Page 59 of Shielding Aubree

"It's going to be okay." She could only move one hand between them due to his crushing embrace, so she ended up petting him in an attempt to calm both of them. The repetitive movement had a bit of a calming effect on her as well, but as he rocked her against him, she felt tears leaking onto her cheeks. "It's going to be okay."

"Yeah," his voice sounded like sandpaper in her ears, "it will be because I'm not going to leave you alone until we find the fucker."

She shook her head. "You can't do that."

"The fuck I can't."

His arms tightened around her and she had to fight for a breath.

"I'm going to take some time off from the Refuge-"

"No."

"You can't. Ruben-"

He rolled her onto her back, but before he could say anything something changed.

It was dark.

So damn dark.

And there was a weight on her chest.

Her stomach.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't see into the dark.

"...please..."

The world around her was shrinking. Tightening around her like heavy blankets. Weighing her down and squeezing her lungs tight enough that air had little chance of getting in.

"Fuck!"

Ruben let her go in a heartbeat, putting a good couple of feet between them.

"Aubree, baby..."

He reached a hand out to her and she grasped at it, ducking her chin so he wouldn't see her cry.

"It's going to be okay." The phrase was calming to her. The same family mantra she'd used since she was a kid came easily to the front of her mind.

"I'm an ass." Ruben's voice was cutting but she knew it wasn't directed at her. "I swore I wouldn't hurt you."

"It's okay."

She heard the soft shift of cotton as he moved and reached out for his hand again.

He took her hand and pressed a kiss against the back of it, brushing his rough cheek against it a moment later.

That sensation took her breath away.

The fear that had threatened to pull her under and drown her subsided.

In the darkness she reached for him with both hands and sought the safe harbor that his touch provided. She had to fight through this if she was going to come out on the other side.

He tookhold of the other hand she gave him, grateful that she wasn't pushing him away.

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