30. Isabelle
CHAPTER THIRTY
isabelle
*crash detected from Amelia’s phone*
I glanced at the notification on my phone as the air suddenly became scorchingly hot and claustrophobia crept up my skin.
Oh my God.
I need to get out of here.
I slipped out of the ballroom, hoping everyone had been too distracted by the music and dancing to notice me leave. It was too loud, too crowded, and I didn’t need people to see me panic. The reception was going to be over soon anyway, meaning I’d miss the grand exit, but I’d apologize to Ellison later. I didn’t want to ruin her big day.
I blinked back tears as I typed out a message, not knowing where I was walking, just that I needed to get away from the crowd.
amelia are you okay?
My eyes were glued to my phone as I waited for the three little dots to appear. Any indication that she was okay and had seen my text.
please answer me
i need to know you’re okay
Please answer, Mills. Please.
A couple minutes passed, and there was still no response. She would have seen the text by now if she was okay, right ?
What if she’s hurt?
What if emergency services didn’t make it there in time?
God, why can’t I think?
I let out a shaky breath as I dialed her phone number, willing her to pick up.
Come on, Amelia.
The phone rang and rang with no answer.
“Please call me when you get this. I need to know you’re okay.” A sob wrenched out of my throat as I leaned against the wall, everything spinning around me. My vision blurred, and my legs went numb as my entire body shook.
“Isa!” the familiar voice called out as the sound of boots pounding across the floor got louder and louder. “What happened?”
I let out a shaky breath as strong arms pulled me in, and my head rested against the warmth of Reid’s chest.
“I-I,” I choked out.
“Breathe, Isa. Take a deep breath with me, okay?” He held my shoulders as he inhaled a long breath then pushed it out through his teeth.
My lungs filled with air as I tried to control my breathing and not break down again .
“Good. That’s it. Another one.” His voice was soothing, comforting like a blanket being wrapped around my body.
I squeezed my eyes as I repeated the action, tears still flowing down my face and staining my cheeks, managing to calm myself enough to explain what happened. “My sister. I got a notification that she was in an accident. She’s not responding to my texts.”
“Hey, it’ll be okay. Look at me, yeah?”
I opened my eyes and looked up at Reid then at his hands still resting on my shoulders.
“Let’s get you back to your room and call your family, okay? Everything’s going to be all right.” His voice was slow and steady, the sound of it gradually calming me even further until the tears stopped falling.
I nodded, but as I started to walk down the hallway where my room was, Reid grabbed my hand and squeezed it, prompting me to turn around to face him.
“I’m here for you, okay? Always.” His eyes gleamed with emotion, one I couldn’t place. But we’d been here before, Reid and I.
He was the person I could go to, no matter what. And I knew I was that for him too. I’d made sure of it.