Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 111278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Although, she did kind of feel like she knew Caley. Dominic had been reading her a few chapters from her books each night. And damn. Those books had been hot before, but read in his voice with his sexy glasses on . . . yeah, it had taken them to a whole new level.
It was really noisy with lots of laughter and talking. She paused for a moment, watching everyone. Why were there so many people? Did they all live on the ranch? Did Dominic know them all?
“Gwen! Dom!”
She jumped and looked over as Ellie waved enthusiastically. She recognized the other Littles as they smiled and waved at her. Ellie started skipping over to her, but Charlie grabbed hold of her, holding her back.
Probably just as well.
Because she was about to freaking lose her mind.
She really wished she’d brought Butterball with her. Why hadn’t she done that?
“Shortcake? Gwen? Hey, what’s wrong?” Dominic turned her toward him, staring down into her face. “What is it?”
“I . . . I . . . I can’t.”
Everywhere she looked, all she saw were faceless dark voids. Her attackers could be anyone here.
All right, so she knew they likely weren’t. But she simply couldn’t do this.
She gasped for breath, the world around her spinning as her face grew numb.
“She’s having a panic attack!” someone said. “Get Doc! Or Archer!”
“Gwen? Gwen, can you hear me?” someone asked.
She nodded, glancing around. How had she ended up on the ground?
“Gwen, I’m Archer. I’m Doc’s brother.”
“He has a kinder face than Doc.”
“Thank you. I’m far more handsome too.”
Oops. Had she said that out loud?
“Now, I want you to take some long, slow breaths for me. Okay? Breathe with me. In. Hold. Then out. That’s it. Again. Good girl. Now, can you tell me five things you can see?”
Could she?
“What can you see, darling girl?” Dominic asked from where he was sitting behind her, supporting her. She glanced around.
“People.”
“Good,” Archer replied.
Doc crouched and took her pulse. “All of you, back up so she can see other shit.”
Okay. Grouchy as ever.
“Grass. Sky. Slide. You.”
“Good Gwen,” Archer told her. “Now four things you hear.”
“I can’t . . . I can’t hear much.”
“No. Everyone has gone quiet, haven’t they? You can hear my voice?”
“Yes. Your voice. Dom-Dom breathing. Doc muttering. Murmurs.”
“Well done. You’re doing so well.”
“Heart rate is slowing,” Doc said.
“I’m sorry.” Realization filtered through, bringing shame. What had she just done?
“No, you don’t,” Dominic said. “You do not apologize.”
“Can you tell me what made you panic, Gwen?” Archer asked.
“I just . . . there’s so many people. I don’t know them all. I know they didn’t have anything to do with what happened, but I . . .”
“But you felt threatened,” Archer replied. “It’s a totally reasonable response.”
“Is it? It seems . . . cowardly. I know no one here would hurt me.”
Doc grunted. “You don’t know everyone. Not cowardly if you’ve been through the shit you have. Besides, if I had an excuse not to, I wouldn’t have come.”
Archer threw him a look.
“I’ll take you home, baby,” Dominic said in a tender voice. “I’m so sorry I brought you here.”
“No. I wanted to come. But now . . .” Now she wasn’t sure if she could stay. She felt jittery and exhausted. On edge. “I’m so embarrassed.”
“We’re going home. No arguments,” Dominic said firmly. “And you shouldn’t feel embarrassed. If it’s too soon, then it’s too soon.”
“Dominic is right,” Archer said. “There’s no time frame. No rule that says when you have to get over something traumatic. All right? You need to do what’s best for you.”
“But I don’t want to live my life like this. Always afraid. And that’s what is going to happen if they’re out there.”
Archer’s face grew pensive. “Would it be all right if I walked back with you?”
“I guess so.” She couldn’t look at anyone else as Archer and Doc helped her stand. Dominic stood and put his arm around her.
“Lean on me. Do you need me to carry you?” Dominic asked.
“No, thanks. I can walk.”
They moved in silence for a while. Then, when they reached the cabin, and she sat on the bench so that Dominic could remove her boots. Once they were all inside, and he’d stripped her of some layers, she turned to them both. There was an idea that had been percolating in her head. One that she thought Archer might have more knowledge about.
“I want to re-enact it. When I was kidnapped. I want to re-enact what happened in the hopes that it brings back my memory.”
Dominic gaped at her.
That wasn’t what he’d expected her to say.
“No.”
She stared up at him.
“Not happening, Gwen. No way. That’s entirely too dangerous.”
“Why? What’s so dangerous? If we do it with people that you trust . . .”
“It could traumatize you further,” Archer said gently as Dominic started to pace.