Page 254 of Remy

I burn everywhere. My lungs. My eyes. My nose.

I head for the catering kitchen, shoving past the swinging doors, praying for privacy and an empty sink.

My feet freeze in place at the sight of two women crouched and rummaging through the cupboards beneath the counter.

I suck in an emotional breath. Are they stealing from me? At my father’s funeral?

The women abruptly turn to face me, rising to their full height, apprehension written all over their gorgeous faces.

One of them is familiar. The beautiful blonde with blue eyes.

Is she the woman from Smoke & Mirrors? Remy’s date from the night I’d been attacked?

The memory is a blur. My panicked unease makes it irretrievable.

I blink and blink, trying to clear my vision. My mind. My heartache.

Is she his lover? His girlfriend?

She has to be famous. I’m sure I’ve seen her before.

I swallow, willing the nausea back down my throat, but it doesn’t quit creeping higher, pushing harder.

“Hey.” She levels me with sympathy. “I hope it’s okay that we’re in here. We wanted to help—you know, the whole family helps family thing—and didn’t know what else to do apart from washing dishes.” She indicates the sink full of suds with a wave of her hand. “It’s just taking a while to figure out where everything belongs.”

I stare at the bubbles I’m about to destroy in front of an audience. Can I even make it the few steps across the room? Everything is too much—the tightening in my chest, the ache in my nose, the sting of my eyes.

“Family?” I croak.

“Yes, Olivia.” She nods, smile pained. “I’m Remy’s sister. We’re all family.”

Sister?

I could laugh with the idiotic relief. I probably would if I didn’t find it so hard to breathe. I can’t get enough air.

“Are you okay, honey?” The woman inches forward.

No.

I yank at the top buttons of my blouse. My blazer is too tight. It feels like every gasp fills me with pressure but not oxygen. I’m a balloon about to burst.

“Go,” the woman demands of her dark-haired companion. “Get Remy.”

“No,” I beg, the word coming out in a sob.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Remy’s sister runs gentle hands over my arms, hesitant with her touch. “You’re going to get through this.”

She doesn’t understand.

Does she even know what her family have been doing? What I’ve been doing?

Is she aware of my love for her brother? Or that I pushed him away?

Nothing is right without him.

Nothing ever will be.

“Things will get better,” she soothes. “You’re in the worst of it right now. You’re under attack.”

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