CHAPTER THREE

Aria's POV

I  felt his eyes bore into my spine even as I automatically wheeled around, grabbed my jacket and bag and almost pushed a confused waiter. I ran into the sidewalk in a sprint, my sneakers hitting the pavement mercilessly. My heart pounded over my footsteps. I heard him once, yelling after me. His voice deep and commanding. Oh, that voice. 

But I did not slow down. With the extra weight I now had, I tried to run faster but it wasn't possible. A block away, a hand grasped my arm and spun me around.

I panted, fighting hard. "Let me go!"

"Woman," he growled, steel-gray eyes icy and cold. "We need to talk."

I fought again, but his grip only tightened. "Let go of me or I scream!"

"You really want to cause a scene here?"

“Try me.”

“Why did you run off the moment you saw me?”

Because I didn't want to see your ugly face. Can I go now?” He froze, short of words and then slowly, his eyes travelled to my stomach 

"Don't lie to me," he cut in, voice low and cold. "Is that my child?”

I said nothing. “Who am I kidding? It is. I saw the blood. I know I was your first." I stood there in shock. His eyes blazed with something animalistic and possessive. "That baby? It's mine."

"You don't know that. You left! You walked away before I even knew your name."

He stepped closer, close enough for me to feel the heat radiating off him like fury. He stretched his hand behind me and opened the door. "Get in the car."

"No."

He tilted his head, attempting to appear patient. "Then I'll have my boys come and bundle you in."

"Try it," I snapped. "I dare you. Touch me and I won't just humiliate you on this sidewalk, but I'll sue you for assault."

His jaw clenched. For a moment, I saw a war behind his eyes. And then surprisingly, he stepped back.

"You can run, Aria. But you can't hide. I will be back."

With that, he spun around and disappeared into the throng like a wraith, leaving me quaking on the curb's edge.

I did not go home. I could not. So I went straight to Juno's apartment building, fist raised as I pounded on the door. She opened it in seconds, and the instant her eyes met mine, I broke down. She pulled me in and into her arms. I cried on her shoulder, shaking, and gasping.

"I saw him, Juno. At the café. He knew. He knows."

She didn't even ask who. She already knew. She guided me to the couch and rubbed my back gently.

"Tell me everything."

And so I did. The chase. The confrontation. The threats. The time he tried to drag me into his car.

“He said he saw the blood.” I was totally embarrassed. Juno's mouth pursed with each word. Her golden hair was pulled up high, but loose tendrils framed her fierce protective face.

When I finished, she let out a sigh. "Aria, I love you, and I hate this for you, but you must get one thing. That man? If he's rich and influential, if he really looked like that… then in law, he can have his child."

"But…"

"It sucks. It's not right. But men like him always do what they want. He'll make you out to be crazy and incompetent. Particularly if he discovers he has something against you."

I wiped my eyes. "What do I do? I don't want him around our lives."

"Me too. You're not alone. You have me. And we will get through this. Okay?"

I nodded, but my heart was anything but steady.

"I'll get water," I mumbled and I walked into the kitchen, flipped on the light, and pulled out a glass from the cabinet.

Juno's POV

A little card hung from her bag and I decided to tuck it in but curiosity pushed me to open it. 

My hands had moved before I could catch them, pulling it out. A printed schedule. 

Location: Planned Parenthood. 

Reason: Termination Consultation.

It was scheduled for next week. My gut fell. What was wrong with Aria? 

"What the hell is this?" I lashed out. Aria stood behind me, shocked.

"Are you kidding me? You booked an abortion"

Her face faltered. "Juno…"

"I said I was with you. That I had your back! But now, you're going behind my back? I figured in case you changed your mind and decided you would have an out, you would speak to me. But I was not going to push you, Aria, I swear."

She broke down once more. Racking, loud sobs shook through her. God! I hated to see her lik

"You're not broken, Aria. You're just scared. And I'm scared too. But I'll be with you. We are not murderers, Aria. I won't let you kill that life."

She cried even more. But I held her tight because right now, I was all she had.

……….

Aria's POV

By evening, I was able to gather myself together and go home. The cab dropped me off on the curb. I alighted slowly, hand resting on the gentle curve of my stomach and made my way to the door of my apartment.

But before I even got to the door my eyes caught it. Something was very wrong. 

My door was open.

My blood turned to ice. I was certain I'd closed it. I always closed it but now, it was slightly ajar. And in that instant, all that was going through my mind was Rico Zane's voice:

You can run. But you can’t hide.