Page 26 of Colton’s Inferno

“More than the burn mark on the ground.”

He nodded his head.

Lucy could feel the tension in the air, pressing her down like a weight. She reached for her mug of coffee, lifted it to her lips and took a sip. Only a moment ago, the drink had felt like a warm hug. Now, it was bitter and tepid.

Aiden placed his hand on her wrist. “There was a lock,” he said, “on the outside of the door.”

“The latch you mean,” she said. Then again, she was no fool. She knew what he was trying to say. Heck, she’d known something was wrong all along.

“Lucy.” His fingers tightened. “The lock was new. It was put on the door to trap you inside.”

His voice swirled around her, like a mist. Even though she’d heard what he said, she couldn’t make sense of the words. Then, the fog lifted, and Lucy understood. Someone had locked her in the back room and then set the barn on fire. It was no accident. Someone wanted her dead.

That’s when the earth seemed to open and swallow her whole. For a moment, she felt as if she were falling, unable to stop her descent. It was the loss of control that frightened her as much as the darkness that crept in from all sides. Her feet went numb, and her hands started to tremble. Sweat dotted her brow, her lip, and collected at the nape of her neck.

She had to focus on something that she knew was real. The pressure of Aiden’s fingers on her wrist was real. The warmth of his hand on her skin was real. The scent of him, musk and pine, was real. She inhaled deeply, just like her grief counselor had taught her all those years ago. She exhaled. Inhale. Exhale. Her breath was real, and still she kept falling deeper and deeper into the pit.

“I’m here.” Aiden’s voice came from far away. “And you are safe.”

But she wasn’t safe. Someone had tried to kill her, and she was still falling. Soon, she wouldn’t be able to climb out of the void.

Breathe, her inner voice said. Focus on what’s real.

Inhale.

The pressure of Aiden’s fingers on her wrist.

Exhale.

The warmth of Aiden’s hand on her skin.

Inhale.

The scent of Aiden—musk and pine.

Exhale.

Lucy could feel her own hand, still wrapped around her mug. The chairback, hard against her spine. Her feet on the cold wooden floor.

Inhale.

Exhale.

“I’m here and you are safe,” Aiden said again. This time, his voice was close.

Golden sunlight came through the linen curtains. The cabinets gleamed. The scent of coffee filled the room. She lifted the mug to her lips and took a sip. Her body and mind came back together. “Someone put a lock outside the door?”

“I’m sorry, Lucy. I wish there was something else to tell you. But I promise, I’ll find whoever did this. They’ll be held responsible.” He paused. “Do you want to talk about what happened? The panic attack, I mean.”

She shook her head. “I haven’t had one for a while.”

“Me, either,” said Aiden. “But it always helped for me to chat with someone after.”

How could someone as perfect as Aiden Colton have panic attacks?

She regarded him for a moment. “I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t think talking helps? It does, I promise. Sometimes you just need to find the right person.”