Page 45 of A Constant Reminder

Chapter 29 – Sam

The rest of our night was spent eating chocolate covered strawberries, drinking champagne, and making love again, this time slow, sweet, and full of love.

It was the perfect end to a perfect night…with a man who I’m pretty sure was as close to perfect as one could get.

I couldn’t believe that in such a short time, Tyler had embedded himself so deeply in my heart. A few months ago, I couldn’t picture myself even being friends with Tyler Wendell, and now, I can’t imagine my life without him.

Never would I imply that a woman needs a man to feel whole, but Tyler gave me back some of my confidence to make my broken pieces stick back together.

Even once we left our sexy hotel suite heading home, we were still relishing in our utter bliss. We were constantly touching and trying to be as near to each other as possible.

He was quickly becoming my other half, and as much as that fact should scare me, it didn’t. Instead, it gave me something I thought I’d never find again.

Hope.

Hope for the future. Hope that I could get past my trauma and not let it control my life. Hope that one day, this nightmare would be over.

All of my hope was put to the test though the day after Christmas.

After we arrived home, we got settled in for another lazy day with our dog.

The house was cozy, the fireplace was lit, and our Christmas tree still illuminated the family room where we were snuggled on the couch.

Soon, we would return back to our normal, busy lives, so we were taking full advantage of the opportunity to spend our time doing absolutely nothing.

Tyler got up to make us some hot chocolate when my phone chimed with a text from an unknown number.

One word. One word made my veins run ice cold. One word quickened my breath while simultaneously stopping my heart.

WHORE.

There was no question who it was…the same monster who refused to leave me alone. The sadist who insisted on torturing me.

Before I had moved a muscle, it chimed again. Fear set in once more, but I couldn’t help but look.

Have fun last night at your little hotel party? He pay for some fancy room, so you’d fuck him? That’s what WHORES do.

Oh. My. Gosh.

He knew where I’d been…where we’d been. He’d been watching.

It’s not that I didn’t expect James to keep coming after me, but with the police actively looking for him, I figured he’d at least lay low for a while.

Without responding, I quickly blocked the number, not wanting to hear anymore of what he had to say.

Terror began to take hold as I wondered where else he’d seen us. We hadn’t really gone out a lot, but we went out with my family. And we’d visited Tyler’s family. The thought that any of them could be in some type of danger because of me churned my stomach.

The air seemed to be sucked out of the room as sheer fear and anxiety gripped me. Instinctively, I brought my knees against my chest, as though curling up into a ball was going to do anything to help.

Hearing Tyler walking back in, I tried to act normal. I wasn’t ready to tell him yet. No need for us both to worry ourselves to death.

Plus, I wasn’t sure how to tell Ty without him flying off the handle and going after James.

Time is what I needed to get my thoughts in order…although I wondered if time was a luxury I could really afford.

Immediately, he asked if I was okay, and I played it off as just not feeling well.

Cuddling me in his arms, he did his best to try to cure my fake ailment.

I tried my hardest to concentrate on the movie and be present in the moment with the man I loved, but my mind wouldn’t shut up. It kept echoing the same sentiment.

James was right.

He was, and would always be, my own personal boogeyman.

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