Page 160 of Texting Dr. Stalker

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I typed faster and faster.

Me:I miss my cat. Can you believe that? I miss him so, so much. I know I’d be fine if he was in my arms. Why am I not over this? Why am I weak enough to have flashbacks like this? It doesn’t even make sense. Milton never hurt me at the movies. I have no reason for panicking when nothing bad happened here. God, I’m so stupid! I wasn’t even abused like other women. It just happened that one time!

My heart stopped flying and turned to palpitations instead. My entire body jittered and shuddered. The words on the screen melted with my tears.

Closing my eyes and holding the armrest of my chair, I focused on my breathing.

My phone vibrated in my lap.

I snatched it up.

Zander:Hey, Sailor? Are you free to talk? Can I call you?

I quaked as panic set fire to my limbs. Why had Zander messaged me instead of X? I didn’t want him right now. I didn’t need an exhausted doctor with a heart so sweet sugar ran in his veins. I needed a masked stalker who grabbed me with no apology and kissed me with exquisite possession.

Another text flashed.

Zander:Please, Sailor? It’s urgent. I need to talk to you.

I glared at my phone, daring, hoping,beggingX to message.

And nothing.

I could barely see straight anymore.

My sniffles became too strong to choke down.

I needed to go somewhere I could huddle into a ball and sob.

But I couldn’t shed the guilt of leaving Zander hanging. What if he was dealing with his own stuff? What if whatever had hurt him today was hurting him now and he’d reached out for my help?

Using my last remaining strength, I sent a generic reply, hiding how badly I unravelled.

Me:Sorry, Zander. I’m at the movies. I can’t call. I hope you’re okay.

And that was it for my courage.

Closing Zander’s message, I opened X’s thread again.

Me:If you’re reading this and happen to be anywhere near the cinema tonight, I think…I think I might need help.

I pressed send.

Then lost myself to panic.

* 38 *

Zander

Breaking Every Limit

“IS THAT LILY? WHAT MOVIE THEATRE WERE you planning on going to with Sailor tonight?”

Lily cleared her throat. “Um, usually the polite etiquette when calling someone out of the blue is, ‘Hello, this is…’”

My fingers locked around my phone as I straddled my bike and prepared to fly out my garage. “Hello, this is Zander. Tell me where I can find Sailor.”

“What? Why? Has something happened?”

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