Page 19 of Protect Me
For heaven’s sake, she was pregnant and occupied trying to figure out how to givebirth. I couldn’t burden her with another stressor. If she knew that Tim was out she’d . . .
Well, what could she do?
Precisely why I couldn’t tell her. Her inability to protect me would only stress her out, then affect the baby, and I wouldn’t do that. I loved him too much already. Several minutes passed while I wrestled my breathing back under control.
Timothy wasn’t out yet.
He was going to live at his parents old place, which put him firmly in Jackson City, a forty-five minute drive from here. He knew nothing of what was going on in my life. Or so I presumed, for we had no common acquaintances.
Truth didn’t stop the shudder of terror that ripped through my body like lightning every time I thought of him. Felt the gravel scratching my back. The rain in my eyes, obscuring the hiss of his voice in my ear.
Tell anyone and I’ll kill you.
Your word against mine, princess.
“Kate?”
The sound of my name jerked me out of the spiral of memories like a slap of cold water. I gasped, lifted my head, and stared right into Vikram’s dark gaze. Twice I blinked, shocked to see him standing there.
Vikram.
Here.
But why?
His brow furrowed into concerned grooves, marring the high cheek bone perfection of his face. He held onto his crutches, a few steps from the counter. Hernandez stood next to him in a pair of work pants and heavy-duty boots.
“Are you all right?” Vik asked quietly.
I whirled around. I couldn’t breathe. My chest tightened, throat narrowed. Holy coconuts, I was absolutelylosingit. Tears clouded my eyes. I swallowed them back. No, I couldn’t do this here.
Not here, not now.
“Fine.” I swallowed back the panic, tried to slow my breaths. “I’m fine. I just . . .”
My hands shook so hard I couldn’t even clasp them. The terror of hearing Timothy’s name sent me right into a panic. Everything felt tight. Too tight.
So tight.
I gasped, head spinning. In moments, my knees would buckle. The world would cloud over. I knew this process well. In the right frame of mind, I’d sit on the floor so I didn’t have too far to fall. My mind couldn’t process how to do that right now.
A warm hand touched my shoulder.
“Hey,” Vik said quietly. “It’s okay.”
His firm grip on my shoulder shocked me into a gasp. Breath flooded my lungs. He held on, hand heavy, like his father. A sob peeped free as he curled my back into his chest with his free arm. His left hip leaned against the counter.
“In,” Vik whispered.
Like an old pattern, I fell into the command. My chest ached as I sucked in a sharp breath.
“Hold,” he murmured.
The air expanded in my lungs, pressured as I obeyed.
“Out.”
It whooshed out of me, through pursed lips. Vikram gave me a little squeeze, an encouragement to stay with him.
