Page 36 of Just Wait

“I-I’m o-okay,” she says.

It’s a very unconvincing lie.

If her tone and body language didn’t give away her misery, the smell of her pheromones would. That sweet pears and roses scent of hers smells sour, betraying her emotions.

“You will be,” I assure her. “Can I touch you? I have some tricks for centering someone when they’re in the middle of a panic attack.”

“I-I’m sorry. Just go back to the party,” she says, her tone strained.

“Is that a no?”

“You can.” She looks up at me as her hair falls around her face. “I don’t think anything is going to help, though.”

“Let’s give it a shot.” I smile, but it feels foreign to my facial muscles, so who knows if it helps. Grabbing her hands, I pry them off her knees and get her upright. “I’m right here with you, sweetheart.”

I bring my hand to rest on her chest, staying just below her clavicles and as far away from her tits as I can. It’s not easy. My palm is huge in comparison to her, or that’s how it feels.

My other hand stays wrapped in hers, and I run my thumb over the side of her palm as I catch her gaze.

“Okay, now we’re going to breathe together, slow and steady.” I nod, smiling. “You can do that for me. Can’t you, Lumen?”

Her eyes dilate, and my head tilts.

Interesting.

“I’ll try,” she says shakily.

“Slow, deep breath in,” I instruct, mimicking what I want her to do. “Good job. Now hold it for just a second and breathe out for me. Just like that, keep exhaling.” I smile, trying to be encouraging. “And we’re going to do this one more time.” Her cheeks are red as she follows my instructions, but she stops shaking somewhere around the fourth or fifth round of breaths. “You’re doing great. Do you feel better?”

“Kinda,” she says, bobbing her head.

“Good. That’s a great start.” My head whips around, and I frown as commotion fills the air behind us.

The fans from Tangled Desires’ meet and greet spill from the room farther down the hall.

“Oh no,” Lumen whispers.

Seeing her ex is only going to make her spiral all over again.

I pull my palm off her chest and tug her away from the wall with my other hand that’s still wrapped in hers.

“Come on,” I say, peeking back over my shoulder as I cover her with my massive frame. “We’re getting out of here.”

Theo won’t react well if he sees me with her, but that’s his problem. Things got heated when I intervened in the hallway, and it took everything in me not to lay his ass out. He never should have grabbed her when he was so frantic.

Once Mal had her out of sight, Theo tried to start shit with me, but I shut that down real quick.

I’m sure they’ll talk at some point.

Now isn’t the time for that, though.

Pulling Lumen to stand in front of me, I plant my hand on her stomach and guide her out the double doors. We’re nowhere near the buses, but we’re inside the fence, so it’ll be fine. It’s just going to be a bit of a walk.

Lumen doesn’t fight me as I continue to block her from view, guiding her from behind. That part of me that needs control loves that she follows my lead, but now isn’t the time for any of those thoughts.

Damn.

I’m just as screwed up as Malcolm.