Page 66 of A Constant Reminder

Goosebumps broke out on my skin as I wondered if he was watching the house now. Did he know Tyler wasn’t home? Was he just waiting to strike again?

Sinking to my knees, I struggled to breathe. The air in my lungs felt like tar. Tears stung my eyes as I felt my heart beating out of my chest.

I was having a full-blown panic attack, and I was alone…or so I thought.

Large arms encircled my body, and my fight or flight instincts kicked in. My arms began flailing as I struggled to hit anything at all to break free.

“Hey, hey, hey,” the voice said, and instantly, I stilled.

Tyler’s scruff rubbed the side of my cheek as he held me tight. The smell of him took over my senses, his usual soap with a hint of cologne.

“Hey, you’re okay. I’ve got you,” he laid his hand on my chest and urged me to breathe. “In…and out. In…and out.”

His own breath mimicked the pattern he wanted me to follow. I matched my breathing to his and within minutes, I had calmed down enough for the air to move freely throughout my lungs.

When I was calm, he lifted me and carried me to the bed where he tucked me underneath the thick blankets.

“What happened?” He asked while taking his shoes off.

I didn’t say a word but simply motioned to my phone. When he saw the photo, every muscle in his body tensed.

He took my phone and chucked it across the room, shattering it into a million pieces. I jumped at his action but still didn’t say a word.

He paced the room for a few minutes as if unsure where to even begin. Finally, he took a seat on the foot of the bed.

“I’m sorry, Sam. We will go tomorrow and get you a new phone.”

I nodded. “I don’t care about the phone. That’s the least of my problems.”

“I know, but I shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t let this guy get under my skin so much. I can’t help it though…the thought of anyone laying a hand on you just…” He fisted his hand and put it in front of his mouth looking like he was fighting back his own tears.

Scooting closer to him, I laid my head on his shoulder. “You think when we go get me a new phone, I could get a new number too?”

He looked over at me with questions in his eyes.

I continued. “Maybe at least I won’t have any more panic attacks if he decides to text me again.”

He pulled me tight and kissed the top of my head. “Of course, baby. Anything you want.”

“Thank you,” I gave him a quick kiss and slid off the bed to throw on one of Tyler’s t-shirts. I was swimming in how large it was on me, but nothing felt more comfortable.

I walked downstairs to the kitchen to put my now-empty glass of whiskey in the sink. Upon seeing the bottle on the table, I popped the top and took a few long swigs.

The liquid hit my tongue like fire and burned all the way down to my belly. I made a face after every long drink. Usually, I savored whiskey, but tonight, I chugged it down like it was water.

In the mere minutes I was downstairs, I must have drained a third of the bottle. I knew I might have one hell of a headache in the morning, but anything to help me forget tonight.

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