Chapter 25
25
Daniel
D aniel massaged his forehead. The glare of his computer was only adding to his growing headache. He needed to finish his preparatory work before classes started. The admissions office had told him he could wait until spring to begin, but fall courses started in a couple of days and he’d wanted to dive in.
No one knew his reasons.
Namely, needing to stay busy because of the issues revolving around Aria.
It was like an itch he couldn’t scratch. Daniel couldn’t explain it, but something didn’t add up. Aria wasn’t acting herself when she was with that Cayden guy. But when Daniel had brought her up to Mateo and Sophia, they’d said that she had made her decision.
Even her cousins seemed surprised by her choice. Mateo was a really good judge of character, and if he thought something felt off, then Daniel was willing to believe him.
Daniel shook his head and pushed away from the kitchen table with a groan. He rubbed his temples as he got to his feet and headed for the refrigerator. He needed some ibuprofen if he was going to get rid of the pounding in his head.
While Aria had said that she was interested in Cayden, Daniel refused to accept it. He wasn’t giving up. He couldn’t.
Right now, he was willing to bide his time as he attempted to figure out what was going on.
Aria had refused his calls, but he’d expected as much. As long as Aria didn’t take off and move back to Georgia, Daniel felt he had a chance. But he had to get her alone.
That was going to be difficult based on what he’d heard from Mateo. Cayden was obsessive. He didn’t like Aria going anywhere without him.
He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and twisted the cap off before gulping down nearly half of its contents. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he gave another look at the computer. Every time he sat down to get some work done, he thought about her.
Aria was the reason he even got a chance at this opportunity. Even his brothers had been surprised and impressed by her initiative. It made his temper tantrum all the more embarrassing when he thought back on it.
A sigh released from his chest and he tossed back another several swallows of the beverage in his hand. He owed it to Aria to be there for her even when she didn’t want him there. Right now, she wasn’t willing to come to him and ask for help, but he had to believe that, eventually, she would.
Charlie entered the kitchen and stopped short. Her eyes locked with his and she offered him a sympathetic smile. “I heard about Aria.”
He stiffened. “What are you talking about?” He hadn’t told anyone in this house about his budding relationship with Aria. He’d only admitted to it with Mateo and Sophia because they’d been involved so much with her father’s court hearing. He’d hated the pity he read in their eyes, but seeing a similar expression on his sister’s face made it even worse.
She pulled out a chair at the table and sat down. “Isabelle said you were dating.”
Daniel scoffed. “I wasn’t dating her.”
Charlie snorted. “Really? Because according to Izzie, Aria and you were having dinner every single night and spending almost every waking hour together.”
“That doesn’t mean we were dating,” he huffed. “Maybe Aria was simply being nice.”
The look of disbelief on his sister’s face made it perfectly clear where she stood. Slowly, she shook her head. “Believe what you want, but from what I heard, you two had it bad for each other.”
He rolled his eyes and turned his back on her. He didn’t need sympathy or pity or whatever it was she wanted to give him right now. He needed a plan.
“For what it’s worth, Izzie thinks that Aria is really struggling. She doesn’t come out of her room very much anymore.”
He stilled, the muscles in his shoulders going so taut that it would hurt for him to shift any of his weight to look at her. Aria wasn’t happy? Well, she wasn’t exactly happy before they’d started dating. He could blame her change in demeanor on what they’d found together, but he wasn’t that full of himself.
“Anyway, Izzie said that Aria only comes out of her room at mealtime or when Cayden stops by. And she doesn’t seem to be acting like herself when he’s around. It’s like she’s playing a part…”
He hated how much his sister’s words seemed to instill a degree of hope inside himself. If Aria was miserable, then there was still a chance he could win her back. He needed to convince her that he was the best choice for her.
But how.
“You should go see her.”
Daniel spun to face his sister. “She doesn’t want to see me. If she did, she would answer my calls or respond to my messages.” He dragged a hand down his face with exasperation. “She needs some time to work out what she wants.”
Charlie tilted her head and peered at him with a pointed look. “Are you sure about that? I know that distance makes the heart grow fonder, but… seriously… The longer you wait, the more likely she’s going to move on entirely. Is that what you want?”
“No,” he snapped. “Of course not.”
“So go pay her a visit. Don’t wait around for her to call you or message you back. Make her talk to you. Make her explain what happened. Izzie can’t get anything out of her, and she’s been trying since Cayden came for dinner a few days ago.”
It was too soon. If he went over there to talk to her and he only alienated her further, then he might damage what little remained of their relationship.
Still, Charlie’s words resonated with that part of him that refused to believe they were over. Maybe Charlie was right. She wasn’t as jaded as Daniel had become over the years. And she was a girl. She would know where Aria was coming from and might be able to give him better insight into Aria’s mind.
He nodded. “Maybe you’re right.”
“I know I’m right. If what Izzie says is true, then I’d bet that Aria needs you to fight for her.”
That statement had him hesitating. “But I was right there. We were on a literal date. She came with me and left with him. How do you explain that?”
Charlie frowned. “I don’t know. Sounds like Cayden manipulated her into doing something she might not have normally done. Does that sound like him?”
“Sure does,” he muttered under his breath. The man’s whole demeanor screamed that he was a bully. A realization dawned on him. Aria had mentioned an ex who didn’t treat her right—who was controlling and manipulative. Was this that guy?
He tossed his empty bottle into the garbage can and strode toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Charlie called out.
“I’m going to see her.”
“Good.” That single word faded into nothingness behind the door that swung closed as Daniel headed down the front porch steps.
He arrived at the cabin after dark. The lights were on like they’d been the first time he’d shown up as a favor to Mateo. Daniel climbed out of his truck and stared at the building. A fresh wave of emotions attacked him, flooding him with anxiety and nerves. What if she turned him away? Could he stick with his promise to himself that he wasn’t going to give up on her?
She needed him as much as he needed her.
Daniel blew out a heavy breath and squared his shoulders. He could do this. No matter how hard it was or how much it hurt, he’d make sure she knew he wasn’t going anywhere.
He knocked on the door, and it wasn’t any surprise that Cayden answered it.
Daniel stiffened, his eyes narrowing as he glowered at the man who’d come back into Aria’s life like the wrecking ball he was.
“Can I help you?” The man’s voice was all suave and gentile.
It was completely fake.
“Where’s Aria?” Daniel demanded.
Cayden folded his arms, lifting his chin as he surveyed Daniel from head to toe. The man was a few inches shorter than Daniel was, and yet he didn’t cower like everyone else in town when Daniel leveled him with a scowl.
“I need to speak to her,” Daniel continued when Cayden refused to move.
“She’s not taking visitors.”
Daniel growled, stepping forward. “With all due respect, you’re not her gatekeeper. I’d rather hear from her own lips that she doesn’t want to see me.”
Cayden moved to block the door where Daniel had intended on pushing past him.
“You don’t want to do that,” Daniel ground out. “I’m not against putting you on your?—”
“Let him in, Cayden. It’s not a big deal.”
Cayden glanced over his shoulder, presumably to where Aria had been listening to their conversation.
The ache in Daniel’s chest continued to fester, knowing she hadn’t said something sooner. Charlie was wrong. Aria had zero interest in him stopping by. She wasn’t ready.
Cayden smirked, holding up placating hands as he took a step to the side.
Daniel’s dark gaze remained fixed on the man as he shifted past him and found Aria seated on the couch with a large blanket wrapped around her. She didn’t look like she’d gotten a good night’s sleep in several days. Her eyes looked somewhat sunken in. She was a lot worse for wear than Charlie had made it sound.
He dropped to his haunches in front of her and took her hand in his. “Aria, what’s going on?”
She didn’t look at him right away. Instead, her gaze flicked to Cayden, who had shifted to stand a few feet behind Daniel. Slowly she dropped her eyes to meet his. “What are you doing here, Daniel? I told you that we were over.” Once again, she looked to her supposed boyfriend… or was he her fiancé? It didn’t matter. They’d get married over Daniel’s dead body.
“I came to see you. I needed to see for myself that you were okay.”
“Well, I am.” She said it far too quickly and with too much vitriol. “You’ve seen me. Now you can go.”
Daniel shook his head. “You sure don’t look okay.”
Her features contorted, making her look almost alien. “You don’t know me. You don’t know anything. I’m with Cayden now. We had our fun, but it didn’t mean anything.”
Each of her words struck him hard in the chest—so hard that he felt as though he’d been kicked to the ground.
Aria pulled her hand from his, leveling him with a hard look. “Please leave, Daniel,” she whispered. “Don’t drag this out more than it’s already been.”
He watched her carefully, searching for any sign she was begging him for help. There had to be something—a twitch, a tick—anything.
But he saw nothing.
Slowly, he rose so he could get close enough to her to whisper, “I’m not going anywhere. When you finally come to your senses, I’ll be here waiting.”
He wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard her sharp intake of breath.
Cayden grasped onto the back of his collar and Daniel’s hand flew to knock him free.
“Don’t touch me,” he snarled. “If you want to keep your hand, you’ll remember that.”
Cayden laughed. “The lady asked you to leave. I’m only facilitating what she wants.”
Daniel’s eyes locked with Aria’s one last time. “Remember what I said,” he murmured. Then he walked away, wondering if he was making the biggest mistake of his life.