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Audra: I’m still out here. Watching and waiting.
Then yesterday, another came through.
Audra: Do you think you are safe in your fancy attorney’s home?
Oakley hadn’t told Ryker about the messages. She didn’t want him to worry, didn’t want him to put his life on hold to guard her every second of the day. But Audra’s threat meant Oakley couldn’t escape what had happened. She would live in fear for the foreseeable future, constantly watching over her shoulder for any signs of danger unless she shared with Ryker so he could protect her. Before this happened, she would have ignored it and gone on. Now, she was terrified. She had to tell him.
Ryker kissed the top of her head. “Try to get some more rest.” His voice was laced with concern. His tone told her he didn’t believe for a second that she was fine, even if she told him otherwise. “Your appointment with the therapist is this afternoon.”
Oakley bit her lip. She wasn’t looking forward to rehashing the details of her trauma again. But she had to get past this and find a way to move on from the darkness that seemed intent on consuming her, for Ryker’s sake and her own. The person they had chosen was someone she respected.
“I know,” she whispered.
And she would go, if only to ease the worry in Ryker’s eyes. She owed him that much. He had saved her life, after all. Now it was time for her to fight for her own happiness. Her kidnapper had already taken too much from her. She wouldn’t let Audra win.
“Ryker, I need to show you something.”
“Baby, you need to get more sleep.”
“I can’t right now. I’ll take a nap later.” He looked skeptical. Smart man. “Promise.”
“Okay. What do you need to show me?”
***
OAKLEY SPENT THE MORNINGresting in bed while Ryker worked from home, only leaving her side to make them both lunch. The medication left her groggy and disoriented, and today, she drifted in and out of a fitful sleep. When she was awake, her thoughts kept circling back to her time in captivity, the feeling of helplessness and terror that had threatened to overtake her.
She was living in a world of life clips, some longer, some shorter. She could dream more vividly than she ever had, yet she couldn’t always retain more than a feeling of terror. And tied up with those scrambled thoughts was Bella. Where was she, and why had she disappeared on the same day that Oakley did? And why was she in her dreams?
She’d shown Ryker the texts, and her recollection of that conversation was clear.
“You got these before today.”
His calm statement of fact made her cringe. She was a confident woman, but right now, she depended on Ryker for everything. It was maddening and comforting. He loved her. He showed it in so many ways, and logically, she understood her mental motivation, but it wasn’t enough to assuage the guilt or the anger. She cherished her feelings of being cared for and was angry she had to rely so heavily on another person to do what she had done for herself entirely due to another’s actions.
Cognitively, she processed that she was trying to avoid more mental strain and trauma and that letting Ryker in on what was going on would ultimately do that, but emotionally, it was another story altogether. She was devastated that she was in this frame of mind and was feeling guilty that this wasn’t what he had signed up for.
Ryker sat beside her, his large hand enveloping hers as if he could chase the demons away through his touch alone.
“I’m here,” he kept repeating softly. “You’re safe now.” When his sweetness seemed to rub salt in her wounds, he stopped. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop.” His no-nonsense tone helped her drag her thinking back to level ground. “I want to be here, with you. I choose you and whatever comes with you.”
“Physically, maybe. But mentally, I may never be truly safe again.” Her tears ran down her cheeks. “I’m trying.”
“I know, baby girl. Typically, I’m not a big touchy-feely guy, but with you, I seem to have some insight. I want to touch you all the time. I almost feel your pain. It’s foreign to me to be tuned in so much to another person, but I’m so glad I am. I think I understand why you might not want to share these messages, but it’s the only way I or Jac and his gang can keep on top of this. Let’s see if you can do your session virtually, because you aren’t leaving this apartment without protection, and I’m not sure I can arrange it fast enough.”
“I will call the therapist to change the appointment venue.”
“Good. While you do that, I’ll put in a call to Jac. I think we need more coverage. Maybe even a change of a resting place while things get worked out.”
His steady presence was the only thing grounding her, keeping the panic at bay. She didn’t know how she would have survived this without him. Ryker had become her anchor in the churning sea of her emotions, the one thing she could cling to when the memories and anxiety threatened to pull her under. She knew it might get worse before it got better.
The therapist agreed to change to virtual sessions for the time being. Jac was concerned with the text messages. “Jac, it worries me because she knows where Oakley is. I’m not as surprised about that as I am that she is openly stalking her. Taunting her and threatening harm is something I can file on. The problem is, if we could have found her, we would have by now. I’m calling the detective after this.”
“I need you two here. It’s safer and better protected than your building, even with the security you have. You might be met with resistance, but once Oakley sees things are easier and more secure here, she will agree. She’s a smart woman and wouldn’t allow her desire for familiar surroundings to keep her from being safe. That is more important and will ultimately make her relax.”
“I agree. I want her wrapped in as much protection as possible. That way, when I need to go to court or get some things signed or whatever, I can do that with confidence. We will have still wrapped her securely.”
“So make your call to the detective and let me know when you are coming. I’ll put out the word. Guess it’s a family night tonight.”
