner of the closet catches my attention and I hear a soft whimper.
I cross to the closet and look inside. My heart seems to stop at the sight of Sutton curled up into a tight little ball, eyes squeezed shut and body shaking as she sucks in uneven gasps of air. Holy shit…
What the fuck happened? Is this because of me? Because she thinks I betrayed her by going to the club?
Or is this because she had to make a public statement? Fuck, I know how much she hates talking in front of people like that.
Maybe it’s her parents. Maybe they didn’t see her statement as brave and wonderful and are angry at her. That would definitely send her spiraling.
I snap out of my racing thoughts. Whatever the cause, I need to help her right now. That’s what matters most.She’swhat matters most.
“Sut,” I murmur, going to her immediately. Scooping her up into my arms, I cradle her against my chest as I hurry out of the closet. Her face is wet from her tears and she clings to me, as if afraid I’ll disappear.
“It’s okay,” I tell her, pressing my lips to her hair. “I’ve got you. Listen, I’m going to carry you out of here. Just hang onto me. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
I carry her through the penthouse to the playroom. Kicking the door shut behind me, I cross to the bed and carefully place her down in the middle of it. When I try to slip my arms away from her, she digs her fingers into my sleeves to stop me.
“No,” she whimpers, her eyes still closed tight.
