𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 [𝟏𝟖+] ✔

55

When I met Toby Mitchell, I instantly melted, literally falling over his feet and face planting the ground. I remember the first look when he leaned down to help me, my eyes were stuck on him for a beat too long, searching his features, mesmerised by them. I can still feel the deep intake of breath that involuntarily took over, and how my heart accelerated to an unhealthy pace.

It was a whirlwind of whiplash and mind-blowing sex. Feelings hit me like a tonne of bricks and I never thought that I'd even be in a relationship with him, my assistant, never mind being pregnant to the American with a serious case of insanity.

I wish I steered clear of him, left the office with everyone else so I didn't trip over him on day one. I shouldn't have taken his number and accepted his offers to walk me to the hotel, allowing him to dive into my mind by asking me question after question.

I should have kept it professional with him, not committing sexual acts in a hospital meeting room or broom closet, in an alleyway or cinema hall. Emotions got involved, too involved, and that's when I allowed Toby to truly destroy me in ways I never thought possible. I cut myself off from social media, my friends, and even the person I love the most in the world... Jason.

I fell into a deep hole, well... Toby practically shoved me into it by drugging me with antipsychotics, driving me into so much stress and anxiety that I drank for weeks on end.

He broke me.

And I let him.

So why the fuck am I experiencing all of these confusing emotions? Why am I staring into his needy eyes and feeling my heart skip a beat? He's an arsehole, a first-class, grade-A prick. I don't want to feel my pulse quicken or the tension building around me. When he loosens his grip on me so he can hold me to him, staring at me with such sadness in his eyes, I nearly falter.

I need to hate him.

I want to hate him.

"Aria..." Toby starts but stops, clutching my hands to his chest, searching my face for some sort of reaction. "I missed you," he says in a low tone, dipping his head so we are eye level. "I'm sorry about Justin, and everything that happened. We were getting somewhere, and I had to go and fuck it up."

My eyes fall on his mum, standing in the corner of the hotel room in silence, her head down, fiddling with her purse. "You're helping him?" I pull my hands away from Toby, ignoring everything he just said as I walk to her. "Do you know how much this goes against what he needs?"

"You have no idea," she replies, her eyes that are identical to Toby's shifting to him behind me, his chest now pressing against my back.

"Leave," Toby orders, his hands on my hips, making me gasp as my eyes widen at her, pleading with her to stay. "I'll call you when we're ready to go."

"What? No, stay here," I beg her, feeling my heart instantly racing in panic. "Don't leave me. I-"

"Mom," he interrupts me, encircling his arms around my waist, both hands protectively on my bump, resting his chin on my shoulder. "Fuck off so I can speak to my girlfriend."

Oh my fuck.

She nods at her diabolical son, obviously not thinking about how he's most likely about to make a bloodbath out of my body in this room. Giving me one last glance over her shoulder, apologetic and worried, she leaves me alone with Toby as the door beeps to indicate that it's now locked.

This is it; this is my end. I need to remain calm and do nothing to kick him off, keep my voice at a reasonable pitch even though I want to scream at him for everything he's done.