She took a deep breath, aware that Ryan understood what had set her off. Damn it, she didn’t need to be even weaker in front of him. “I’m fine.”
“Bullshit.” Cyn scowled down at her, but Glory could see the concern. “Glory, you have an anxiety disorder. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Yeah, right. Glory didn’t see Cyn panicking every time Julian went somewhere.
Cyn growled. “Ryan, Glory’s had episodes off and on for years. They’re always triggered by the fear that she’ll be abandoned.”
“I’m fine.” Glory was going to kill Cyn.
He tilted her face up again. “No. You’re not. But I’m okay with that.”
“Ryan…” She sighed, cuddling up against him. The sound of his heartbeat, the knowledge that he was right there, solid and real, began to destroy the last of the fear. “I’ll be all right.” She had to be. She’d gone through this before, and she’d live through it again.
Everyone left her eventually.
Everyone.
Her heart pounding, Glory shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Can’t what, SG?”
Part of her was humiliated that she’d had an episode. The other part was so relieved he wasn’t leaving she was almost giddy with it. “I can’t do this. I need… I need to go.”
The low, feral growl was barely audible, but it rumbled through his chest and shook her to the core. “You aren’t going anywhere.”
She risked looking up and found his normally blue eyes had gone dark brown. Fangs peeked over the edge of his bottom lip. Five-inch black claws scraped across her gauzy top, catching in the thin fibers. “Um. Down, boy.”
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I won’t leave you alone.”
Now she was going to panic for a whole other reason. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
“Watch me.” His voice was low, gravelly. Ryan must be close to losing to his Bear.
“Calm down, Rye. She’s fine, she’s in your lap. It’s a panic attack, nothing more.” Alex helped Tabby to her feet. “Take her into the back room and get her some water.”
Before she could protest Ryan was on his feet, Glory cradled in his arms as if she weighed nothing. He carted her into the back room, refusing to let her down when she struggled.
“Don’t.” The low warning was barely human.
She must have frightened him, more than she thought possible, because Ryan was right on the edge of changing. “Are you all right?”
He stared at her, his expression surprised. “I should be asking you that.” A little bit of blue peeked out from the dark brown of his Bear’s gaze. Ryan was gaining some control back. He leaned forward, holding her steady. “Grab a bottle of water?”
She did as asked, her hands shaking too badly to open it.
He sat at the break table, keeping her in his lap, and took it from her. He opened it and held the bottle to her lips. “Drink.”
Taking a sip of water, Glory studied him from under her lashes. The brown was slowly seeping away as the shakes that had racked her body subsided. She cleared her throat and handed him back the water. “I told you. I have…issues.”