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“Oakley, it’s Audra again,” he said, his voice strained. “She’s still harassing you. She must have found a way to bypass the security measures we put in place.”
“Let me see,” Oakley demanded, her frustration mounting as she snatched the phone from his hand. The message displayed a sinister smiley face emoji followed by the words, “You may have escaped once, but I’ll find you again, Dr. Addison.”
“Ryker, I can’t take this anymore. Between the medication, trying to recover, and now Audra... it feels like I’m being suffocated.”
Ryker’s eyes filled with concern, knowing that he had played a part in her feelings of constraint. He had become incredibly protective since her kidnapping, driving her to appointments, and keeping her car at the underground parking garage at Jac’s agency. Part of him felt responsible for not initiating immediate protocols after knowing Oakley dealt with many at-risk members of society.
“Oakley, I know that my protectiveness might be overwhelming, but I cannot allow anything like that to happen to you again. I promise I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
“Thank you, Ryker,” Oakley sighed, rubbing her temples. “But I need space, too. I need to find a balance between healing and feeling trapped. Can we work together to figure this out?”
“Of course,” he agreed, his voice softening. “I promise to give you the space you need while ensuring Audra is stopped.”
As Ryker drove Oakley to her next appointment, their thoughts were consumed with the weight of everything that had transpired. Oakley’s mind raced with memories of her harrowing experience and her current frustration at her slower-than-desired recovery. Ryker couldn’t shake his guilt for not doing more to protect her from the start.
“Ryker,” Oakley began hesitantly, “I appreciate your protection, but I need you to understand that I’m strong too. I survived that ordeal, and I will survive this.”
He looked over at her, admiration shining in his eyes. “I know you’re strong, Oakley. I’ve always known that. But it doesn’t change the fact that I want to do everything I can to keep you safe.”
“I know Jac and his group are trying to find and bring Audra to justice, but I think, if I’m to heal, I have to be part of the solution that ends that woman’s reign,” she said with quiet resolution. “It will allow my brain to believe she is out of circulation, and it will put an end to my feeling of helplessness. I need to breathe free air again, and I fear that won’t happen if I don’t have a part in her demise.”
Ryker held his response for a moment and concentrated on traffic. When the cars thinned out, he said, “Sweetling, I hear what you’re saying, but I need to clarify. You want to be part of the planning but not the actual takedown, right? Because I don’t know that I’ll participate in that. It isn’t my specialty like it is Jac’s people’s.”
“Part of me would love to see it, and maybe Sharlee will be happy to let me watch from her computer, but no, I don’t think that being there is as important as knowing I was part of the reason Audra lost. Gives me my power back.”
“I understand that. Deal,” he agreed, gripping her hand that was lying in her lap. “I’ll talk with Jac.”
Chapter 13
The sun dipped belowthe horizon, casting an orange glow across Oakley’s face as she stood in one of Jac and Sharlee’s lounge rooms, clutching a small potted plant. Her fingers traced the delicate veins of the leaves, a silent reminder of life and growth amidst the chaos that had become her reality. As she looked out the window, she couldn’t help but feel disconnected from the world outside.
“Oakley?” Ryker’s voice cut through her thoughts, soft but insistent. He stood at the doorway, watching her with concern etched into his strong features.
“Sorry,” she murmured, setting the plant down on the windowsill. “I was just... lost in thought.”
“Hey, it’s okay.” He approached her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. “How are you feeling today?”
