Page 121 of GAF Factor

“Well, if they can’t get to Shawn, they’ll get to me. And if they can’t get to me?—”

“Yeah, yeah. They’ll come after me. Let them come. I’ll take them down. I’m not afraid of a few wannabe posers.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her description of the Irish. Her takedown of Big Susie in the third grade could hardly count as a fight. I finished folding my clothes and started dressing in the warmest thing I had. As I hoisted up my jeans, I noted how loose they felt. And while that normally would be welcomed, the reasoning behind the weight loss was not a recommended method of treatment.

“Did you hear me? Geez, it’s like you’re not even listening,” Riley complained.

“Yeah, I heard you,” I said, still distracted as I pulled on my bra and then my shirt, trying to ignore the way my ribs protruded just a little more than they usually did. Crap, I really needed to fix this, but how did you change a loss of appetite?

“Just get back here and solve this thing so I can get back to my life, ‘kay?”

“Yeah.”

“Isles?”

I shook my head, distracted and a little worried. My hands shook as I felt flutters in my chest. My head started to pound and the room started to sway.

I fumbled for the phone, wanting to get off before she suspected anything. “Riley, I—have to go.”

My fingers slid over the screen, desperately trying to end the call. I sucked in a breath as I closed my eyes and tried to focus on what I needed to do. Just end the call. Opening my eyes, I tapped the red button over and over until it finally ended the call. Then I stood and shook out my hands.

“You’re fine. You’re fine,” I repeated, walking across the room. I took a deep breath and then another. “It’s nothing. There’s nothing wrong.”

But the problem was, the more I told myself that, the worse the pounding got. My chest burned with each breath and the room swayed harder. Tears pricked my eyes. What the hell was happening to me? Fear worked its way up my spine inch by inch as an image flashed in my mind. I was walking, trying to reach IKE. I knew I needed to get to him, but everything was spiraling out of control.

I stumbled into the corner, bracing myself against the wall as I curled up, pressing my forehead to my knees. I could see the stairs in front of me, the way they tilted in front and seemed to split in two. I didn’t know which set to take.

I pressed my hands to the sides of my head as the pounding intensified. What the hell was going on? I was so hot, so freaking hot. I gasped for air, but got nothing. I vaguely heard my name being called, but couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the desperate need for just a small hint of oxygen.

And then he was there, kneeling in front of me with those intense blue eyes, staring at me the same way he had the night he rescued me from the explosion. He was saying something, but all I saw was his lips moving.

Breathe.

Breathe.

Breathe.

He gripped both of my arms in his, hauling me to my feet. The room spun around me, colors swirled, and the band around my chest tightened painfully. My whole left side felt like it was going numb. Oh God, was I having a heart attack? My eyes fluttered as my body started to give out. My weak legs could no longer hold me up, and not even the strong arms gripping me could keep me from flopping like a spaghetti noodle.

The darkness started to claim me, and as it did, peace settled inside me, clearing out the chaos of the swirling lights. I welcomed it, even if only for a little while, just to feel like I could escape to a new reality where no one was trying to kill me.

Stretching,I rolled over in the dark room and stared out the window. It was pitch black outside. Rubbing my eyes, I sat up, kicking the covers off as I searched for the clock on the nightstand. It was gone. What the hell? I flipped on the light, wincing at the brightness.

“You’re awake.”

I jumped at the sound of his voice. “Jesus,” I whispered, pressing a hand to my racing heart. “You scared the crap out of me.”

“Clearly.” His voice was rough like he’d swallowed sandpaper.

I turned to him and stared at him sitting in the corner chair, sipping a drink. “Why are you sitting in the dark?”

He didn’t say anything. He just sat there, swirling the drink in his glass.

“IKE, what’s going on?”

He huffed slightly, his lips curling at the corners. “You fucking passed out on me. That’s what’s going on.”

Okay…Well, that wasn’t a reason to be mad. “It was just a panic attack or something. Weren’t we supposed to leave?” I asked, getting up from the bed. I grabbed my suitcase and tossed it back on top of the covers, ready to get on the road.

---