CHAPTER 17

As soon as the door closed behind Skye, Garret wanted to kick himself. He knew he had just been unnecessarily cruel, but having Vanessa turn up and remind him why he had avoided women, had messed with his head. He walked into the living room surveying the mess. Skye had managed to clear some of it, but not all of it. Kicking glass shards he walked back out onto the porch to try and find clarity through the fog in his mind. Why had Vanessa turning up upset him? He didn’t love her any more. He was completely over her.

Wasn’t it because of how she managed to hurt him? The amount of pain a woman could cause once you let her in. The rays started lifting the fog as it all began to make sense. He wasn’t mad at Vanessa or at Skye, he was furious with himself for being so weak. Weak enough to love a person enough to allow them to almost ruin you?

Well he wouldn’t let it happen again. Never again. That was why it was right that he had gotten rid of Skye. He knew the strategy was cruel, the execution brutal. He had wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms when that tear rolled over her beautiful face, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t allow a woman to take over his world, only to leave it in ruins when she was done with him.

He had thought Skye was different, and she was, but even though her personality was different from Vanessa, Garret had realized something as Vanessa was throwing his crystal. Skye already had a hold on his heart; if he let her in any deeper he wasn’t sure he would survive the ruins if she cheated on him.

Resolute with his decision Garret glanced at the living room and decided he couldn’t be here and not see Skye. He locked the terrace doors, double checking them before grabbing his keys and heading for the door. It would be easier to fight the inexplicable magnetic draw towards her if he was in Manhattan.

As he started his car he admitted to himself that the first few weeks would be hard. It would be hard to forget her smile, how her small body fit with his, but he had to. As he turned the first corner Garret promised himself not to let a woman threaten to ever rock his world again.

A few miles down the road he noticed a car had pulled over on the curb. He drove slower to see if there was something he could help with, that ingrained chivalry badge Cayden always joked about hard at work. A couple of yards away he recognized Skye’s car and wondered if she was having car trouble. He wanted to drive past, it was a busy road and someone would be by soon and notice she needed help. But he couldn’t. How could he drive past her when she needed him? Especially after the way he had just treated her?

Pulling up behind her, he vowed only to help her fix her car and to be on his way. He won’t let her kind words or soft smile make him stay. He needed to get out before his heart weakened against her again.

He knocked against her window a few times before he noticed something was wrong. Skye was turned away from him, her shoulders moving up and down too fast. Something was wrong with her, not the car.

“Skye?” Bang, bang, bang. “Skye, are you all right?”

Fear broke down the fences Garret had just built up carefully. Anxious for her safety, he hammered against the window louder. “Skye! Open the goddamn door!”

Seconds felt like years as Garret stood waiting for Skye to open the door. When she finally turned and he noticed her face, his heart jumped into his throat. She was pale as a sheet, her face drawn and eyes swollen from crying. If Garret didn’t know better he would swear she was having a panic attack.

Knowing if that was the case, he was the cause of it, he banged even louder, hoping to get through the glazed look in her eyes. Thwap, thwap, thwap!

“Skye open the door, come on baby.” He pleaded.

Almost mechanically, Skye looked at him as she released the lock on the door.

Garret pulled open the door hastily before picking Skye up and holding her close to his chest. “Are you all right?”

Skye’s eyes drifted shut as her breath came in short pants. She shook her head, indicating no. Garret didn’t know what to do, so he did the only thing he could think of. “Breathe, baby. Come on, slow breaths.”

He walked around the car and sat down with her on his lap on the asphalt. Stroking her hair he whispered to her whilst chastening himself being cruel to her. “I’m sorry baby. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He felt his own heart swell with love as he held her. “Come on just breathe baby.”

Her breathing started to regulate after a while and the throbbing artery in her neck seemed to calm with it. Garret didn’t stop stroking her hair or stop berating himself for causing it until Skye turned her head and large green eyes stared up at him.

“You didn’t have to stop.” Her voice was hoarse from the crying or the panic attack, Garret couldn’t be sure which and irked him again that he was the cause of both.

“I couldn’t just drive away.” Garret said softly as he continued stroking her hair. How would he be able to go his whole life without running his fingers through her hair again? Maybe her hold on him was too strong already?

“You basically just threw me out of your house Garret, what’s the difference.”

“I’m sorry about that, I was mean, and I didn’t have to be.”

Skye tried to stand up but Garret held her back. “Let me go.” She protested.

“I’m not letting you drive like this.” Garret said his voice no longer a whisper.

Skye’s eyes flashed, and even though it was at him, Garret was grateful to see life in them again. “It’s none of your business.” Skye threw his own words back at him.

“Bullshit!” Garret said smiling and started getting up, still holding her to his chest.

“Garret!” Skye tried to get down, but Garret just adjusted his grip and threw her over his shoulder. “This is ridiculous!” He felt her small hands pounding against his back, and couldn’t help but smile. Did she really think those fists would stop him?

“Would you just calm down.” Garret said as he grabbed her bag from her car and walked towards his. “You’re not driving until I’m satisfied that you’ve calmed down enough.”

“Fine, I’ll calm down in my own car!” Skye pounded even harder.

“No, you’ll calm down where I can make sure you’re not having another panic attack.” Garret said easily as he approached his car.

“Great, so you could just frighten me into one again.” Skye shouted from behind his back.

Garret felt the words stab as if it was a dagger to his heart. He set her down in front of him slowly and lifted her chin to meet her eyes before saying sincerely. “No, so I can make sure the one I caused has passed. Please, let me take you to my house.”