Read Online Every Breath You Take (Oasis Book 1) by Kenna Avery Wood - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kenna Avery Wood
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out. Hold on–can’t breathe–”
“You can’t breathe? Charlotte.” Finn glanced around and found the closest bench. My feet didn’t want to move, but Finn made me walk to it and sit down. “Breathe, Charlotte. Come on.”
I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it came off as a wince.
“Just–a minute–”
He looked at the locker door, mouth tight with worry and knelt in front of me. “What the hell happened?”
“It’s okay,” I said slowly, staring at my shoes to try to focus. “It’ll go away…in a minute…”
It wasn’t the first time I’d had a panic attack, and probably wouldn’t be the last. It was the hyperventilating that scared me more than anything. That my airway would shut off completely and I’d pass out. Now that I was safely away from the locker room with Finn crouching in front of me, the fear of the unknown was gone. But I was still having trouble breathing.
Finn clasped my hand in his, eyes searching mine. “What do you need me to do?”
“There was someone…” I glanced to the locker room. “In there. The lights…” I blew out a breath. “The lights went out. Someone was in there.”
Finn was on his feet in an instant. I gripped his hand as hard as I could, but he pried it loose. “Stay here,” he ordered.
He snapped out a command at one of the attendants and they both went into the locker room. The longer they were in there, the more worried I got. But when they both walked out looking confused, I felt like an idiot. What if I hadn’t heard anything? What if it was just my overactive imagination?
And the lights…what about those?
I got to my feet, pretending to be steadier than I actually felt. The pressure in my chest loosened slightly and I tried breathing in and out full, deep breaths.
Finn said something else to the attendant and then came to me again. “Do you feel better?”
I nodded.
“We didn’t find anyone in there. The attendant said the lights went off earlier, too. He’s going to get the manager to check on it. Charlotte…are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. I feel better now. We should go.”
His jaw clenched, but he nodded. He grabbed my bag and slung it over his shoulder before guiding me to the elevator. Inside, we were alone.
“Tell me what happened,” Finn said, turning to me.
My cheeks heated. I was beginning to think I’d overreacted. “I did. I thought–I mean, the lights went out. I heard something. But…it must have been a mistake. It just scared me, that’s all.”
“Terrified you, more like. Charlotte, I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.”
The elevator doors opened and I stepped out. Finn followed me.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Walking you to your door.”
“It’s not necessary.”
“You’re shaking.”
I stopped in the middle of the hallway, realizing he was right. I lifted my chin, giving him a level look. “I’m fine.”
“You might be, but I’m not. I’m worried for you. So, cut me some slack and let me walk you to your door.”
My mouth hung open, halfway to a response of frustration. But then I saw his eyes and stopped. He was right, there was worry there. Confusion, too, but mostly worry. He looked lost, like he wasn’t sure how to help, only that walking me to my door seemed like a good start.
So I turned and started to my apartment again with Finn silent at my side. When I got to the door, I fumbled in my pocket for the key card. I dropped it, scooped it up, and dropped it again.
Finn retrieved it the second time, calmly sliding it into the slot. The door opened and I walked in, biting my lip. Good job, Charlotte. Now he knows just how badly this affected you. When I turned, he was holding the key card tightly in his hand and his lips were pressed into a thin line.
“I’m good now,” I said, reaching for my gym bag. “Thanks.”
He didn’t release the bag. Instead, he stepped inside the door, closed it behind him, and set my bag on
“You can’t breathe? Charlotte.” Finn glanced around and found the closest bench. My feet didn’t want to move, but Finn made me walk to it and sit down. “Breathe, Charlotte. Come on.”
I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it came off as a wince.
“Just–a minute–”
He looked at the locker door, mouth tight with worry and knelt in front of me. “What the hell happened?”
“It’s okay,” I said slowly, staring at my shoes to try to focus. “It’ll go away…in a minute…”
It wasn’t the first time I’d had a panic attack, and probably wouldn’t be the last. It was the hyperventilating that scared me more than anything. That my airway would shut off completely and I’d pass out. Now that I was safely away from the locker room with Finn crouching in front of me, the fear of the unknown was gone. But I was still having trouble breathing.
Finn clasped my hand in his, eyes searching mine. “What do you need me to do?”
“There was someone…” I glanced to the locker room. “In there. The lights…” I blew out a breath. “The lights went out. Someone was in there.”
Finn was on his feet in an instant. I gripped his hand as hard as I could, but he pried it loose. “Stay here,” he ordered.
He snapped out a command at one of the attendants and they both went into the locker room. The longer they were in there, the more worried I got. But when they both walked out looking confused, I felt like an idiot. What if I hadn’t heard anything? What if it was just my overactive imagination?
And the lights…what about those?
I got to my feet, pretending to be steadier than I actually felt. The pressure in my chest loosened slightly and I tried breathing in and out full, deep breaths.
Finn said something else to the attendant and then came to me again. “Do you feel better?”
I nodded.
“We didn’t find anyone in there. The attendant said the lights went off earlier, too. He’s going to get the manager to check on it. Charlotte…are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. I feel better now. We should go.”
His jaw clenched, but he nodded. He grabbed my bag and slung it over his shoulder before guiding me to the elevator. Inside, we were alone.
“Tell me what happened,” Finn said, turning to me.
My cheeks heated. I was beginning to think I’d overreacted. “I did. I thought–I mean, the lights went out. I heard something. But…it must have been a mistake. It just scared me, that’s all.”
“Terrified you, more like. Charlotte, I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.”
The elevator doors opened and I stepped out. Finn followed me.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Walking you to your door.”
“It’s not necessary.”
“You’re shaking.”
I stopped in the middle of the hallway, realizing he was right. I lifted my chin, giving him a level look. “I’m fine.”
“You might be, but I’m not. I’m worried for you. So, cut me some slack and let me walk you to your door.”
My mouth hung open, halfway to a response of frustration. But then I saw his eyes and stopped. He was right, there was worry there. Confusion, too, but mostly worry. He looked lost, like he wasn’t sure how to help, only that walking me to my door seemed like a good start.
So I turned and started to my apartment again with Finn silent at my side. When I got to the door, I fumbled in my pocket for the key card. I dropped it, scooped it up, and dropped it again.
Finn retrieved it the second time, calmly sliding it into the slot. The door opened and I walked in, biting my lip. Good job, Charlotte. Now he knows just how badly this affected you. When I turned, he was holding the key card tightly in his hand and his lips were pressed into a thin line.
“I’m good now,” I said, reaching for my gym bag. “Thanks.”
He didn’t release the bag. Instead, he stepped inside the door, closed it behind him, and set my bag on
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