Page 34 of He Will Come for Me

“Okaaayyy.”

“Can you stop by McKenzie’s bedroom when you’re done?” I push myself up into a sitting position.He said my bedroom, not his.

“Why is he coming to my room and not here? And why does he have to see me?” I rub my hand along the silky comforter. If I could remember, maybe it would be different.

Phoenix sits up next to me. “No one is allowed in our room. This is the only place where it’s just you and me.” Relief flows through my veins. I don’t know why I needed to hear that so badly, but everything is so up in the air. I have no idea how I wound up here.

How did it come to be that I married Phoenix? Why did he buy me? Then risk his life again to save me? Why did my father sell me? Why did he kidnap me?

I have so many unanswered questions. And they could all be answered if I could just remember.

“I’m having him come up so I can get some clarification on what I can share with you. In the beginning, he told me to be careful, but now that you’re beginning to remember some things, I don’t see why I can’t answer some of your questions.”

I crawl off the bed and walk to my room. Phoenix follows me. Sitting down in what I’m assuming is his favorite chair, he grabs me around the waist and pulls me onto his lap. The tension that’s built up in my muscles in the past few minutes releases as I curl into his chest and lay my head on his shoulder.

“The memory I had I think it was from our honeymoon, or maybe the day after our wedding. The bed we were in didn’t look like the bed in your room.”

He pulls me tighter against him. “Our room,” he corrects. “And if it was from early on, it wouldn’t have been that bed. We had this place built and moved in a year ago.”

“Oh. How long have we been married?”

His thumb runs up and down my spine. “I told you this when you asked me how long I’ve been married.” I purse my lips, thinking back.

“Three and a half years?” I ask. He nods. “Wasn’t the auction three and a half years ago?”

“It’s been a little longer. Let’s wait until Dr. Chamberland gets up here and we’ll talk about that further.” I nod slowly, lots of thoughts running through my mind.

“Okay. Well, back to the memory I had. You were telling me it was time to wake up, and I was pretending to be asleep. You called me Mrs. Stone; that’s how I realized we were married. Or maybe it was just knowing. I’m not sure.” I pause, picturing the memory in my mind. It’s still a little fuzzy around the edges.

Phoenix doesn’t interrupt. He begins rubbing his thumb along my spine. “You were flirting with me. Kissing me. Rocking against me. I’m sure it led to sex, but I woke up and there you were, sitting in this chair.”

“How did you feel? Knowing you were married to me?” he asks.

I huff. “Relieved. I thought you were married to Anna. I was so jealous.”

He pushes me back slightly so he can look at me. “Why would you think that?” I wince, realizing I have to come clean.

“I was sneaking around in your downstairs office one day trying to find something, anything, to give me clues about why I was here. I found a picture of Anna and me from the academy. It was folded in half.” I shrug. “I just assumed you were keeping it hidden so I wouldn’t find it, but you wanted it close so you could look at it whenever you wanted.”

He shakes his head at me, leaning up to kiss me on my forehead. “Kenz, do you know how much I’ve wanted you since the first day I saw you?”

I make a face at him. “Obviously not.”

He shakes his head and chuckles. “So smart, yet so oblivious.” A sense of déjà vu happens, like we’ve had this conversation. Before I can respond, Dr. Chamberland knocks on the open door announcing his arrival.

“You wanted me to come up here? Is everything alright?” He looks between Phoenix and me, his eyebrows rising slightly.

“Yes. McKenzie had a memory.” Dr. Chamberland looks surprised, but he grins. I think. He looks caught off guard a little. I wonder if Phoenix has him do house calls like this a lot. I’m sure he’s probably exhausted.

“She remembered we’re married, but that’s all. Do you think it’s safe if I begin sharing some of our life with her? Maybe it’ll trigger more memories?”

Dr. Chamberland nods before Phoenix finishes talking. “Perhaps.” He runs his hand through his black hair. “What were you doing when you had this memory?”

“I was sleeping. It woke me up. But before I went to sleep, I was writing in my journal.” I pick up my journal off the table and leaf through it.

“I don’t see any harm in sharing things with her, Mr. Stone. But be aware it might cause anxiety or a panic attack. Some memories may be hard, even if they’re good memories.”

Phoenix nods as he runs his fingers through my hair absentmindedly. “Okay. Thank you, Dr. Chamberland. Sorry to call you out so late.”

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