Page 36 of Contracted

But I felt suffocated, hemmed in and all too alone.

I swallowed past my dry throat as the walls closed in around me. Not even the balcony fended off my phobia, where tall buildings invaded the skyline, invaded my space.

I rubbed my sweaty palms together, my whole body beginning to perspire. I released a jagged breath. I had to get out of here.

But I wouldn’t ring Serafino, he had enough to deal with.

I picked up the in-room phone and rang straight through to reception. After a woman with a friendly voice answered, I said in a high-pitched voice, “This is Delilah. Could you please put me through to Jarrod?”

“Of course. One moment, please.”

The three or four seconds it took for him to answer felt like a lifetime.

“Delilah,” Jarrod said in a smooth, congenial voice. “What can I do for you?”

“I-I need to get out of here,” I choked out.

“Out?” he repeated. His voice dropped with concern. “Is everything okay? I’m happy to take you anywhere you need to go.”

“The nearest garden,” I blabbered, my brain shutting down as panic clawed through me.

“I hear the Botanical Gardens are beautiful.”

“Please,” I said, voice cracking.

“Wait there. I’ll come and get you.”

I disconnected without answering. Every bit of my strength went into pushing back my panic attack. I did some deep breathing as I threw a cream cardigan over top of my black pantsuit, and pushed my feet into comfortable black ankle boots. Then grabbing the cell Serafino had given me, I sent him a text.

Feeling imprisoned. Have to get out of here. Jarrod taking me to Botanic Gardens.

I slipped the cell into my clutch bag just as the elevator dinged and Jarrod stepped into Serafino’s abode.

I managed a tight smile and ignored the pitching of my stomach. Getting out into Mother Nature would be worth any silly dislike of this man.

Jarrod waited near the elevator, and for that at least, I was grateful. I didn’t want his presence to sully the memories I had here with Serafino.

Like a panic attack isn’t doing that already?

I hurried toward him and he cocked his head to the side before he said solicitously, “You don’t look great, Del.”

I frowned at the shortened name he’d given me. He was a stranger. He didn’t get to call me by any other name. “I’ve been better. And please, call me Delilah.”

He inclined his head and said, “Of course. Delilah.” He stepped aside and allowed me to access the waiting elevator first. It wasn’t until he followed me in that he reached out and clasped my shoulder. “You’re going to be okay. Just take some deep breaths.”

I hid a shudder but managed to nod before he released his clasp. I vaguely heard the beep of a returned text, but I ignored it. I was slowly suffocating inside the elevator and it took everything I had just to keep another round of panic at bay.

But Serafino clearly didn’t like it when I disregarded his text.

Ring. Ring.

“Ignore it,” Jarrod said, voice soothing. “Concentrate on staying calm and centering yourself.”

“Easy for you to say,” I said tightly.

“True,” he conceded. “But I witnessed my mother suffer from panic attacks for many years. I know the signs.”

It should have made me feel more comfortable, but there was nothing calming about being close to him. And there was definitely nothing centered about my cell going quiet. It wasn’t until we stepped out into the casino’s foyer that my panic marginally subsided.

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