Page 49 of The Healing Touch

“Yes, the crybaby who pitches a fit until he gets what he wants. What would you call it?”

“Temper tantrum.” Sara winked. “Delia does it all the time.”

“I swear. I can’t take you two anywhere without you trying to make fun of me. You, Sara Jane, get gone, and you and me,” he pointed at Becca, “we’re going to eat and talk.”

Sara laughed and started walking back toward her table. Becca’s nerves started to fray thinking about what Dimitri wanted to talk about. Not a discussion she wanted to have. He was going to tell her while he wanted to fuck her, that was all it would be. He didn’t do relationships. They could have fun, but it wouldn’t go past fuck buddies.

And, honestly, she might give in. She’d wanted him so badly for so long, and her body betrayed her every time he got close, so why fight him? It would hurt her like a train wreck, that was why, she told her subconscious. But it might be worth the heartache to have those memories.

“Becca?”

Startled, she found herself surrounded by three guys, two of whom she knew. Models. The third one was a model as well, but she’d never chatted with him on Facebook before. Kyle Moore, Henry Dawl, and Mr. Biceps. Gorgeous eye candy, all three, but none of that mattered to her right this minute.

She took several steps backward to ward off the trapped, closed-in feeling. It didn’t prevent the tremors from starting, though, or the sweat from beading her forehead. A sick feeling began to churn in her stomach, and the walls felt a little tighter. Closed in.

“Hi, Henry, Kyle.” Three little words, but the hardest three she’d had to speak in years.

Henry rushed her, wrapping her in a hug, and she fought not to scream, not to choke on the lack of air getting into her lungs. This was too much, too much.

“We didn’t know you were coming, baby girl. You should have told us. We’d have taken you out for lunch.”

“Let me go,” she gasped, working and failing at stopping the panic from stomping her in the gut.

Henry let her go, confused. Concern replaced the confusion when he got a good look at her. “You okay, Becca?”

“Don’t fucking put your hands on her again.”

Dimitri looked ready to murder them, his eyes ice cold, and his entire body primed to fight. Becca struggled to pull air into her lungs. She knew he was going to hurt someone. Because of her.

“Chill, dude. We’re friends.”

“Don’t fucking care, dude.” He stepped over to where Becca stood and made her bend over a little, grabbing her purse off the table and digging until he found her inhaler. “She’s mine. Don’t touch her.”

“What-the-fuck-ever.” Henry ignored him and stepped closer. “What’s wrong with her?”

“None of your fucking business.” Dimitri’s entire tone went hard and as cold as the ice in his eyes.

Becca took several long pulls of air into her lungs once the inhaler started to work. She concentrated on the carpet and counted to twenty, scared Dimitri would explode before she could stop him.

“It’s okay. I’m fine.” She wheezed a bit, but there was no help for it.

“You are not fine, baby girl. What’s wrong?”

Becca closed her eyes then opened them when she heard the growl leave Dimitri. Henry had inched closer. “I am, promise. I’ll message you tonight and explain it, but I just need to get out of here right now.”

Henry didn’t look convinced but did move back when Dimitri pulled her to him and moved her quickly through the building and out to the Jeep. She was shaking so badly, it felt like her teeth were chattering. She could breathe, but barely, and the nauseated feeling wouldn’t stop. Bile rose, and she barely managed to get the door open before hot liquid went spewing.

“What do you need?” Dimitri fussed as soon as he was in the driver’s side. “What can I do?”

She shook her head and closed the door, turning the AC on full blast and aiming it right at her face. She hugged herself, her nails biting into her arms to try to calm her shaking hands. It was a bad idea. She knew it before she walked in. Why had she thought she could do this?

Dimitri felt helpless watching her misery. He shouldn’t have asked her to do this, dammit. He’d seen what just the thought of it had done, but he’d stupidly thought since she’d handled the last couple places he’d taken them and seemed to be handling the small crowd in the event room, she’d be okay.

Wrong. All it took was getting cornered by three people while he’d stopped to chat with the author at the table beside them. He hadn’t seen the men until it was too late. Didn’t matter if she knew them; she didn’t trust them like she did him. That was why she freaked, and he’d had his back turned, thinking she would grab her purse and join him. He should have known better than to turn his back in a room full of people she knew better than he did.

He started the Jeep and pulled out, heading back to the hotel. She was in no shape to try a restaurant. He’d get her calmed down then go find food for them both.

“Where are we going?”

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