Page 16 of Texting Dr. Stalker

Alexander didn’t reply.

I imagined him struggling with something to say. We’d never said much to each other, but I got the feeling he was rather set in his ways and didn’t like many people.

Which I got.

He dealt with so many at his job. He held so many lives in his hands that when he came home, I could understand the need to be quiet and recharge rather than being chatty with the people who shared the same street.

Putting down my water glass, I padded with bare feet toward the back door. My jeans and white jumper ought to be too warm for the lovely summer evening, but I couldn’t seem to equalize my temperature. Plus, long sleeves and pants hid a lot of what Milton had done.

I didn’t know how I’d cope having a shower tonight and seeing all my bruises and cuts.

I forced myself to put on a brave face.

I’d come inside to get a glass of water.

Most of the afternoon, I’d sat in the garden reading, or at leasttryingto read.

I’d tried to stay inside after Lily left to deal with her open house, but the minute she’d gone, the walls had closed in, and claustrophobia clawed. Without her, I couldn’t stop my mind from going to dark places, so the sun had become my babysitter.

I’m so glad she’s back.

I was so lucky to have her.

She’d been such an angel this morning.

While I’d straightened out the remaining out-of-place things downstairs, she’d marched upstairs with a black bin liner and removed every single piece of clothing, toiletry items, and phone chargers that’d been Milton’s.

He’d moved in a couple of months ago despite the little voice warning me not to agree. The sob story he’d fed me of his awful roommate who’d kicked him out with no notice ensured I’d said yes over my reservations. After all, we’d been together almost a year. It didn’t matter that not all of that time had been happy. It was the next progression in our relationship.

And up until then, he hadn’t done anything cruel.

Sure, he’d become a master at passive-aggressive comments. Sure, he criticised the fact that I’d turned into a ‘flower child’ and sold homemade wares at a local market instead of going into the city every day and working for people who sucked my soul dry. He didn’t care that I kept my promise to Nana to do something I loved while also keeping her customers supplied. And sure, he called me lazy, thanks to my inheritance that ensured I was debt free and had savings in the bank that meant I could live off the interest comfortably for the rest of my days. The red flags were there but I’d been blind—

God, enough, Lor.

Shaking my head, I marched from the house and almost tripped down the two steps as Alexander froze on the bottom one. Our eyes lined up with his taller height. His vibrant green gaze snapped to my lips before shooting back up.

For a second, I couldn’t catch my breath.

He was so close.Tooclose. Every instinct recognised him as someone who could hurt me even though he’d only ever been kind.

But hehadhurt me. In a horribly unfortunate way.

Inhaling hard, he took a step backward and winced. “Sorry, I…I came by to give you this.” He practically shoved the platter of delicious-smelling food into my hands.

I grabbed it automatically.

My pulse skyrocketed that he was so close.

“Drooling over him again, I see. How about I rip out your tongue next?”

I almost gagged on the viciousness of Milton’s voice inside my head.

I swayed and clung to the platter, hoping to God I didn’t drop it.

Get a grip.

Another gush of adrenaline had sweat running down my spine.

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