He’s Here
Aviana
Back at my cabin, I breathe a sigh of relief when I see that none of the girls are around, especially Scarlet. I haven’t seen her since yesterday, which means I haven’t had a chance to confront her about spreading the rumor that I was with Cade last night. Why does it matter to her where I was anyway?
I grab a set of clean clothes—some yoga pants, an oversized sweater, and of course, underwear—and head to the shower. As the water pours over me, it almost feels like I’m trying to wash Nightshade off, though part of me wishes I could hold onto the memory of our afternoon. I need this shower, though—just to clear my head. I can’t run into Scarlet looking like this, with my post-sex hair, ready for her to start taunting me.
***
Walking into the building where group sessions are held, my heart starts to race. I’m relieved I chose the oversized sweater—it’s warm, but I feel like I’m freezing. The room has this cold, tense energy to it, and I can’t help but feel every second of it. The moment I step inside, I spot Cade talking to Dr. Carter. My breath catches in my throat, and I hurry to sit in a chair, hoping he doesn’t see me yet. My hands shake as I try to calm my breathing, but the thought of him noticing me sends a wave of anxiety crashing over me.
Why does he make me feel this way? Is it because I have some emotional pull toward him, or is it because he almost caught me with Nightshade? It was already embarrassing enough with him barging in afterward, but if he’d walked in during… that would’ve been mortifying, especially after Cade an d I shared that kiss in his office. Something we definitely need to talk about.
I can still feel the heat of that kiss, like it’s burned into my memory. The way his lips pressed against mine, slow and unsure at first, then deeper, more urgent as if he couldn’t help himself. My heart raced, my pulse quickened, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. It was just him and me, tangled in that moment, and I didn’t know whether to pull away or lean in further. I couldn’t stop thinking about it after—what it meant, what it changed. But now, I can’t even look at him without feeling the weight of it.
I shouldn’t even be thinking about that kiss with Cade, especially after what happened with Nightshade. His words still echo in my mind— You’re mine, and only mine . The threat he made to Cade… it’s all a mess I don’t know how to untangle. I glance over at Cade talking with Dr. Carter, then I notice Scarlet stroll in, her steps full of that irritating pep. Why does she get under my skin so much? She spots me and gives a little wave, but I don’t bother to wave back.
She picks the chair next to mine, practically announcing her presence as she slides into it, “Hey, Aviana, you’re back!” Before I can even react, she wraps me in a hug so tight it almost feels like she’s trying to suffocate me.
“Umm, hi. I never went anywhere,” I manage to say, my voice dry.
“You looked like you were being kidnapped out of Dr. Brenner’s office by some large brute. Are you okay?” she asks, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
“Oh that? It was nothing. Obviously, I’m here, so nothing happened,” I say, trying to brush it off.
“Who was that massive man? Is he cute? Does he have a big—”
“Aviana,” Cade interrupts, his voice dull, but firm, halting Scarlet’s words before they can go any further.
“Dr. Brenner,” I say flatly, my tone giving away none of the discomfort building up inside me .
“Hey there, Dr. Brenner. Are you feeling better? I heard you canceled all your sessions today because you were feeling under the weather,” Scarlet chimes in, her voice dripping with sweetness like she actually cares.
“Actually, I’m still feeling a bit nauseous,” he says, his gaze flickering toward me as if to make sure I’m listening, “But I’ll be just fine to continue the day. I’m helping Dr. Carter with group sessions this afternoon before everyone’s evening hike.”
“So fun!” Scarlet claps her hands, her enthusiasm overly bright, almost too much for this room.
I can’t help but roll my eyes slightly, not caring if anyone notices. Scarlet’s fakeness never fails to get under my skin and there it is, the reason.
“Alright, it looks like everyone is here, so let’s get started,” Dr. Carter’s voice booms across the room, pulling my attention back to the group. I can feel the weight of the room shift, the quiet hum of nervous energy settling over us as everyone takes their seats.
As I start to sit back in my chair, Cade leans down just a little too close, his presence suddenly overwhelming. His breath is warm against my ear as he says, “I’d like to talk to you after class, if you can make some time for me, please.” His voice is soft but insistent, and the request makes my stomach twist.
Before I can even respond, he’s already standing up and walking away, leaving me with the faintest lingering feeling of his words. I watch him head to the front, my mind spinning with what he wants to talk about. Is it about the kiss? Or something else? The uncertainty gnaws at me, and the tension in my chest grows heavier by the second.
“Today,” Dr. Carter begins, his voice calm yet commanding, “we are taking class outdoors to our obstacle course.”
A voice calls out from the back, loud and skeptical, “What does this have to do with group therapy?”
Dr. Carter pauses for a beat, not fazed in the slightest. “We’re going to do a trust exercise on the course,” he explains, his tone unwavering. “So if you would just gather your water bottles and follow me outside.”
There’s a low murmur that ripples through the group, but no one argues further. We all start gathering our things, the anticipation of what’s to come settling uneasily in my stomach.
We file out of the building in a loose, awkward line, the fresh air hitting me like a wave, but it doesn’t quite clear the fog in my mind. As we walk toward the obstacle course, I try to keep my distance, focusing on the sound of footsteps crunching on the gravel beneath us. But then, almost without thinking, Cade’s hand brushes against mine. It’s brief, almost accidental, but the contact sends a jolt through me, my heart skipping a beat.
My skin tingles where his fingers touched, and I instantly pull my hand back, hoping he didn’t notice the way my heart stuttered in my chest. I keep my eyes straight ahead, pretending nothing happened, but the lingering warmth in my fingers betrays me. I can’t help but feel a mix of confusion and something else—something I can’t quite place. Why does something so simple, so accidental, make my pulse race like that? I bite my lip, trying to steady myself, but the feeling clings to me, the tension thick between us as we keep walking.
As we arrive at the obstacle course, Cade’s hand settles in the small of my back, sending a rush of warmth through me. The touch is light, but the way he maneuvers his body around mine to lead me toward the front of the group makes my heart race again. I force myself to focus on the ground beneath my feet, trying to ignore the way his proximity makes everything feel a little too heavy, a little too real.
The murmurs of the group rise up around us, people speculating on what the exercise will be. Dr. Carter’s voice booms louder now that we’re outdoors, cutting through the chatter. “So, you are probably wondering what we could possibly be doing here as a trust exercise?” he asks, pausing for dramatic effect. “We will pair in groups of two. One person in each group will wear a blindfold, and you have to trust your partner to lead you through the obstacle course.”
I swallow hard, the reality of what he’s saying settling in. A blindfold? Trusting someone with that much control over me? The thought of it makes my stomach tighten, especially when I feel Cade standing so close, his hand still lingering on my back. My mind races, and I don’t know if I’m more nervous about the course itself or the idea of trusting someone—anyone—with my eyes closed.
I mean, I know I can. I can trust Nightshade. If he were here, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second. I’d do this group session with ease, in a heartbeat. I’d volunteer to go first with him, just to get it over with, knowing he’d guide me through without question.
“If you want to find a partner now, go for it. Otherwise, I have no problem pairing people up,” Dr. Carter announces, his voice cutting through the air like a command.
Cade is standing next to me, his hand still lightly resting on my lower back, when he leans down, his lips close to my ear. “You’re my partner,” he murmurs, the words sending a shock wave of nerves through me.
I pull away slightly, looking at him in shock. “But aren’t you helping Dr. Carter with this?”
Cade straightens up, his expression unreadable. “Would you rather partner with Scarlet, Avi? I can have Dr. Carter place you with her.”
“No, I’m good. We can work together,” I say quickly, maybe a little too quickly.
His lips curl into a small, knowing smile. “Good girl.”
That phrase—those two simple words—make me melt on the spot, and I have to fight to keep my breathing steady. My heart beats faster, and I can’t tell if it’s from nerves or something else entirely.
As everyone pairs up, Cade heads toward the bucket to grab a blindfold. I watch him walk away, but something shifts in the air around me.
My pulse quickens, and I force myself to take a deep breath, trying to shake the eerie feeling creeping over me. But even as I turn back toward Cade, the sensation lingers—like I’m not alone, like I’m being observed from somewhere just out of sight. Surely, it’s Nightshade. I have no doubt in my mind. The thought is both comforting and unsettling, knowing he’s out there, watching over me like he always does. His presence is always so silent, so protective, that sometimes I wonder if he’s been near even when I can’t see him. My breath catches slightly, and I tell myself to focus, to stay grounded, but the sensation of being watched doesn’t fade. It almost feels like I can sense his eyes on me, like he’s right there, hidden in the shadows, making sure I’m safe.
Cade walks back over to me and asks, “Do you want to go first or—”
“Could you go first, please?”
“Are you saying you don’t trust me, Avi?” he replies, pretending to be hurt.
“It’s not that! You and Nightshade have both mentioned that one way to heal from past trauma is to take charge of the situation. If you blindfold me and guide me through that obstacle course, I won’t feel in control. I think if I can see how it’s set up, I’ll have a better sense of where everything is, and I won’t worry about you dropping me or making me fall.”
“I would never let you fall or get hurt, Avi. That’s the last thing I want for you.”
I guided Cade through the obstacle course without any problems, and we even shared a few laughs.
Now it was my turn to be blindfolded and led through.
“I’ve got you, Avi. Just breathe and follow my voice, okay?” I focused on slowing my racing heart by taking deeper breaths as Cade took my hand.
The obstacle course didn’t seem that hard especially with Cade moving us slowly and his directions precise.
“Now, Avi, stay right here and don’t move. I need to move a bit higher to keep hold of you.” Cade says.
I don’t move as I know he had me step up about six steep steps. I steady my breathing so I can balance myself better. He didn’t tell me if there was anything up here to grab a hold of and I don’t remember this part when I walked Cade through it.
Next thing I know, I am losing my balance and hitting the ground at a strong force.
“Aviana! Avi. Dammit!” Cade’s voice booms over me full of guilt.
“Don’t move her.” Dr. Carter now rushes to his side.
“Avi! I am so damn sorry. I was trying to reach you. I told you not to move. What happened?”
“Move, she may be hurt!”
The words cut through the chaos like a blade, sharp and commanding. A familiar voice, one I haven’t heard in years, fills the air. I feel hands pressing against me, assessing, searching.. My body aches as though I’ve been hit by a freight train, every nerve lit up with pain. Why do I hurt so much? What happened?
“I said move, NOW!”
That voice again. It’s starting to sound desperate, though it feels distant, like it’s coming from the other side of a thick fog. My ears begin to ring, a high-pitched whine drowning out the panic around me.
“I got you, Little Bird.”
That name. My stomach twists at the sound of it. Only one man calls me that. No. It can’t be him. Not in a group setting. Everyone will see his face. Everyone will know who he is. My mind reels as I fight against the disorientation, the ache, the cold numbness creeping in. I force my eyes open to see who this man is, who the familiar voice belongs to, but the world is a smear of colors and shadows. Everything is blurry, indistinct. The man who spoke, who dared to call me by that nickname, is nothing more than a vague outline looming over me. Could it really be him? Is he here, at this retreat? His voice…a memory of the past…it’s so familiar without the robotic sound to it.
I try to speak, to move, to understand. My lips part, but the only sound I can manage is a croak. “Ou-…” The effort sends a sharp jolt of pain through my body. My ears ring louder, a deafening symphony that drowns out my thoughts. My vision shifts, the blurriness replaced by a blinding white light. Panic surges as memories crash into me. The fall… I fell. He didn’t catch me.
“He… didn’t,” I rasp, my voice breaking apart like shattered glass. My lungs tighten, my breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps. My heart slams against my ribs, a wild, erratic rhythm that drowns out everything else. “He… missed.”
The man’s voice sharpens, ice-cold rage threading through the familiar timbre. “It won’t happen again, Little Bird. I will always be here to catch you when you fall.” The growl isn’t meant for me. It’s for someone else—someone who let me slip through their fingers.
But I’m slipping now.
My chest constricts, panic squeezing like a vice. My limbs tremble, numb and weightless, as the walls press in. I can’t breathe. I can’t move. The world tilts, spiraling out of control, my pulse a frantic drum in my ears.
“He… didn’t… catch me,” I whisper, my voice barely more than a breath. My vision tunnels, shrinking, darkening. The ringing in my ears crescendos, a high-pitched wail, and then—
Nothing.
The world vanishes into black.