Chapter 7

Kevin entering the elevator had only postponed the inevitable, Damon and I being alone again. But this time, I will be more prepared. More in control.

He wants to play with me. I will play too. I will have to have more control than bursting out, because I know that he will try pushing me over the edge.

As Kevin gets out of the elevator on the 3rd floor, Damon and I are yet again left alone. The ride to the ground floor is quiet, and although I had expected him to pull a stunt off at me, Damon had been unusually quiet.

As we reach outside, Damon leads me towards his fancy sports car. The same one as before.

I liked his bike a lot better.

Although the car's exterior and interior was as nice as I remembered, I had no wish of experiencing his wild driving again.

Damon knew how to ride. Not how to drive. I don't know if he actually learned driving in the past 5 years but, to be honest, I am scared to test it out.

I stand in front of his car and squint at him through the scorching light from the sun as he starts getting in the driver's seat.

He pauses when he notices that I haven't moved an inch towards the passenger seat.

"What?" He asks, speaking for the first time since at the door of my office. He looks frustrated at me. I don't really blame him for that.

"I am not getting in there," I say, trying not to say something relating to the past.

My mind is already picturing myself saying those anyway.

'I am not getting in your car! Bring your bike. That was a lot better. And thank you, I love my life, I don't wanna die at your horrible driving'.

I wish I could only say these. But, he is my boss and also, he is acting like he's never even seen me before so, yeah, there's that.

"Why?" Damon asks, his left hand raising to protect his eyes from the sun so that he could look at me.

Rather that saying, "Because you are a terrible driver as far as I remember," I say, "I don't, uh, trust everyone's driving skills."

I think I covered my momentary lapse of loose tongue just fine.

I wrap my arms over my chest and stare at him until he fully gets out of his car and crosses over to me.

"I don't know what kind of thing you are pulling right now but, can you please do that later? As you should know, this meeting is very very important to me. Just get going," he says, his hands grabbing my upper arms making me gasp in surprise.

His breath fans over my face and I can notice only one thing.

His breath still smells like rain, musk and mint.

The look on his face suddenly changes as I drag my eyes from his lips to look him in the eye. The frustrated look on his face changes one into confusion and concentration as if he is trying to remember something.

One of his hands released me to hold his own head. He starts swaying a little and I grab his arms without even thinking. The hand on my arm tightens like, he is grabbing on to me for support. He starts groaning in pain and I am totally unable to do or say anything.

"Damon! D, what is happening?" I rush out, holding his heavy body somehow upright. I realise what is happening now.

His breathing has quickened and his body seems to be shaking. I look around to ask anyone for help but can't find anyone. I start leaning him towards the car when he suddenly jumps forward and hugs me tightly.

Like, he can't breathe without me.

My hands are in the air trying to understand what just happened when suddenly I notice Kyle walking towards Hotel Dimitri on the exact opposite of Dolohov Industries, talking on his phone with someone.

"Kyle!" I yell, attempting to get his attention here.

Damon's breathing is still in quick motion but, he seems like he is calming down a little. I stroke his back to calm him down while continuously calling Kyle, over and over again.

He doesn't hear me. He enters the hotel without even so much as casting a glance around to see if anyone is calling him.

My voice is hoarse now.

"Hey, hey, you okay?" I hear a male voice say, just as I am about to pass out from exhaustion in this terrible heat.

"Oh thank God!" I yell, as the man helps Damon off me and holds him. "Thank you so much. I am really grat-"

I stop.

Luther Saltzman. My high-school ex.

"Luther." I say. Damon starts shaking again and I quickly divert my eyes from a surprised Luther to Damon.

I grab the car keys from Damon's hand and quickly open the passenger seat of the car.

"Sit him down here please," I say, my voice still hoarse but a bit more calm.

"Andrea." Luther says after Damon is secured in his seat.

I run towards the opposite seat to get to the Driver's seat, trying to ignore Luther's eyes scanning over my whole face like he is trying to find something there.

"Listen Luther. It was great meeting you. And really thank you for the help. But I need to get going," I say in a rush, trying to be as clear as possible, just before sitting down and slamming the door to Damon's car and driving off, not giving him to get a word in after that.

The drive towards the closest hospital as Damon continues shaking and breathing hard is kind of a blur.

I single-handedly bear his whole body weight and drag him towards the hospital like someone in an accident.

A nurse rushes towards me and takes Damon from my arms. I collapse on the seat in front of the reception.

A nurse comes towards me and asks me to fill out Damon's form, and I do. Because although I tried to forget everything about this man, I still remember each and every detail about his health.

I wait for the doctor to come out as I pace back and forth outside Damon's room after taking a moment of rest and calling the Weasley Brothers to tell them the reasons for our delay.

"Who brought Mr. Dolohov here?" The doctor asks as he comes out. I quickly go to him and tell him it was me.

"Are you a relative of Mr. Dolohov?" He asks as he studies Damon's report in front of him.

"No, doctor. I am, uh, a friend," I say, casting a worried glance towards Damon's door.

"Don't worry. He is okay now. He had a flashback followed by a panic attack. But he is alright now. You can take him home after an hour, if that's alright," The doctor says as he smiles softly at me, clearly seeing how worried I am.

I sigh a breath of relief.

It would be a lie if I said today wasn't such a huge rollercoaster of emotions.

I pat my pockets for my phone then slam a hand over a hand over my forehead when I remember that I left it in the car.

I go to the reception and make a hasty brave decision to call Elle Dolohov, Damon's younger sister from Damon's phone that was on him when we came to the hospital.

The receptionist hands me Damon's phone and it takes me a minute to figure out his password. But I do, anyway. He hasn't changed it in 6 years.

BlankBlankFckOff

I laugh softly, remembering how it was me that set it up on his phone when we were together after spending the night with him gossiping about whatnot.

I search through the contacts and find Danielle D. and without thinking my decision through, knowing I would change it, I call her up.

Elle picks up on the first ring.

"Yo brother," Elle says, her voice a little grown up since the last time I heard it but still holding the same sweetness.

I breathe heavily then grab a hold of the reception desk and speak to this girl for the first time in 6 years.

"Elle," I say. My nerves are all over the right now and I have no idea how to get a hold of myself.

The only person I had a hard time not reaching out to after the birth of my twins was this kid, Elle. And now I don't even know what to say.

The line is silent for a while. Either she is gasping in surprise or she doesn't recognise my voice.

"Who is this?" She says and although she is asking me who I am, her change in voice says she knows already.

"Hey, little monkey," I say, tears brimming to the edge of my eyes.

Yeah, I am on the verge of crying. Again.

"Drea." She says and I can almost feel her starting to cry right now.

It's nice to hear that name again. Elle was the only one except for Damon who used to call me Drea. That nickname had been unused for years now.

"Oh my God! I hate you so much!" She yells, her voice cracking as she laughs and cries altogether.

"I love you too, monkey. But I called you because I need you to come down to Hiver's Hospital right now," I say, my own tears streaming down my face.

"I am coming," she says, her voice holding the clarity I need.

And with that the last thing being said, she hangs up.