The gut-wrenching terror in Seth’s voice shakes Luke to his core.
“I’m tryin’!” Luke barks at his brother. “You ain’t helpin’, Seth.”
Scanning Sal, Luke eases beside her. He takes her body gently in his arms, cradling her in his lap and tucking her small frame into his large one, safe and gentle. He brushes hair from her sweaty brow, presses his lips to her temple. He rocks her slow.
“Sal, please. Open your eyes. You’re safe ... I’ve got you.”
His voice is calm and firm. No room for argument.
She’ll hear him. She has to.
Lacey, wrapped in a pink robe, hangs in the doorway, stricken and pale. “What’s wrong with her?”
Without glancing away from Sal, Luke says grimly, “Nightmare.”
Soon, Sal calms. Her breathing slows.
Then her eyes pop open. Wild. Terrified as hell.
What Luke sees next terrifies him as well.
Sal can’t get air. Her mouth moves around unsaid words; her fingers scrabble frantically at her throat.
Luke pins his eyes to hers. “Hey,” he says, calm and steady despite his jackhammering heart. “Breathe with me. Where are you? You’re home. In Nashville. You’re safe, Sal ... you’re safe ...”
Finally, a soft, anguished cry escapes Sal’s lips.
“Luke?” she whispers.
“It’s me,” he says, lifting his arms carefully so she can sit up. She reaches up to touch his face, as if to make sure it’s really him. “I’m here, darlin’. I’m here.”
Those words undo something tightly wound in his wife. A sob escapes her lips. She buries her face in Luke’s chest, gripping his shoulders, and weeps violently.
Blowing out a ragged breath, Seth moves to Lacey’s side and wraps an arm around her shoulder. For once, Lacey doesn’t fight it, instead leaning into Seth for comfort.
Luke holds Sal, letting her cry, letting her come back to her baseline. He kisses the top of her head, tucks a lock of damp hair behind her ear.
Sniffling, Sal looks up at Luke, her face tear-stained. “I had the worst dream.”
“The crash?” Luke asks, keeping his voice low so she has privacy.
“No. It was—it was Roy. He was there. He tried to—”
Sal breaks off and presses her cheek into Luke’s chest. Cursing low, Luke tightens his arms around her. His stomach coils. It was just a dream. And yet, he feels as if he’s come so close to having her slip away.
Not again. He can’t lose her again.
Sal looks up at him, wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry ... I just need a moment.”
“Take your time.” Luke adjusts his body, shielding her from Seth and Lacey’s worried stares. “I promise you, you’re safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Sal’s smile is wobbly, but she nods. Her hand slides up Luke’s shoulder to wrap around his neck. She grips tight, like she’ll never let go, which is fine with Luke. If he had his way, he’d keep her in his arms forever.
Twisting her body, Sal turns her face to look at Seth and Lacey framed in the doorway. She sob-laughs, says, “Now that I traumatized you all, you can go back to bed.”
“Fat chance of that,” Seth says. He smiles kindly at Sal to show her he’d put up with it and then some. Glancing at Lacey, he asks, “How about a game of Yahtzee?”
Lacey shrugs Seth’s arm off her shoulder. “I’d rather be knifed.” Striding over to the bed, Lacey sits down beside her sister. “Are you okay, Sal?”