Page 51 of Dearest Protector

In.

Out.

“Good girl,” he crooned in a low baritone, putting his face closer to mine so I could hear him.

I couldn’t make out his face because my vision was so blurry, but his words were comforting.

I knew every breath I took was short and shallow, but I kept working to get air in and out of my lungs.

“Scared!” I managed to huff out between those shallow breaths.

“I know,” he said in deep, rumbly voice full of concern. “But I’m here with you, Ariel. I’m not going to leave. I’m going to stay right here and remind you to keep breathing. We’ll get through this together, okay?”

I didn’t know who this person was or how he knew me.

All I knew was that his gruff, reassuring voice was my lifeline, my only grip on sanity.

“Don’t. Go,” I gasped, desperate to hold on to the only thing keeping me conscious.

“I’m right here,” he said reassuringly next to my ear. “Just keep breathing, and stay with me, Ariel.”

I felt gentle fingers on the pulse at my neck as I kept breathing.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

Oh, God, it hurt like hell to breathe.

The sharp pain in my chest and shoulder nearly made me pass out with every inhalation.

Still, because he told me to do it, I breathed as deeply as possible.

“You’re doing great, Ariel. Keep going,” he encouraged.

I didn’t want to.

Everything hurt so damn bad that I wanted to give up.

“Don’t do it,” he commanded as my eyes began to flutter closed. “Stay with me.”

The alarm in his voice made me open my eyes with a painful groan.

He was no more than a blurry form above me, but something made me want to stay connected to this voice.

I didn’t want to leave him, and even worse, I didn’t want him to leave me.

“You’re. Bossy,” I said, every word excruciating.

His warm hand held my neck and head still, and I felt gentle fingers brush the hair from my forehead. He leaned close to my ear and warned, “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you with me until the ambulance gets here.”

He would.

I could sense it.