“No, Aria, just listen.”
“No.” I pointed at him and backed away, hating the tears flowing down my face. “You think I’m crazy like my dad.”
“I don’t,” he growled out, darting across the room to me. He grasped my arms enough to keep me in place but not so it would hurt. “I don’t think you’re crazy. I think there’s something happening with you, and last night I witnessed it. You can’t keep pushing it down and not expect anything to boil over. This is serious, Aria. You need to see a psychiatrist.”
“What if I don’t want to?” I asked, raising a brow. “What if I say no?”
He let out a puff of breath and stared right into my eyes. “Then I’m going to have to be forced to tell people what happened…and what you’ve been doing to yourself.”
“You wouldn’t.” I ground my teeth together, hearing his threat loud and clear.
“I would.” He pressed closer to me, his eyes showing me just how much he meant the words. “If it means I have to tell everyone to protect you from yourself, I’ll shout it from the rooftops. Don’t doubt how much I care about you, Aria, even if you don’t like the way I show it.”
“I hate you,” I whispered, but from the pull of his lips, he knew I didn’t mean it. Hate was the polar opposite when it came to what emotion I felt for him. My shoulders drooped as I asked, “When? When is the appointment?”
Cade let me go, took a step back, and checked his cell. “In an hour, so you need to get dressed.” He walked across the bedroom and into the hallway, then came back a couple of seconds later with a bag. “I bought back some of the items I returned for you. Call it another birthday gift.”
I glanced at the bag he placed on the bed and then at his back as he exited. Just as he was closing the door, I said, “Thank you.”
He paused and turned his head to look at me. “You never have to thank me for anything, Aria. I’ll always be there for you. Always.” He clicked the door closed and left me alone in his bedroom with only my thoughts as company.
Why was he making me do this? But then I remembered the look on his face as he stared at me last night, the terror shining in his eyes; I’d scared him. And he wasn’t the only one. If I were honest with myself, I frightened myself too. I had no idea what had happened, so maybe going and seeing this psychiatrist would help. It definitely wouldn’t make anything worse.
I shuffled over to the bed and opened up the bag to pull everything out of it. There was a pair of the black running leggings with the purple strip, a matching sports bra, and tank top, as well as two boxes. I tried to keep my breathing under control as I stared at them all, hating the thought of Cade going back and returning everything I’d bought last night.
The first box held the running shoes I’d tried on in the shop, and the second box contained a pair of sneakers. I puffed out a breath and pulled the last item out—the open package of socks—and stared down at it all.
I’d lost sense of who I was last night, and even though I felt fine now, I was scared it would happen again. What if I didn’t go to Cade next time? What if I didn’t seek anyone out. The idea of that had me standing up and walking to the bathroom. I’d go and see the psychiatrist and get help. It was the only way forward; I could see that now.
It didn’t take me long to brush my teeth and have a wash then get dressed. The running clothes fit perfectly, and the second pair of black sneakers Cade had bought looked good with the outfit. I wasn’t sure whether this outfit would be my downfall or the start of a new chapter in my life. Either way, I was prepared to find out.
I headed down the stairs, spotting Cade waiting in the hallway, his thumbs flying across his cell screen. He looked up as soon as I was at the bottom, his gaze tracking over me and the bag I held in my hand.
“I need to get my purse,” I told him, moving into the living room. It sat on the arm of the sofa, and even though I wanted to open it up and pull my cell out, I resisted. Now wasn’t the time to get caught up with any messages I had. Instead, I needed to keep my focus. “Ready,” I told Cade, my voice a little shaky.
He smiled and followed me out of the house. He pulled the passenger door open for me, and I slid inside his car, placing my hands in my lap over my purse while he got in the other side.
“It’s about a thirty-minute drive,” Cade said, pulling out of his driveway. “We’ll get you something to eat on the way.”
I nodded, unable to speak. My stomach rolled with eac
h minute that went by, and when he pulled through a drive-through and ordered a burger and fries, I could barely eat them. I wasn’t sure if time was going by at a snail’s pace or as fast as lightning, but we were there before I knew it.
It looked like any other building, a sign outside and buildings either side of it. It definitely wasn’t a mental hospital. “I’m scared,” I whispered and bit down on my bottom lip. My shaky hands reached up and pushed some hair behind my ear as I stared at the building. “What if she says there’s something seriously wrong with me? What if—”
“What if she helps you?” Cade cut me off, taking my hand in his and gaining my attention. “Let’s go inside. You can talk to her, and then we can go from there. Baby steps, right?”
“Baby steps.”
His answering smile was enough to have me take a calming breath and push open the car door. My pulse thrummed in my ears as I walked to where Cade waited in front of the hood. He held his hand out to me, and I didn’t hesitate to take it. Together, we walked into the building, through a small entryway, and then into a waiting area. There wasn’t anyone behind the receptionist area, but there was a button with a sign saying to ring it.
Cade reached forward and pressed down on it, causing a bell to ring out, and a couple of seconds later, another door opened, and a woman appeared.
“You must be Aria.” Her smile was wide, her blond hair pulled back into a bun at the base of her neck, and her dark-brown eyes were inviting. She held her hand out for me, and I reached forward, gritting my teeth at how much they were shaking.
“I am,” I whispered, placing my hand in hers and then pulling back.
“I’m Dr. Bay.”