Page 24 of Luke

Everything was all jumbled in her head and the more she tried to sort it out, the more confused she grew. She sighed and slid down the wall in the kitchen and stared blankly in front of her, lost in her thoughts.

Garrett was sleeping and she had things she needed to do, but her worries were paralyzing. How long would it take Luke to tire of her? Right now, she was what he wanted, a rebellion and also a family. But when everything with his father was over, would she still be?

One day, it would be over, too. His father would only be able to disrupt their lives for so long before it didn’t work or he died, and then what? When would Luke realize all he’d given up for her and Garrett? All his partying and womanizing days? Would he miss them? Would he pursue them again?

Far in the distance, she heard the alarm chime and the front door open. She heard Luke call her name but she couldn’t respond. She was gasping by this point, the panic taking her under.

“Paisley?” Luke’s voice was closer now.

She registered his hands on her, picking her up off the floor and taking her to the living room. The darkness was closing in on the edges of her vision as the grip of the panic and the swirling questions continued to loom heavy around her.

“Paisley, baby, I need you to look at me,” Luke’s pleaded.

She blinked twice and tried to focus on him.

“That’s it. Focus, baby. You can do this,” Luke urged her on.

She found his eyes with hers and gasped in a deep breath.

“There you go. Just stay with me. Everything is going to be okay.” His voice was a balm to the storm raging inside her mind. “Deep breaths, baby.”

She did as he said and calmed her breathing with effort. The gasping eased and it slowly returned to normal. The darkness was fading away, leaving Luke’s face the only thing she could see.

“That’s better,” he said after a moment.

Paisley released the eye contact and leaned back. She hadn’t had a panic attack in years and that one had come out of nowhere.

Closing her eyes, she wiped her palms on her shirt, the sweat that had appeared now a cold, clammy reminder of her attack.

“Sorry,” she said, sitting up.

“Don’t be. I’m sorry that happened. Are you okay?” Nothing but concern rang in his voice.

Paisley nodded. “That hasn’t happened in a very long time. I think it’s done now.”

“What’s a long time?” Luke asked.

“Years,” she admitted.

“This is because of him.” Luke’s knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists. “I need you to know I won’t let anything happen to either of you. None of us will.”

“I do,” she told him. “I know that. It was just a lot to process at once. I’m fine now.” She stood up.

“Paisley, sit down. Take a breath. You don’t have anything to do that can’t wait.” He took her hand, pulling her back down to the sofa. “Give yourself a minute to recover.”

“I need to finish the dishes,” she complained. “I’m fine now.”

“No, you need to process.”

“I think I know myself better than you,” she pushed back.

He sighed and pulled his hand away. “I was thinking of something on the way home today. Can we take a minute to talk about that before you get up?”

Curiosity stole her feet, keeping her there. “Okay?”

“I know my father and he will do his best to make good on his threats. They aren’t empty and he will try until he’s successful. I don’t think he ever will be, but I have another idea to make sure that Garrett is safe.”

She noted that the plan wasn’t to secure her. “Whatever it takes to save Garrett from this mess.”

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