Choosing Us (Pierced Hearts Duet #1)(45)

Without giving it any thought, I went after him. My feet moved on their own, not walking but running this time. Going straight toward his office.

I ran faster.

Harder.

And with more determination.

My feet burned against the tile floor with each stride and sentiment bulldozing its way through my head. My heart pounded, my ears rang, and my vigorous breathing escalated higher and louder with every second that passed. The adrenaline flowing through my bloodstream had already taken over.

He was getting a piece of my mind.

No matter what.

I rounded the corner, coming face to face with his office door that was slightly ajar. I saw him sitting at his desk, his body hunched over with his head in between his hands and once again it stopped me dead in my tracks. The heavy weight of what was devouring him alive had me frozen in place.

He was in a trancelike state, lost in what could only be described as his own personal Hell.

My stomach fluttered, my heart dropped. I was living in, breathing in, settled in his turmoil, becoming one with all his emotions. Watching the good doctor breakdown in front of me was a vision I’d never forget. His body took on a whole different demeanor. The cold, calloused bastard was gone, and a broken man sat in his place, not holding anything back.

Tears rolled down his face, and a desperate heave escaped his chest.

I leaned against the doorframe for support, witnessing his mind and heart going to war with one another. He didn’t stop, and I wondered if he could feel me too. Knowing it was a stupid thought, but it was there, nonetheless.

His rage quickly took over, replacing what felt like the hole in his chest. I blinked, and he grabbed the picture frame he must have been lost in, forcefully chucking it across the room.

Roaring, “Motherfucker!”

I hesitated, nothing more, nothing less.

He stood up so fast, his leather chair slammed into the bookcase behind him. If I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought he was coming after me when his feet started stomping on the ground, hauling ass out of his office. I turned, hiding behind the door. This wasn’t the right time to confront him, and I was beginning to think there would never be one.

As soon as I heard him trampling his way down the hall away from his office, my cellphone rang. Skyler’s name lit up my screen, and panic rapidly took over my senses.

Going from one fucked up situation to the next.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry I left Jackson with Jour—”

“No need to apologize, Camila, I understand. I would have done the same thing had a family member needed me.”

“A family member?”

“Yeah, Jackson told me your mom fell down the stairs, and you had to rush her to the emergency room. He said he told you to take the car, so you wouldn’t have to wait for the bus. I get it. Not a problem at all.”

My eyes widened. “Right. I still should have called and told you, though,” I replied on autopilot.

“Is she alright?”

“Uh huh.”

“That’s great to hear.”

“It is.”

“When family is involved, we lose our minds. Besides, it did Jackson some good to watch his baby sister. He was actually dancing with her like you do when I walked into the house,” she chuckled.

“He was?”

“Yes. Don’t tell him I told you, but I think he’s starting to come around to you.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Anyway, I won’t keep you. Will you be back tomorrow, or do you need a few days to tend to your mom?”

“I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Sounds good. Have a good night, Camila.”

“You too.”

She hung up.

It was only then that I realized I was standing in Dr. Pierce’s office. I don’t know what blew me away more.

The fact that Jackson covered for me or that the picture his father threw across the room was one of him and his wife…



On their wedding day.





Chapter 18


<>Aiden<>

Then: Seventeen-years-old



__________




“Bailey,” I warned as she kissed along the side of my neck. “We’re not doing this.”

“Aiden…” She slowly pecked her way down my body. “Please. We’ve waited so long.”

“Bay, the other kids are right outside the door and so are my foster parents.”

“Actually, Mario got called into work, and the only kid here is Everly.”

“That still leaves Eva.”

She gazed up at me through her long lashes, smirking like a fool. “Your foster mom is in her room on the other side of the house. She’s too pregnant with a baby of her own to move. Besides, I locked the door.”

“I refuse to disrespect them in any way, Bay. Not after everything they’ve done for me. For us.”

I spoke nothing but the truth. This was the first family I’d been placed with who was worth a damn. At first, when my umpteenth caseworker assigned me to them a little less than a year ago, I didn’t believe it, but they proved themselves more times than I could count. It was as insignificant as meals on the table several times a day, where everyone talked about the peak of their day.