Fear

43 • A new Act

The next day, Tyler insisted on another Act. His insistence made me uneasy, especially after what he'd told me the night before, but I knew he had a reason. He always did.

"We need to make sure you're prepared for anything," he said, his voice tense as he led me to the familiar Act room. I nodded, trying to push away the anxiety that had settled in my chest.

Tyler's eyes met mine, a mixture of determination and love in them. "This time, it's going to be different. I need to see how you react under extreme stress. I need to know where your limits are."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever was coming. Tyler's methods were unorthodox, but they were always effective. I trusted him, even if it meant facing my deepest fears.

He started with a knife, its blade glinting eerily under the dim light. My heart raced, but I held my ground, focusing on keeping my breathing steady.

"Imagine someone is trying to hurt you," Tyler instructed, his voice low and steady. "What would you do?"

I felt a surge of adrenaline, my instincts kicking in. "I'd fight back," I said, my voice steady despite the fear creeping in.

Tyler nodded, impressed. "Good answer. Now, let's push you further."

He used various tactics to heighten my anxiety-cornering me, raising his voice, even feigning a lunge. Each time, I reacted differently but with determination, refusing to let my fear control me. Tyler's eyes flickered with approval, seeing the strength he'd helped me cultivate.

"You're stronger than I thought," he said, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "But we need to find your weakness."

Then he pulled out a needle. My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of panic washed over me. Needles had always been a deep-seated fear I couldn't shake.

Tyler noticed my reaction immediately. "There it is," he said softly. "Bingo. Weakness."

I nodded, unable to speak. My throat felt tight, and my hands trembled.

Tyler's gaze softened, but his resolve remained firm. "We need to work on this," he said. "You can't let it control you."

He approached me slowly, the needle in hand. I tried to steady my breathing, but the sight of the needle made my heart race uncontrollably. I shut my eyes and my whole body tensed. I put my hands up in a defensive posture and began to hyperventilate.

I couldn't help it, I slid down the wall in the corner and shut down.

"Focus, Emily," Tyler said gently but firmly, trying to ground me as I started to lose control. "You're stronger than this."

I couldn't go any further, that was where I drew the line. I thought I was good with the knife, but pulling out the needle was a curveball I hadn't anticipated.

After seeing what he wanted to see, he put the needle away and came to me, crouching to my level as he mumbled words of reassurance.
"It's okay, baby, it's over now."

When I finally came round, feeling the fear and panic subsiding, I looked up at him. There was nothing but love in his eyes.

"We'll keep working on it," he said quietly, his voice filled with resolution and pride. "You did well, baby."

He cupped my cheeks with his hands, holding my head still as he looked into my eyes, then placed a kiss on my forehead.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the adrenaline still coursing through me. "Thanks," I managed to say, my voice shaky but relieved.

He offered me his hand and pulled me up off the floor. We stood there in silence for a moment, letting the intensity of the session fade.

Finally, I looked at him. There was something I'd been meaning to ask since he told me about X the other day.
"Who is X? Who is this threat?"

Tyler's expression darkened, and he inhaled.
"X is a man from my past. An old acquaintance of my father's. My parents were... involved in some very dangerous things. They were... part of the mafia."

I stared at him, shocked. Tyler had never mentioned his family's criminal background before. "Mafia?" I echoed, struggling to comprehend.

Tyler nodded. "Yes... unfortunately. My father had unresolved issues with X's father. After he died, those tensions didn't just disappear. X has been trying to use that against me for years, trying to make a new deal. But I don't want to be part of that world. I want to end it once and for all."

The weight of his words settled uneasily on me. I finally understood the depth of the danger we were in. "What does he want from you?"

"Power, control, leverage..." Tyler said bitterly. "And now he's found out about you. He knows how important you are to me, and he might use that to his advantage. I'm... I'm scared he's going to get to you somehow."

I reached out, taking his hand. "We'll face this together, Ty. Whatever it takes."

Tyler squeezed my hand, his eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and fear. "Thank you, Emily. I don't know what I'd do without you."

As we left the room, a sense of determination filled me. Tyler had always been my strength, and now it was my turn to be his. The fear was still there, but so was a newfound resolve.

-