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But even as the thought filled my mind, my stomach roiled in protest.
“I wouldn’t say we actually dated,” I admitted to her. “It was more lots of sex, admitting our feelings for each other, him getting me pregnant, and then putting a ring on it.”
Her light laughter filled the room. “Sounds like a desperate man trying to lock you down. If what you’re worried about is if Mr. Moreitti loves you, or if what he’s feeling is an unhealthy obsession, then I can honestly say, in my professional opinion, he is one hundred percent in love with you. It’s just an extremely overwhelming feeling for him. I doubt he’s ever experienced this kind of love for anyone else.”
Chapter 7
Jordan
Too restless to sit, I paced the waiting room while Samuel stood in front of the door that led into Jerrica Burke’s office, and the other two guards flanked either side of the main entrance. This was the third appointment Arella had attended in just as many days. Each time I kissed her before she went into the therapist’s office, I got a gnawing ache in my stomach that didn’t go away until after she walked out again.
There was no need for the anxiousness I felt. She was safe in there with Jerrica. Yet I couldn’t stop the overwhelming nervousness that Arella might suddenly have an epiphany and decide that I wasn’t who she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. What if she finally opened her eyes to the fact that I wasn’t worthy of her or her love?
Trying not to comb my fingers through my hair, I stuffed my hands into my slacks pockets and paced the length of the room. There was no receptionist at the desk since the appointments were arranged for after Jerrica’s normal hours. Evening had descended since Arella had gone in for her session. I’d watched the streetlights flicker on when I’d passed the bank of windows. The darkness only escalated my already erratic heart rate.
I didn’t like Arella being out at night, even if the guards and I were with her. Not knowing who had sent the disgusting box rattled me. They had no leads except for the person Arella insisted was the only culprit who could be behind the vile incident. After personally seeing Claudia Steel from a distance the day after Arella had reached the conclusion that Garon’s mother was the only possible answer, I found it hard to believe, just as Lana and the others did.
Claudia was barely able to lift her legs to walk, using a cane to assist her as she’d made her way from a town car to the simple, one-story home that was all she was able to afford now. Her son’s will had left everything to Arella. She’d rejected the money and told the lawyers to donate to an advocacy group for victims of stalking and abuse. As for his share of Strive, I now owned that.
Arella had assumed that by gifting it to me, I wouldn’t have to deal with Winston Cline or any of the other producers at the company. But it was such a huge project that I needed at least one of the other partners to back it to ensure the others wouldn’t try to pull the plug should the studio lose money from the endeavor.
Not that it would. As soon as Arella recovered from having our baby, production would begin. Her pregnancy and maternity leave would give us enough time to secure every position, including director, special effects, and the music for the movie. I predicted that it would be a hit, and that we would get at least two additional movies out of the franchise.
The success wouldn’t be possible without Arella as the lead. No one else would fit the character better than her.
Just as no one would fit me like she did.
Agitated, I couldn’t stop myself from running my fingers through my hair. As I did, the door opened, and Jerrica stepped through before turning to allow Arella to exit. I stopped my pacing and let my eyes eat up the sight of my fiancée as the two women stopped to speak to each other.
“I think we’ve made some great progress,” Jerrica told her confidently. “I’ve got you scheduled for another session the day after you return from your honeymoon, but if you need to speak to me before then, I have my cell on me at all times. Day or night, if you’re struggling mentally, I want you to at least text me.”
Arella’s smile didn’t completely reach her eyes when she gave the doctor a nod. “Thank you. I guess I’ll see you in a few weeks, then.”
“I mean it, Arella,” Jerrica reiterated. “Day or night.”
“Okay, thanks.” Her blue-gray gaze shifted, instantly connecting with mine. I felt the breath leave my body in a whoosh when her shoulders squared. The softness I’d grown accustomed to—was fucking addicted to—when she looked at me wasn’t there.
Clearing my throat of the sudden emotion clogging it, I stepped toward her. “Ready, love?”
She gave me a small nod before waving to Jerrica. The two new guards took point, leading us out of the office and toward the SUV that was parked nearby, while Samuel stayed directly behind Arella for the brief walk.
As we exited the building, I placed my hand at the small of her back and felt her tense, but she didn’t shy away from my touch. My heart began to pound violently against my ribs, making it impossible to take a deep enough breath. By the time we reached the SUV, I felt like I’d just run five miles.
Once we were in the back with the doors shut, Samuel climbed behind the wheel, and the other two got into the other SUV to follow us. Arella remained quiet the entire time, and I waited until Samuel had pulled into traffic before raising the partition. The silence was making me twitchy. All I wanted was to pull her onto my lap and kiss her until whatever was bothering her escaped her mind, but from the tilt of her chin and the tense way she held herself, I knew that wasn’t a good idea.
Swallowing roughly, I opened my mouth. “How did—”
“You’re an idiot, do you know that?” she snapped as she finally turned to look up at me, her eyes flashing nearly blue-white with fury.
“Baby.” Her rage only seemed to grow at how weak my voice came out.
“If you doubt my feelings for you—if you truly think there is anything you can’t say to me without me wanting to leave you—then maybe we should rethink getting married. Because obviously, this relationship isn’t strong enough to move forward.”
Her words hit me with the force of an uppercut, knocking me out of my stupor and some sense back into my brain.
A pain-filled howl left me as I grabbed her and turned her so that she was straddling my lap. I hit the overhead light before I clutched her hair in one hand and twisted it until I was cupping the back of her head. I gripped her chin with my other hand, just in case she tried to break our locked gazes.
“There is nothing stronger in my world than our relationship,” I growled.
