Chapter 7 #2
His offer seemed entirely too convenient, especially considering how easily and quickly he’d suggested it. “I have a feeling safe is a very relative word for you, Achilles.”
“Isn’t it for all of us?”
Santo cielo, she resented his laissez-faire attitude.
“More for some than others, I believe.” Resisting the urge to continue bickering, she decided to put more distance between them and the house.
“You should know that I have a long memory. Like these tunnels.” That was probably ill-humored of her, considering his claustrophobia.
He didn’t respond.
Trekking in silence, she got lost in the doubts plaguing her. About being here with him, about the possibility that there was no way out of this tunnel system. Cielo, what if she had it wrong? What if this led…nowhere?
The tunnel started narrowing, making even her chest constrict.
Was the air thinner or was it her imagination?
When Achilles muttered something indecipherable, she knew it wasn’t just her.
The passage funneled to the right and then made a hard turn that was a tight fit, even for her.
She shimmied through. “Thank goodness,” she laughed as she turned in the wider, taller tunnel.
But he wasn’t there.
Her heart jarred. “Achilles.”
Through the opening that was not even a foot wide, she saw him on the other side, not moving. Head down, pinching the bridge of his nose, he had a hand on his belt.
“Hey.” She reached through and touched his shoulder. “It’s just—”
“Yeah. Yeah. I got it.” He straightened and turned sideways. Wedged in.
Holy sky, that was a tight fit. Could he make it through?
Shimmying, he looked up at the ceiling—which probably wasn’t much help since it was practically in his face—and huffed a breath. Grimaced. Shook his head. He tightened his mouth. Tried again.
“Good. That—”
He shoved himself backward out of the tight space and clenched. “Freak.” He bent and gripped his knees, growling. “Augh.” He rotated and ran a hand over his head. “Son of a…”
“Hey-hey.” Worried he’d have a panic attack, maybe pass out like Vicenzo had, she hurried back through and caught that well-muscled bicep. “Hey.”
“Get off.” He jerked away and paced from her, raw tension roiling through him. “We have to turn around.” He hoisted up the rifle as if he’d use it to fight their way free.
“You’re not thinking clearly. You know we can’t—they’re there.”
“What I know is that I can’t make it through that pigeon hole!”
Heart tugging at the panic in his dark eyes and voice, she kept her voice and expression calm. “You can—just draw in a breath and let it out, then push through.”
“Not everyone’s the size of a mouse!”
Fear—this was fear again. Amused that he likened her to a mouse, Cove told herself not to react at his strident voice bouncing off the volcanic rock walls. He was panicking. When he slumped against the tunnel wall, she eased closer, wary of setting him off. “Achilles…”
Jaw tight, he glared at the narrow gap. “Yeah. I know.” He stretched his neck, avoiding her gaze. “I suck. Quit being a baby.”
“You only suck if you give up.” Well, not really, but he apparently operated on tough talk. “Look, I see you battling this, and that’s the attitude of a warrior—to battle it. Fight it.”
He sniffed. Shook out his hands. Again stretched his neck. “Okay.”
She edged toward the point of compression. “Ready?”
He nodded. Bounced on his toes.
Wedging into the opening, Cove pushed herself through, but instead of looking toward the opening, she faced him and went slower. Which even for her felt suffocating. “Come on, Dark Eyes.”
He smirked and shifted sideways.
“Take a deep breath, hold it, then step in.”
Locked onto her, he nodded. Took that breath and entered the gap.
Seeing his expression flicker, Cove caught his hand as she shimmied toward the opening on the other side. “Now, slowly let out that breath and keep moving.”
He nodded, air expelling from his lungs, shrinking his chest cavity.
Again she saw alarm spirit through those dark orbs. “Look at me.”
He complied as they shuffled sideways. “You have beautiful eyes.”
Having him staring at her had a side effect she hadn’t anticipated—the swirling jellies in her belly.
She told herself to focus on helping him.
Breaking free of the constriction, she felt her own breath explode in relief.
But in that same instant, she felt resistance in his grip.
Knew the fear was swarming him again. “Breathe, Achilles. Shallow breaths.” Without any hesitation, she yanked him toward her.
“No!” Panic lit his eyes.
But she already had in him motion.
Achilles stumbled out. Surprise streaked through his expression when he realized he was free. He barked a laugh. Then shouted and pumped a fist in the air—which struck the ceiling. “Yeah!”
Laughing, Cove caught his arm. “Shh,” she said around a laugh.
But he was unrepentant. Hauled her into his arms and hugged her. “Thank you,” he breathed against her neck. “Thank you. That was muffed up.”
Shocked to be crushed against him, she stiffened, acutely aware of every place their bodies touched. Electricity shot down her neck and zapped her belly with giddiness. And a heaping measure of attraction. She stepped out of his hold, blushing. “We should get going. Especially after that shout.”