Page 174 of Texting Dr. Stalker

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“So you kissed my twin tonight, huh?”

I smiled as X stepped through my kitchen and into my newly renovated living room. His brown eyes glowered above his skull-painted mask. His blue-black hair and eyebrow piercing made him the quintessential bad boy. A protective monster who stomped around in heavy boots and made me break apart on his fingers.

I stretched on the new couch, bold and far too brazen. “Who? You mean Zander?” I shrugged with a wink. “I can’t help that I like you both.”

Stalking toward me, X reclined against the threshold. “Did you stop to think that it would make me jealous?”

The faintest coil of worry worked through me. “Can you be jealous when I was hoping you were the same person? I didn’t realise he was your brother.”

He sniffed coldly, cruelly. “And now that you know we’re not the same…what are you going to do? Be with me or him?”

I sat up, fear prickling down my spine. “You’re the one who broke up with me, remember?”

“I didn’t expect you to throw yourself at another man the second I was out of the picture. In fact, I tend to agree with your ex.” Stalking toward me, he pinned my shoulders to the couch, yanked his mask down, and bared his teeth. “You are a slut—”

I choked and shot upright.

Just a dream.

Just a dream.

Rubbing my rabbiting heart, I squinted in the bright sunshine streaming through my window. Peng meowed where he blinked from my pillow, his ginger coat so much shinier than when I first got him.

Scooping him into a hug, I lay back down and placed his soft, warm weight on my chest. He kneaded me, no doubt feeling my racing heart beneath him.

The longer he made biscuits on my Sailor Moon t-shirt, the slower my pulse became.

Just a dream, that’s all.

I’d done something very out of character last night. It was only natural my conscience decided to punish me.

X would never hurt me.

Even if he did get jealous, it wouldn’t drive him to do what Milton did.

I’m safe.

So why did I reach for my phone to check if he’d messaged me? Why did I feel both sad and angry that he hadn’t replied to my panicked thread from last night?

For all he knew, I was still in the movie theatre, curled in a ball in the corner.

Even Zander hadn’t messaged me.

But Lily had.

Lily:OMG, pick up the damn phone. I’m worried sick.

Lily:Why did Zander call me and demand to know where you were last night?

Lily:Are you dead? Because you’re going to be for ignoring me.

Lily:Sailor, you call me back right now!

Lily:Sails…I’m super worried about you.

“Uh-oh.” Shifting Peng off my chest, I went to call her—

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