Page 107 of Psychotic Obsession
"I'll just drop you off. I need to take Jason to my parents’ house," Ewan says, pulling up next to the sidewalk. I look up to see Gabriella's bedroom light on, making me smile. "I'll call you when I drop him off, okay?"
I nod at him, giving Jason one more look over my shoulder, a warmth filling me. "I enjoyed being away with just the two of you. It was fun and relaxing from everything going on here," I admit, making his dimple dent. "Thank you."
"We'll do it again," he responds, leaning over and kissing my cheek, making me melt. "Maybe this time, you'll beat me at Frustration."
I raise a brow. "Depends on if you mean the game," I joke, watching Ewan narrow his eyes at me with a smirk. I grin at him, my bottom lip between my teeth as I get out of the car, grabbing my bag from the trunk and tapping it for him to drive.
I can't wait to lie in the tub and relax with a charcoal face mask on and a cup of tea. Then, I’ll tell Gabriella she’s a bitch for not replying to me.
I'm excited to see her, tell her everything that has happened between Ewan and me. She will probably roll her eyes when I tell her I can still feel Ewan's lips on mine, that I still feel his presence all over me, but deep down, she will love that we connected.
Unlocking the door, I drop my bag on the floor. "It's just me!" I call out, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a glass of water, sipping it as I walk around the quiet house. "Gabs?"
Her room is empty, so I turn her light off and go to the bathroom, starting to run a hot bath with a hint of lavender bubbles. Walking into my bedroom to grab my towel, I gasp, the glass slipping from my fingers and smashing across my floor as Tobias stands from my bed, an unrecognizable look on his face.
"Was it worth it?"
"Tobias?"
My voice falters as he approaches me, crushing the glass under his heavy boot. Each horrifying step he takes throws me back two until I’m falling against the door. My heart nearly blows out of my chest as all the air leaves my lungs, making me feel faint.
"How did... No," I say, completely out of breath. "You need to leave!"
He shakes head. "I couldn't find you." He sucks in his bottom lip, releasing it with a curious look. "I was worried."
"Please don't hurt me," I beg him with a croak in my throat, tears already rolling down my cheeks as I cover myself instinctively. "I'm pregnant with your kids."
"What? Why would I hurt you?" he asks, tilting his head, looking hurt by me pleading for our lives, dropping his confused gaze to my hands doing all they can to protect our babies. "Iwantmy kids to be safe, Aria. Why would you even say that?"
"You need to leave," I repeat, biting my lip to hide how terrified I am. All my hairs are rising, my spine straightening as he looks at me with some form of adoration. "Please leave."
I gasp as he reaches a hand forward, flinching, preparing myself for his strike. But instead, my body tenses from his soft touch against my skin. The pad of his thumb runs along my cheekbone, his fingers in my hair. "I’m disappointed. You tried to run away with him. Why won’t you run away with me?”
"You're dangerous.”
"Dangerous," he retorts, sighing, running a finger and thumb over his eyebrows. "How do I show you I care about you? What will make you believe me when I say you literally meaneverythingto me?"
In all honesty, I have no idea what Tobias could possibly do to make me believe him. He has done so much to me, to my life, and no words or actions will ever take those awful memories away.
I stare into his eyes, the different shades of blue clustering together. "Tobias..." I trail off, huffing, biting my thumbnail. "You need to listen to me, and you need to let me finish, okay?" He moves his head up and down in a slow nod, shifting his weight to the edge of the table so his knees are close to mine. "I'm a scientist and I help people; it's what I do. But when I met you, I had no idea you were broken in ways that are irreparable.I intentionally shrugged off so many signs because of my feelings for you. I risked my job countless times and ignored my instincts to run the opposite way."
My blunt words burn him. "I know what you're going to say," he responds, chewing the inside of his cheek as he stares at his feet, hands clasped as his elbows rest on his parted thighs. "I knowexactlywhat you're going to say."
"Then let me say it."
He nods, keeping his eyes on the ground. "Okay,” he replies quietly.
See, this is the side of Tobias that pulls me in and wraps around my heart; the other side of him just breaks it.
"Up here," I point to my head as he looks up at me through his dark lashes, "is one of the most dangerous parts of a human being. It can play tricks on us, make us think things that aren't real, make us feel things we don't." He shakes his head, averting his eyes back to the floor. "I do believe you care about me, Tobias. But it's dangerous. You’ve even killed people."
“I did that for you.”
“That’s even worse.” I keep my tone as soft as possible, even though I'm exploding inside to scream, to run, to hide. I just want Tobias to understand he needs help, that running away is the worst thing he can do. If I can talk him into seeking out some sort of help, I can keep him safe.
"Why would I want to stare at four walls for the rest of my life? To be drugged up on a cocktail of whatever the fuck they can throw at me? How can I have my own kids visit me in a place like that without them ending up like me?"
My heart breaks for him, watching his eyes glaze over. "But being out here isn't good for you."
