Page 64 of Obsession

He watched her quietly. She moved with lithe grace, her punches strong and sharp. Dressed in black gym leggings and a loose white tee, with deep concentration etched on her face, her hair tied at the top of her head, Anna looked incredibly attractive as she attacked the bag.

All the Mehra women knew how to fight. He was well aware that Rajiv had insisted they all learn self-defense and basic fighting techniques, mostly thanks to Mihir and his brothers holding them captive in their yacht all those years ago.

He sighed. So much had changed since that night long ago.

He moved closer to her. Suddenly, she spun around, her fist lashing out. He caught it in his hand, stopping her blow. He frowned. Her breathing turned shallow, her face ashen, and she began to tremble. In a second, he understood what had happened.

He caught her by the arms. “Breathe, Anna. Breathe.”

She continued to shake, her breathing uneven. Concern flooded his chest. She was having a full-blown panic attack. Fuck.

“Breathe with me, Anna,” he repeated, his eyes never leaving her face.

She still didn’t react.

“ANNA…” he yelled. “Look at me.”

Her eyes finally zeroed in on him.

“Come on, breathe with me,” he said gently. “In… and out.”

She started following his instructions, breathing along with him. A long moment later, he removed her boxing gloves and tossed them aside. Taking her cold hand, he placed it on his chest. “Feel my heartbeat. Focus on that.”

He put his own hand on her chest, right where her heart was beating frantically. “Breathe again… In and out.”

She continued to follow his lead. Soon, her eyes began to clear. Color returned to her cheeks, and her breathing evened. Her pulse, though, still felt on the higher side.

“I’m here, Anna,” he said softly. “I’m here. You are absolutely safe, okay? No one is going to hurt you ever. I promise, Anna. You’re safe.”

She finally looked at him properly. He helped her sit on the floor and offered her a bottle of water. She took a few sips.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

“Yes…” She sighed. “Sorry, you had to witness that.”

Seeing her look so defeated made him furious. He should have hurt that bastard some more before killing him for hurting her.

“Don’t apologize to me for having a panic attack…” He kept his tone gentle, even though he was fuming. “When did they start?”

“Right after being discharged from the hospital.”

“What triggered you right now?”

“You moved all too suddenly in my periphery, and I thought I was all alone here.” She shook her head. “Sudden movements and loud sounds can be a trigger.”

“Are you really feeling better now?”

“Yes.”

He rose. “Get up.”

“What?”

“Get up and wear your gloves.”

She stared at him. “Why?”

“For once, can you do as you are told without being difficult?”

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