Page 51 of Total Creative Control

Lewis sucked in a breath, horrified by the wet, shuddery sound he made, helpless to stop the unrelenting wave of memory that swept up and over him, drowning him.

He screwed his eyes shut. His lashes felt wet.

Fuck. Fucking hell.

The memories wouldn’t stop. He couldn’t stop them.

Owen looking at him.Come on, Lewis. Let’s go in now.

Someone grasped his shoulder, right over the pain point, squeezing hard. Strong fingers, warm and sure.

“It’s okay,” Aaron said softly. “Lewis, look at me.”

Chapter Thirteen

Aaron

“Lewis, look at me.” Kneeling in front of him, Aaron tightened his grip on Lewis’s shoulder. “Open your eyes.”

Hippolyta took a step towards them, concerned, but Aaron shook his head. The last thing Lewis needed was a fuss. Shit, he’d been afraid something like this might happen ever since he’d read the welcome pack with all its talk about delving into past pain. What the fuck had Charlie been thinking?

After a moment, Lewis opened his eyes. But he wasn’t all there. Aaron could see part of him was absent, caught up in whatever had put that look on his face.

“Lewis, tell me five things you can see,” Aaron said gently, still gripping Lewis’s tense shoulder, feeling the minute tremors running through him.

“What?” Lewis said hoarsely.

“Tell me five things you can see right now.”

Lewis blinked, but eventually said, “You. I can see you.”

“What else?”

“Um. The mat. The floor.”

“That’s three.”

“The window,” Lewis said, his gaze growing more focused. More present. “The trees outside the window.”

“Good.” Aaron gave him an encouraging smile. “Now four things you can hear.”

Lewis shook his head, impatient, but said, “Birds outside. Your voice. A plane overhead…” His eyes lifted to Aaron’s. “Charlie, dry-humping Milly.”

That was more like it. Aaron’s smile broadened, and he relaxed a little. “And three things you can touch?”

“You,” Lewis said immediately and squeezed Aaron’s fingers. “You.”

“That’s only one.”

Lewis opened his mouth to speak, closed it again. His expression was raw, torn open in a way Aaron had never seen before and didn’t want to see again. “Sorry,” he said in a rough voice. “I was…” He trailed off, shaking his head.

“Want to get some fresh air?”

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t look—”

Lewis shrugged Aaron’s hand from his shoulder. “I said I’m fine.”