Hunter

Chapter Thirty Three

 Hunter ~

Kenzie hadn't stopped shaking since Hunter had brought her home and the sight of her small body reacting so violently to the shock of seeing her brother was difficult for him to witness.

"He's alive...they l-lied to me Hunter...for years...years!"

She was hiccupping and sobbing as she spoke, making it hard for Hunter to make out the words she was saying. The longer she had to process what had happened, the more hysterical she became.

"Why?" She sobbed as if Hunter had the answers and he wished like hell he did.

"I don't know Kenz, but you've gotta calm down."

"I can't." She sniffled and gasped, trying to catch her own breath as she clutched at her chest.

Fuck this. I can't watch her  panic like this and talking to her isn't working.

Scooping her up into his arms, Hunter acknowledged her panic attack and carried her into his bedroom, placing her gently in the center of his large bed before dropping onto all fours and crawling over the top of her.

"What are you doing?" She asked as he snaked his arms underneath her.

"Trust me?" He asked as he lowered himself down, making eye contact and gaining her consent before he gave her more of his body weight.

"Yes?" She said in a half statement half question, but it was good enough for Hunter.

Taking some of his weight on his elbows, Hunter laid on top of Kenzie, pinning her against the bed as he rested on top of her, settling his head on her chest.

The thud of her heart against her ribs was loud and erratic, way too fast for Hunter's liking.

"Full body compression to help calm you down. Can you breathe?" Hunter asked, giving more of his weight to his elbows so he wouldn't crush her.

"I can breathe." she said as she continued to shudder and shake beneath him.

"You've got a little too much adrenaline baby, and you're feeling out of control. Let me make you feel safe then we'll sort through the rest of this shit storm together, okay?"

Kenzie raised her arms and rested them on the back of Hunter's head and neck, allowing him to lay on top of her and accepting his suggestion instantly.

"Okay." She said softly.

Thank you for trusting me to fix this. 

"Breathe with me, nice and slow." he coached, resting his head on her chest while taking big exaggerated breaths that she could mimic.

He felt her chest rise and fall beneath his head, moving with her so it wasn't restricted.

"That's it. That's my good girl." He soothed, feeling the skin on her chest and arms pepper with goosebumps at his words.

I almost forgot how much you like to be praised, Kenz.

"You like it when I call you a good girl, don't you?" He said in a deep voice as he turned his head and placed several kisses along her collar bone.

"Yes." She rasped, threading her fingers through the back of his hair.

The intimate movements of her fingers in his hair made him close his eyes as he continued to place feather light kisses across her delicate skin.

"So good." He whispered against her flesh, drawing out the words nice and slow.

The longer they laid there together, the more relaxed she became focusing more on his praise and kisses than on her escalating anxiety. He held her in place, letting her small frame feel him on all sides like her own personal weighted blanket.