by Lilly Wilde
“Excuse me. Why are you in this patient’s room?”
I spun around to see a woman dressed in a smart pantsuit and white lab coat with Christel Ellison, Resident Psychiatrist imprinted on the top right. She had soft, pretty features, but her gaze was stern and unfriendly.
“Ms. Lane is my patient. I have a list of her approved visitors and there are only three, all of whom I’ve met, so I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t be here. I will need you to leave.”
“I’m Aria Cason.”
A knowing look crossed her face.
“Can I speak with you in private please?” I asked.
Dr. Ellison and I spent the next hour in her office talking about the events that led Nadia to this place. Of course she didn’t release any information to me, but she did tell me that Nadia had been improving as of late, and that it would be best if I didn’t return to the facility. I thanked her for her time and left the building.
I was in my car, my hands gripping the steering wheel as I replayed what I’d just witnessed. I didn’t know how long I sat there. My phone rang, and I snapped out of my daze and rushed to answer it. The display showed Aiden’s name. I stared at the phone until the call went to voicemail and then tossed it on the seat and pulled out of the parking lot.
*
After seeing Nadia, I was jittery most of the afternoon. At this rate, I’d need to keep sedatives on hand at all times. I supposed every family, every relationship, had baggage, but mine was filled with more than what could be tossed on the curb and forgotten. It was one thing after another since I’d met Aiden. Our lives wouldn’t always be this way, would it?
I’d concluded my second meeting for the day and had just sat at my desk when my intercom buzzed.
“Mr. Raine is headed your way, and he looks upset,” came the voice from the intercom.
“Thanks, Andrea,” I replied.
I knew what this was about, so I braced myself for his onslaught. Just as I pressed the intercom button, my door was flung open. And Andrea was right, Aiden was upset.
“Good afternoon, Aiden,” I said.
“Aria.” That’s all he said. He took a seat in front of my desk and reclined in the chair.
“I didn’t expect to see you here. What’s going on?” I asked, meeting his gaze for only a few seconds and then looking down at my tablet.
“Just dropping by to see how your day’s going.”
“That’s very nice of you.” I looked up and smiled. He didn’t return the exchange, so I continued. “It’s going well.”
Aiden’s chin lifted and his gaze narrowed. “Surprised you’re talking to me after last night.”
“I’m not happy about it, but what’s done is done.” I looked at my calendar. “Wow, I have a lot going on today.”
“I’m sure you do,” he said. “You have your hands in so many things.”
If he wasn’t going to mention my visit with Nadia, I sure as hell wasn’t. “I would imagine any CEO can say the same.”
“Would you?” he asked.
I lifted my gaze to his and replied. “Yes.”
“Hmm.”
“Did you spend time with Lyric this morning?” I asked.
“Yes, just like every morning. I’m actually going to spend the remainder of the day with him.”
“Oh. I’m sure you’ll both enjoy father-son time. Should I pick up something for dinner?”
“Why did you go to the mental institution?” he asked, without skipping a beat.
I guess he was done playing this cat-and-mouse game.
“For the same reason as you,” I replied. “I need to know what I’m dealing with.”
He leaned forward. “Haven’t I told you that I would handle this?” he asked.
“I don’t like the way you’re handling it.”
“You will not continue to challenge me on everything, especially something as sensitive as this. Do you understand me?”
“I understand absolutely nothing.” I sat back in my chair and met his gaze head on. “Why is it so difficult for you to comprehend that you can’t boss me around? And you know I don’t appreciate when you take that tone with me.”
“Why can’t you be happy? Why can’t you center your attention on Lyric and RPH? I’ve told you, more times than I should have to, that I will take care of this situation with Nadia.”
“You will not manage me, Aiden.”
His brows furrowed. “What makes you think I’m doing that?” he asked.
“Aren’t you?”
He didn’t reply.
“Are we done here?” I asked.
“Aria, you should not have gone to that place, and you are not to go there again,” he ordered.
“You don’t dictate where I go. I’ll go anywhere I damn well please.”
“Why?” He shook his head as if he were confused. “Why can’t you just do as I ask?”
“You’re not asking. You’re demanding. And you know that gets you nowhere with me.”
He shoved his hand through his hair and through gritted teeth he asked, “Can you not fight me on every fucking thing?”
“She’s a mess and nothing you can do will fix her.”
“Dammit, Aria! Do you realize how much your visit set her back?”
“No. Nor do I care. My concern is for the safety of my family.”
“And mine isn’t?” he asked.
“I didn’t say that. But the way you’re going about this is all wrong, and since you won’t hear anything except yourself, I’m not going to try to convince you of anything. I’ll just take matters into my own hands.”
“The hell you will,” he said in a low voice. “You will not return to that facility, you will not contact the doctor. I’m telling you to stay out of this.”
“And I’m telling you no.”
He bolted from his seat, cornered my desk, and yanked my chair toward him. He turned me to face him and leaned over me, his hands on either side of me, grasping the arm rests.
“You will stay out of this. Don’t make me do something I don’t want to do. I’m asking you to do it of your own volition. Don’t make me force you.”
His eyes flashed with a rage that caught me off guard, which pissed me off even more. I considering kneeing him, but I took the high road. “I’d like for you to leave. I have work to do.”
He didn’t move. “Do we have an understanding?” he asked.
“You know me. Why don’t you answer your own damn question?” I pushed him. “Move. If you won’t go, then I will.”
“I’ll leave. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Ditto.” If he thought, for one moment, I would cower to his control tactics, he was dead wrong.
He released my chair, and without a second glance, he stalked out of my office.
It took more than a few moments for me to calm down after Aiden’s visit. I was scheduled for a conference call that I was too wired to even think about, let alone participate in. I went to the bar, and poured myself a drink.
*
My trip from work was not one I’d expected. It had taken me a while to notice, but I finally realized I was being followed, and I was sure my detecting that was not by mistake. Aiden wanted me to know I had a tail.
Once inside the house, I headed for the nursery. Lyric wasn’t there. Aiden had mentioned he’d be spending the afternoon with the baby, so maybe they were still out. At just that moment, I received a text from Dianna stating that Aiden had asked her to keep Lyric overnight to give us some privacy.
I didn’t need any privacy with him. I was about to call Dianna when I heard Aiden entering the house. I rushed to our bedroom to grab some things and then hurried back to the guest room I’d slept in the previous night.
Aiden had reached me before I made my exit. “I made a call to Dr. Ellison. Every one of the staff has been given explicit instructions that you are not allowed on that property.”
“Of course, let’s protect Nadia from big bad Aria at all costs. So is that what you meant by forcing me to do things your way?”
“I’m not discussing this,” he said.
“Yes, you are. Oh, and thanks for the person you have following me around like a fucking loon. Just because I don’t do as you say, you pull out all the stops to ensure you get things the way you want.”
“I asked you, but you refused to cooperate. I’m not sure why I was remotely surprised.”
“This is not right,” I said. “I need to know that my child is safe, that I’m safe.”
“Nothing will happen to you, Aria.”
“How do you know? Because you’re keeping out of this? Because you’re not spurring her on? Oh wait, you are doing just that! And it needs to end, and it needs to end now.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“If you can’t back away from this, then—”
“Then what? What? Is this the part where you threaten to leave me again?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That’s what you do. The minute you don’t get your fucking way, you run.”
He knew I had issues with relationships, yet he threw that in my face. “This is different and you know it.”
“How? How is this different?”
I wasn’t going to waste any more time fighting this losing battle. I turned to walk away. If he couldn’t decide, I’d decide for him. I’d barley made two steps before he’d grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him.
“You’re not leaving me.”
I looked up at him, meeting the ferocity of his gaze—the burning intensity of the eyes staring back at me took my breath away. I fiercely loved this man, like he was a part of me, but this wasn’t just about me. Lyric came first. I pulled away, trying to shake his hold, but he pulled me closer, his solid frame towering over mine.
“You’re not leaving me, Aria,” he repeated and reached for the back of my head, tugging my hair and forcing my lips to meet his. His touch was as violent as his kiss and I wanted no part of it. I struggled to free myself from his aggression, but he only gripped tighter. When I opened my mouth, he forced his tongue inside and I bit down on it…hard.
He jerked away. “Shit! Why’d you do that?”
I escaped his grasp and headed down the hall, and he was directly behind me. I went to Lyric’s room, grabbed his bag and started tossing random items inside.
“Oh, so you really are leaving?”
I didn’t reply.
“You aren’t taking Lyric, Aria. You can pack as many bags as you want—he’s not leaving this property with you.”
My fingers curled around the bag. There was no way he’d let me leave, especially with Lyric. I loosened my grip on the satchel and placed it on the dresser. I reined in my anger and sighed. I stepped over to Lyric’s crib and looked at Mr. Bunny. If anything happened to my son, I wouldn’t survive it. Why couldn’t Aiden see that? I turned around and headed out of the room, leaving Aiden standing in the doorway.
I couldn’t leave, but I sure as hell wouldn’t share a bed with Aiden. I went to the storage bench at the foot of our bed and though I was looking for something else, I spotted my box of memories and paused. I opened the lid, and on top of the pictures, letters, and other keepsakes was one of the pink heart-shaped notes with a short message written in my mom’s script. I let out a sigh, closed the lid on the box, and pulled my quilt from the bottom of the trunk. I was hoping that my gift from Mom would soothe me enough to counter the sleeplessness I endured the previous night. I stormed past Aiden and headed to the guest room.
I had started to drift off when Aiden came into the room. Why was he following me? Didn’t he understand I wanted to be left alone?
“Are you really going to sleep in here?” he asked.
I turned away from him. I didn’t have the strength to do much more. Fighting with him was exhausting. We were too much alike and that often worked against us.
“I can’t be without you again tonight. Please come to our bed.”
His voice was so tender and sweet, free of the upset from our disagreement. A tear eased down my cheek when I heard him approaching. He sat on the bed beside me for several minutes, not saying anything. He finally reached out and placed his hand on my shoulder, but I moved away from his touch. He sighed and leaned down and kissed my hair. It was quiet, so quiet I could hear his breathing. I wanted him to leave, but I knew he wouldn’t. He just sat there. I knew if I left he’d follow me, so I’d laid there and waited him out.
He had more patience than I’d given him credit for—my plan failed. I’d fallen asleep only to awake a few hours later with Aiden’s arm draped over me, his lips touching my neck. He was sound asleep, but I knew he’d easily awaken if I moved too quickly. I slid from underneath his arm, moving as slowly as possible, and I was almost free when he moved. I froze. He moaned, and a few seconds later, he was back in his quiet sleep.
I eased from the bed and glanced back at him—the beautiful, stubborn and overprotective father of my child—the man I planned to marry. Sometimes I hated that I loved him. But I had tried not loving him and found that utterly impossible. My love for him was a part of me now—permanently entrenched in very depths of my soul. At times being in love with him felt like something beyond my wildest dreams. Then there were times like now, when it drained every ounce of me. I wanted to take Lyric and go someplace safe, hidden from the danger that lurked in the shadows, but he would never allow me to take his son. My only option was to convince Aiden to see my side in this. And if he didn’t, well…I would have no choice but to find a way to get rid of Nadia myself.
Chapter Eight
Day three. Aiden and I were still on bad terms. And after being trailed home from work, I was fuming all over again. But as soon as I saw my smiling baby, nothing else mattered. Lyric was standing in his crib, his little hands were curled around the rails as he moved up and down, almost bouncing as I approached him.
“My big boy. Are you happy to see Mommy?”
He grinned and reached one hand out to me. I gasped when I saw the little bit of white pushing through his gums. “What a big day for you, Lyric. You’re standing and you have your first tooth.” I reached inside the crib and grabbed my little guy and went to the play area in the corner of his nursery.
Lyric crawled from one toy to the next, placing some things in his mouth while tossing others. I called his name and lifted his favorite stuffed animal. He followed the sound of my voice and dropped the squeeze toy when he saw me dangling Mr. Bunny. He crawled toward me and reached for his blue friend.
I encouraged Lyric to stand up for longer than two seconds at a time and laughed when he plopped down and pouted. I stopped torturing him when I saw he was really getting cranky, and I started crawling around the floor with him. I could play with him all day—well, most days anyway, when he wasn’t fussy. At those times, he reminded me so much of his father and myself. I hoped our temperaments didn’t rub off on him, but I had serious doubts that Lyric would escape that part of us.
Lyric was in his bouncy carrier, toying with the little trinkets that were strung over his head, when his father came into the room. It was after seven o’clock, so I could only imagine he’d been at the treatment center. I didn’t bother to acknowledge him. I placed Lyric in his crib and went directly to the guest room.
I locked the door and sat on the edge of the bed. I was staring blankly at the wall wondering when and if I could calm down enough to speak to Aiden. I had actually planned to talk to him today, but his late arrival reminded me of how he was handling this Nadia situation, and my motivation to talk went straight out the window. An hour or so later, I was considering going to Dianna for some advice, when I heard a knock.
“Open the door, Aria,” Aiden said.
I didn’t respond.
“We need to resolve this.”
“You don’t want to resol
ve it,” I said. “You want me to go along with whatever you say, and I’m not doing that. Just go away.”
He knocked again, harder this time. “Open the damn door, Aria. I swear I’ll knock it down!”
“Go right ahead.” I waited on the impact, but nothing. A few minutes passed and still nothing. I guessed he’d given up. Good, I wasn’t in the mood for his Me Tarzan, You Jane act.
I flipped on the baby monitor and then grabbed the remote. I was surfing through the TV channels when a reminder sounded on my phone. It was for Lyric’s checkup tomorrow. Aiden and I had planned to go together. That wouldn’t be a fun day for any of us. Lyric was getting shots and his father and I were barely speaking.
I was drying off after a long, hot shower when I heard Lyric and Aiden. They were in the recliner and Aiden was telling Lyric a story about the prince, the princess and their son. I dropped my towel and hopped in the bed, curled up with my quilt and continued listening to them.
Aiden was a good man, and his heart was in the right place. He thought he had to do something to make things right for Nadia. He was still blaming himself for what she’d done—for what she’d become. But why couldn’t he see the degree of his involvement with her treatment was bad for us?
Once the story was over, Aiden tucked Lyric in and then left the nursery. I crawled out of bed and looked for something to wear. There weren’t many clothes in here, just a handful of things I grabbed in a rush to get away from Aiden. I pulled a T-shirt from the drawer. It was his. I sighed as I lifted it over my head. Even though I was pissed at him, I wanted to be close to him, and for now, this would have to do. I grabbed the front of the shirt and lifted it to my nose—it smelled of expensive aftershave and, well, just Aiden.
I missed his smell. I missed being in his arms. I was lying in bed thinking about the last time we’d made love when a knock at the door startled me.
“Aria, I made dinner,” he said.
I looked at the door wondering how or if I should respond.