The Arrangement

Chapter 27

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Chapter 27

I woke up before the alarm with the warmth of Trent pressed against my back, his arm, a comforting weight across my waist. It was strange how this had become normal.

Trent stirred in his sleep and his arm tightened around my waist. I couldn't fight the smile that curled across my lips. Trent's lips nipped at the crook of my neck and I squirmed at the sensation. Maybe things could be good with Trent. I was nearly back in blissful sleep, that is until he said that one fateful word. "Mmmm, Caroline,"

I froze. Caroline? I felt the tears burning. I bolted out of bed.

"Mikaela?" I heard a groggy Trent call.

I locked myself in the bathroom and bit down on my knuckle. That one word, that one name stung.

A few minutes later Trent was knocking on the door. "You okay?"

I was having trouble breathing, I felt claustrophobic and knew I was having a panic attack.

"Mikaela?"

I covered my head with my hands, my head between my knees, I needed my inhaler. It was in my room. I let myself slide down so that I was lying on the floor, I was gasping for breath.

"Mikaela, answer me or I'm coming in." Trent warned. I couldn't say anything. Trent rattled the doorknob, but I'd already locked it. I focused on pulling myself over to the door. I reached up and unlocked it and let myself fall back down.

The door opened almost immediately. "Mikaela?" Trent's voice was laced with concern. A moment later Trent had scooped me up in his arms. "What happened?"

"Inhaler," I panted. "Top left drawer."

Trent went and found it in my dresser and handed it to me. He helped me into a sitting position as I took a hit. I felt my lungs starting to expand a little more again. I counted to thirty before I took another puff. A few minutes later, I was still breathing heavy, but it was returning to normal.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Trent asked as I caught my breath. Damn steroids had my heart racing.

I shook my head. "Panic attack."

"What triggered it?"

I shook my head.

"Come on, tell me," Trent soothed as he maneuvered me to be sitting on his lap. He tucked a stray hair behind my ear. I looked into his eyes and felt the tears burn. "Hey, hey, hey," Trent soothed. "What happened? Did you have another nightmare?"

I shook my head as Trent wrapped his arms around me. One of Trent's hands came up to cup my cheek, his thumb wiping away my tears and smoothing over my cheekbones.

"Hey, tell me what's going on?"

I swallowed hard as Trent's eyes bored into mine. "Who, who's Caroline?"

Trent froze and his arms stiffened with me in them. "Someone I used to know. How do you know that name?"

"You said it in your sleep."

Trent sighed and kissed my forehead. "She's someone I used to know. She's not a part of my life anymore." Trent offered.

"Who was she to you?"