Page 50 of Always My Comfort

“Look at your phone,” Logan finally managed to whisper.

I picked up my phone and saw numerous notifications—text messages from my manager and other teammates and numerous news articles. My eyes zeroed in on the headline of the article from the ESPN app.

Hot Shot Atlanta Braves' Ace, Jaxon Dexter, Has Baby With Rival's Ex.

CHAPTER20

Logan

Through blurred vision,I read the text from Scarlet.

Scar

Logan!

Logan!

ANSWER ME DAMNIT!

This has Richard’s name written all over it.

Did you know about the article?

The news article with a picture of me and Richard glared up at me. My hands immediately started to shake, the beginnings of an anxiety attack gripping my mind. I dropped the phone onto the soft comforter. When it fell, I just stared at my shaking fingers. The light from the TV cast an eerie glow over everything that I had once thought had been the perfect, romantic evening. Ruined.

Hot Shot Atlanta Braves' Ace, Jaxon Dexter, Has Baby With Rival's Ex.

The silence between me and Jaxon was too loud in his bedroom.

A glance toward him from the corner of my eye confirmed all my fears. His eyes were zeroed in on his phone, the screen illuminating his face. His eyes were set in a hard glare. He had seen it, too. He was mad at me.

The volume from the television was background noise compared to the drumming in my ears. Black spots danced in my vision while I tried my hardest to focus on breathing. I had to explain this to him—somehow. I had to tell him I didn’t know about it. He had to know I would never sabotage his career.

I opened my mouth to speak, but only a strangled sob tore from my lips, the sound foreign and painful to my own ears. Words were impossible in my current state.

I shook my head, wishing I could find my control.

My lungs begged for air, my chest rising and falling too quickly, my heart beating too fast, the thrumming in my ears getting louder with every passing second.

In.

Out.

Inhale.

Exhale.

I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.

I clutched my chest with both hands and gasped for air. Jaxon’s wide eyes were frantic when he looked at me. Quickly, he threw his phone off the bed, giving me his undivided attention. My fingers were ice-cold against my hot throat, but nothing relieved the burn from lack of oxygen.

Jaxon cradled my head, his hands ever so gentle, eyes betraying his calm movements. I gasped, my lungs burning, head spinning, speechless as I looked into his eyes and prayed he understood.

“Breathe, Logan. Breathe for me, sweetheart. Inhale. Exhale. You can do this. Breathe, baby.”

I wanted to. I wanted to. I wanted to.

“Please, Logan,” he begged, his voice shaking. It was unlike anything I’d ever heard before from him.

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