When I glance at Lyla, her face has fallen pale, and she’s not breathing. Her eyes are wide and set on Nick as if she’s in a trance.
“Ly. You ok?” My shift between her and the man across the room. “Ly, do you know him?” I whisper.
Nothing.
My instincts fire, and my heart tries to catch up with my brain, preparing for action. “Ly, blink or something because. . . ”
“Do you know her?” Cole’s voice breaks through the eerie stillness.
“Nah, man. Hey, you all right?”
Her chest finally starts to move in and out, but too quickly.
She swallows, and then, just like that, she’s snapped out of it. “Yeah, I’m good.” She grabs her purse from the island. “Ry, I’ll call you later.”
I point at Cole. “You stay right here, and he doesn’t move.”
I rush after Lyla as she all but runs out the door. “Lyla.”
She doesn’t stop, but I catch up.
“Lyla, what happened back there?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.” She starts down the stairs.
“Uh. You’re clearly not fine. Do you know him?”
She rounds another flight.
“Look, you don’t have to tell me, but. . .I need to know I shouldn’t go back up there and remove his head from his body.”
She finally slows to more of a walk. “I’m fine. He just. . .looks like someone from. . . ” She doesn’t finish, but I know. “I’ll be fine. He took me by surprise.”
We walk down the remaining flights together. “So, I shouldn’t beat the living shit out of him?”
She laughs, but it’s not real. “No. He’s good.”
We stop at the metal door leading to the parking garage, and she faces me. “I’m good, really.”
I study her, knowing it’s a complete lie.
“You’ll look amazing tomorrow, and I want a pic. Be safe, ok?”
I reach for her, and she hugs me back. “You need to talk about it. Don’t let whatever this is get a hold on you.”
She blows out a breath and nods. “My flight is in the morning, so you guys hold down the compound.”
I hate seeing her go like this, but she’s already gone. She’s somewhere deep inside herself.
I hug her. “Will you text me later?”
She squeezes me.
“I love you,” I say, reminding her.
She hugs me even tighter. “Even when I don’t.” It’s only a whisper.
She pulls away, avoiding eye contact, and tugs open the heavy door. I watch, making sure she gets to her car before I pull my phone from my pocket.
