Page 46 of Keeping Kara

The thought of moving was scary, but Kara nodded anyway. “Yes.”

“I’m proud of you, sweetheart. You’re doing so good.”

There was that endearment again. Other men had called her things like honey, sweetie, and even darling. But none of those had made her feel as good as she did right now, after Arrow called her sweetheart.

He kept up a running commentary about where he was for the next several minutes, reassuring her that she was doing great and that he’d be there soon. The storm hadn’t abated, but it didn’t seem nearly as intimidating and scary now that she was talking to Arrow.

“All right, I’m pulling into the parking lot. I’ll be inside in a minute. Security will need you to buzz me up.”

“Okay.”

“You’ve got this. Hang on for just a little longer.”

Kara nodded. She heard the door of his car shut and forced herself to crawl out from under the bed. Being out in the open in the room made her anxiety rise again, but she forced it down. She pushed the bed away from the door and headed to the front of the apartment, where the intercom with the buzzer button was located. Arrow would be there soon, and she’d be safe.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Chaos had never been as scared as he was when he’d heard Kara say his name on the phone. She’d sounded completely terrified, and for a split second, he’d thought Nolan had already found her. It was obvious she was having an anxiety attack, and he’d done his best to talk her through it. He’d read about the coping technique he used to help bring her out of it, and was relieved when it worked.

She still sounded unsure, but at least she wasn’t panting and wheezing when she breathed anymore. He jogged through the rain toward the door to the lobby of the apartment complex. He told the security guard the apartment number he was there to visit and was relieved when Kara responded immediately to the buzzing of the intercom.

“I’m getting in the elevator now,” he said into his phone. He’d driven like a bat out of hell to get here, and there was no way he was going to hang up on her now. No way.

“Okay.”

She still sounded off, but again, she was talking to him, so Chaos was taking that as a good sign. He shouldn’t’ve been surprised she’d had a breakdown. Not after all she’d been through. She’d been a pillar of strength after they’d gotten out of the floodwaters, but he should’ve seen through it. Should’ve known once things calmed down and she’d had more than a second to herself that there was the possibility of her spiraling.

He wasn’t upset with Jen for leaving her alone. The woman had a life and a job of her own. Chaos just regretted that she had to be called away on Kara’s first night in the apartment.

His own heart was beating too fast, and he felt his anxiety spike as he rushed down the hall toward Jen’s apartment. He knocked and said, “Kara? It’s me. Open the door.”

He heard the deadbolt unlatching—and then she was in his arms.

She didn’t even hesitate, practically threw herself at him.

Chaos wrapped his arms around her and walked her backward until he could shut the door. Then he simply held her tightly for several long minutes.

Eventually, he pulled his head back and tried to look at her face, but she wouldn’t lift her head from his shoulder.

“Look at me for a sec, sweetheart.”

He felt more than heard her sigh before she picked up her head. She looked a little pale to him, and she was frowning, but she wasn’t hurt, didn’t have any new marks on her that he could see. A little of his anxiety eased.

The rain was lessening, but it was still thundering in the distance, and lightning still lit up the room every now and then. And every time, Kara winced.

“Come on, let’s go sit.”

But Kara shook her head. “I want to go back to your house. Can we do that?”

Chaos was surprised. “My house?”

“Yes. This place doesn’t feel safe. Not like your house. I don’t know why.”

Her thinking was obviously skewed. The apartment had a security guard, people had to be buzzed up, and she was on the third floor…but he wasn’t going to argue with her. If she felt safer at his house, that’s where he’d take her. “Okay. But we need to pack you a bag.”

She nodded, abruptly pulled out of his arms, and practically ran to the room she’d been using. She returned a few minutes later with some of the bags the other women had brought over in her hands.

Chaos frowned. She really needed a suitcase or duffel bag. He’d remedy that as soon as he could. He reached for the bags but she shook her head again, holding on to them. “You need your hands free…just in case.”