“Pop quiz time,” I announced with a clap of my hands, but even that didn’t shock her into looking at me. She was in her own head, more so than I’d ever seen before. The class groaned, but it didn’t matter how loud they were, it wouldn’t get them out of it. I passed the sheets to the first person in each row and sat behind my desk. “You have until the end of class,” I said, logging in to my laptop to get some lesson plans done for the upcoming week.
The chatter in the room quieted, and it wasn’t until thirty minutes later, I finally looked back up, my gaze immediately landing on Aria. She wasn’t staring at her hands anymore. Instead, she was looking down at her lap and squirming on her seat. Her eyes fluttered closed, her lips parted, and I could almost hear the sigh escape her.
What the hell was she doing?
The clock told me there were only a few minutes left of class, and from the noise now starting to surround us, everyone had finished their work. I didn’t stray my gaze from Aria, though. Not to close my laptop, and not even when I stood.
“Hand your papers up front as you leave,” I told the class a second before the end-of-school bell rang out.
They all shuffled to the front of the class and out the door, but Aria had yet to move. It was like she hadn’t even heard me. I took a step forward, my dress shoes clacking against the floor. I hated when I had to wear a shirt and tie to work, but I didn’t have a choice when I wasn’t teaching PE or after-school sports.
“Aria?” I moved closer to her, now only two desks away. She didn’t look up, concentrating on her hands. I frowned, hating seeing her like this, but I had no idea what to do.
My gaze roved over her, and I halted when I spotted a red stain on her inner thigh, a couple of inches above her knee. Part of it looked dried, part fresh. But it wasn’t just any stain…
It was blood.
Had she cut herself at school? Were things really that bad?
“What did you do?” I asked, my voice deeper than I meant for it to be. I hated when she did this to herself, but there was nothing I could do about it, not now I’d destroyed everything between us. I’d had a choice between her and me, and I’d chosen me. I’d chosen myself over the girl who meant everything.
Her light-brown eyes met mine, but there was nothing behind them. No anger, no sadness…nothing.
“Aria?” I crouched down in front of her and placed one hand on her desk. Her finger twitched with my nearness, but it was the only indication she even saw me. “Baby? What did you do?”
“I…” Her voice was raw, almost as if she’d been screaming at the top of her lungs for hours. “I…”
A lump formed in my throat, and I tried to swallow past it, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t sit here and watch her fall apart and not pick up every piece to put her back together again.
“Why?” I asked, my own voice betraying me. “Why have you done this?”
“Because…” A tear fell from her eye, but she didn’t move to swipe it away. It tracked down her cheek and dripped over her chin and onto her chest. “Because I need to feel again.”
I couldn’t resist touching her when another tear fell. My hand reached out to the side of her face, and I ran my thumb over her cheek, the pads of my fingers extending into her red hair. “What do you need to feel?” I asked, almost afraid of her answer.
She stared into my eyes, tears flowing out of them like raindrops dripping down a windowpane. I wanted to stop the way she was feeling, I wanted to take it all away.
Her tongue swiped along her bottom lip. “Anything.” She hiccupped a sob. “I just want to feel anything.”
“Baby.” I pressed my forehead to hers, trying to absorb some of her pain, but it was an impossible task. “I’ve got you, Aria. I’ll always have you.”
Her throat bobbed on a swallow. “I’m scared.”
“I know, baby.” My voice was so rough, I didn’t even recognize it. “But I’m here.”
She opened her eyes, the light-brown orbs pulling me in more and more. She was hooking me in, not intent on letting me go, but I wanted to stay right here, just the two of us, in this bubble where nothing and no one could hurt her.
“I can’t do it anymore,” she whispered, so low I had a feeling she was scared to say it out loud. “I can’t do any of it anymore.”
I gripped her hand on the table. “I’m here,” I told her. “I’m here now.”
“Help me,” she pleaded, and it was those two words that had a tear slipping down my own cheek. “Help me forget all about it.”
I’d do anything to make her feel better. Anything at all. “I will,” I promised as I pulled in a deep breath. “I’ll make it all go away.” I pressed my lips to hers tentatively, scared I’d push too hard, but when she kissed me back, I knew I couldn’t live without this—without her. I’d made a mistake walking away from her. I should have chosen her. It should never have been a doubt in my mind.
My arms wrapped around her waist and I pulled her closer, kissing her softly and promising I’d never leave again, no matter what it meant.
“Cade?” a new voice asked, and all of my thoughts dissipated in an instant. My eyes flung open, and I yanked my lips away from Aria as my heart raced so fast I was sure it would leap out of my chest.
“Cade?” Willow’s voice repeated. “What…what are you doing?”
Cade & Aria’s story continues in Obey Fate!
Acknowledgments
This story became so much more than I ever thought it would. When I started Cade and Aria’s book, I never imagined it would become what it is today. The journey has been epic and emotional.
My first thank you needs to go to Paige. You’re the most awesomest Alpha Reader and PA. Thank you for loving my stories as much as I do, and generally just being you!
My second thank you needs to go to my husband and daughters. This book became such a huge part of my life, and I can’t thank you enough for putting up with my weird ways.
I’d liked to say a huge thank you to my BETAs readers: Nikki & Yvonne. You ladies are amazeballs and I couldn’t do this without your continued support!
To my bestie, Dan. Thank you for always being there for me, no matter what. You’re the besets friend a girl could ask for! Love you long time!
To my ARC team. You ladies are simply amazing and I love for each and every one of your messages! Thank you for taking the time to ready my stories, I appreciate so much.
To the bloggers who help share EVERYTHING. I love you so much, and I can’t put into words how grateful I am! You are a special bunch of people who continue to put a smile on my face.
Linda, thank you soooo much for everything you do. You’re always there no matter what, and I’m not sure what I’d do without you! You push me when I need to be pushed, and tell me to slow down when I need to stop. You save my ass more times than I can count, and I love you!
To my editor, Jen, thank you so much for everything you do. You make me a better writer with each book, and you’re so much more than an editor. You’ve become my friend, and I wouldn’t be without you!
My proofreader, Judy. Thank you for putting up with me! I continue to use commas in the wrong places and you continue to correct me. Never leave me, because I’d be lost without you!
To all the authors in the community. You continue to support me and I can’t thank you enough for that. I love our little slice of heaven, and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!
Lastly, I want to say thank you, to you. Thank you for taking a chance on this book. Thank you for reading. And thank you for being awesome!
Also by Abigail Davies
MAC Security Series (Alpha Security/Military)
Book 1: Fractured Lies
Book 2: Exposed
Book 2.5: Flying Free (Standalone Spin-off)
Book 3: The Distance Between Us
Book 4: ReBoot
Book 5: Catching Teardrops
Six Book Boxset
* * *
The Easton Family
Fallen Duet (Forbidden Angst)
Book 1: Free Fall
Book 2: Down Fall
* * *
Confessions Series (Romantic Comedies)
Book 1: Confessions Of A Klutz
Book 2: Confessions Of A Chatterbox
Book 3: Confessions Of A Fratgirl
* * *
A. A. DAVIES (Darker, alter ego)
Verboten (Extreme Taboo. Inferno World Novella)
* * *
Broken Tracks Series,
(co-authored with Danielle Dickson)
Book 1: Etching Our Way
Book 2: Fighting Our Way
* * *
Destroyed Series,
(co-authored with L. Grubb)
Destroying the Game
Destroying the Soul
About the Author
Abigail Davies grew up with a passion for words, storytelling, maths, and anything pink. Dreaming up characters—quite literally—and talking to them out loud is a daily occurrence for her. She finds it fascinating how a whole world can be built with words alone, and how everyone reads and interprets a story differently.
Now following her dreams of writing, Abigail has found the passion that she always knew was there. When she’s not writing: she’s a mother to two daughters who she encourages to use their imagination as she believes that it’s a magical thing, or getting lost in a good book.
If she’s doing neither of those things, you can be sure she’s surfing the web buying new makeup, clothes, or binge watching another show as she becomes one with her sofa.
Connect with Abigail
Reader group—Abi’s Aces
Newsletter
www.abigaildaviesauthor.com
Defy Fate: Fated Duet: Book One Page 21
