Finding Beauty in the Darkness - Nikki Ash Page 0,23
hurts right now.” I try to grip my chest. I’m working myself up, but I can’t stop it once it starts. Everything that’s happened these last several months is weighing down on me. It’s like I’m drowning and can’t come up for air. With each breath I try to take, another weight is added, sinking me further down, suffocating me. I sit up, starting to freak out, beginning to hyperventilate, needing to take a breath. My hands clutch my chest, but it’s no use. The weights are too heavy. I can’t push them off. I can’t come up for air.
Dr. Fox’s soothing voice breaks through. “Breathe slowly, Aria. Copy me.” She takes a deep breath in, then lets it out, and I follow her lead, focusing on her breathing. We do this for a few minutes, slowly taking deep breaths in, then just as slowly breathing out, until my body begins to calm down, each weight being removed one by one, the heaviness slowly leaving my chest, allowing me to finally come up for air and take a much needed, calming breath.
“Good, there you go.” I continue to breathe slowly, copying her motions. Once my heart has slowed back to its normal pace, she opens a pill bottle. “You see. You calmed yourself down without taking a pill. We’re going to get you on the right dose, but until then, take one of these to help you get some rest.”
Giovanni walks over to Dr. Fox and begins to pick up the equipment, moving it to the side. “Just leave that machine here, so I can check her in a few days,” she instructs him. Then turning to me, she says, “Aria, if you need anything at all, you call me, okay?” She hands me her card.
“Thank you.” I lean over and give her a hug.
Giovanni and her both leave, closing the door behind them. Snuggling up into the sheets, my body starts to feel numb. It must be the pill she gave me to help me sleep. For the first time in a long time, I fall asleep without the fear of what I might wake up to.
Chapter Nine
GIOVANNI
Aria has been sleeping on and off the last few days. The sleeping pills, anti-anxiety meds, and painkillers Vivian left for her have helped tremendously to get her through the miscarriage and bruised ribs. I’ve been sleeping in the chaise lounge in the corner of the room because I couldn’t bring myself leave her. I’m almost positive my neck has a permanent kink in it, but leaving her to sleep somewhere more comfortable wasn’t an option. When Vivian informed Aria that she had miscarried, my heart broke for her. She can’t be more than twenty-one, maybe twenty-two years old, but she has experienced more loss than any young woman should ever have to. Loss of her mom. Loss of her life when she was taken. Loss of her baby. Shit, probably loss of her sanity. I placed a call to a psychiatrist who is willing to make house calls and have her scheduled to come out next week.
The first twenty-four hours on the low dose of the anti-anxiety drugs had Aria freaking out when she was awake. I watched Vivian bring her down from her potential anxiety attack when she was here, so when one started, I did what the doctor did and was shocked that it actually worked.
Aria asked for something to read, so I had Johnny go to the store and pick her up an iPad. I installed all the book apps and set up her account with one of my credit cards. I’m not sure of the situation with Weston yet, but as far as I can tell, Aria doesn’t have any access to money. We haven’t talked about anything as I don’t want to overwhelm her with too much too soon. She’s been through enough as it is.
Knowing I just gave her a sleeping pill and it’ll keep her knocked out for at least a few hours, I shower and throw on a suit to check on the club. When I get to my office and begin going over the books, there’s a knock on my door. “Come in.”
Cecilia saunters in, her high heels clacking against the marble floor. “Nice of you to join society again. Does that mean whatever situation you had going on in your room is taken care of?”
Not liking the fact that she’s referring to Aria as a situation, my voice takes on a