Page 19 of Where the Stars Heal

8

SHE HAS ME SPIRALING

ASHER

I hear the crash of glasses and gasps from those surrounding me, but I don’t think anything of it. Glasses break all the time here. Someone is always dropping one or getting pushed into and a tray will topple. It’s second nature to hear a glass break at least once a night here. This time is different, though. Hunter rushes to where the glasses smashed, and when I turn my eyes, following where he’s going, I see her. Halle stands there, looking down at the broken glass, eyes wide with panic, and her hands are trembling. My instincts scream at me to go help her, but I stop myself. Her brother is there, and that’s who she needs. Not me.

Pouring a beer for the local regular in front of me, he looks on at the commotion, and I can tell he’s watching Halle, his eyes focused solely on her. I know what he’s thinking. She looks damn good tonight in those denim cut-off shorts. Her thick dark hair tucked behind one ear and those boots. I’ve only ever seen her in those old-looking Chucks she wears, but tonight, the black ankle boots she wears are sexy as hell.

“Who’s that?” he asks.

“That would be Hunter’s little sister, and if he saw you looking at her like you are now, he’d chew you out,” I say, my tone laced with warning.

He continues to watch her with this predatory gaze, and my jaw locks in place, tension tightening every muscle. The instinct to kick him out hits me like a tonne of bricks. The urge to protect her slams into me, making me pause, and I take a steady breath to calm my rising anger.

“Yo, Halle’s freaking out. She keeps saying sorry, and Hunter doesn’t know what to do,” Connor yells at me as he rushes past.

It only takes me a second to react, and I’m running down to the other end of the bar, my eyes locked on Halle. She’s crouched down, trying to pick up the broken glass. Hunter is kneeling in front of her, talking fast, and I can see in the way her skin flushes, how her lips are turning white, and how her chest rises and falls in quick pants that she’s spiraling into an attack. It’s like seeing myself when I wake in a panic from my nightmares. I reach her and Hunter, tapping him on the back to get him to move, and grab her by the shoulders. Those blue-gray eyes filled with panic lock on to me, and I feel how cold her arms are.

“Outside, let’s go,” I say, my voice coming out thick and commanding.

Without waiting for Halle’s response, I guide her toward the back door, nodding to her brother to let him know I’ve got this. My hold on her shoulders tightens, making it known to her that I won’t let her fall.

Pulling the staff entrance door open, I guide her outside with my hand hovering over her lower back. It’s dark out, and the heat from earlier in the night has cooled slightly. The door slams behind us, and Halle jumps, gripping myforearm. Her breathing is still coming in too quickly, and I can tell she’s locked in her head.

“I’m so,” she hiccups and rushes to take a quick breath, “sorry. I’m sorry,” she rushes out before another hiccup hits her. Standing in front of her, I grab her by the arms, hoping that my firm hold will help ground her.

“Stop saying sorry. What’s going on in that head of yours?” My voice comes out steady but concerned at the same time.

I search her eyes, hoping to find answers to whatever’s going on inside her, but all I see is helplessness and fear. She blinks rapidly, her lips purse as she fights the battle inside. Whatever it is, she’s trying to keep it buried. I need her to breathe. I need her to come back to me.

That thought alone tugs at my chest, and that protective feeling comes over me once again. She has a darkness that reminds me of my own, and there’s no denying it. I need her to know she’s not alone, that I’m here.

I move my hands up to her face, gently cupping her cheeks. My thumbs brush under her eyes to get her attention back to me.

“Halle,” I coax. “Can you tell me something you can see?”

Her long thick lashes flutter, and her eyes latch on to mine.

I take a deep breath in and motion for her to copy, holding for a beat before we exhale together.

“Your green eyes,” she whispers back finally, her voice broken.

Nodding, I keep a hold of her face, my thumbs brushing back and forth. “That’s good, sweetheart. Can you tell me something you can feel now?”

“Your hands. They’re warm.”

My heart does this little stutter inside me at that. I’ve never been warm, always cold and distant. Besides Hunter, I keep people at arm’s length, never allowing them to fully see me.

Her hair’s fallen over my hands, shielding her face. I move to tuck some behind her ear.

“Can you tell me something you can smell?” I ask more calmly.

“Mint.” She brings her hands up to hold my arms. “You smell like mint.”

We’re locked in this moment, just staring at each other. The noise from the outside fades away, and it’s just us, our chests rising and falling in time with one another. Seconds tick by, and I feel the panic leave her system. The color comes creeping back into her cheeks, turning a pretty shade of pink, and I know she’s good now.

“Thank fuck for that. I thought I smelled like old man Ted at the bar.” My nose turns up at the thought. He smells like he hasn’t showered in days.

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