inevitable. Once I get the authorities involved, none of you will be able to stop me.” Douglas eyed Ariel. “I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish here, but I think it’s past time for another stay at Cunningham. I’ll be back, Ariel, with the law on my side.”
Ariel practically wilted against me as her father turned and stormed out of the studio.
Lexi hesitated for a second before asking, “Who or what is Cunningham?”
Ariel swallowed. “Cunningham Psychiatric Institute. In Santa Barbara.”
“That’s the place you were in before?” I asked her.
She nodded, absently wiping her clammy hands on her jeans.
“Fuck.” I didn’t know what to do with this new development. Damn the fucking paparazzi anyway. Why did they have to follow us like that? We hadn’t done anything wrong, but now I had to do damage control.
“I have to get out of here,” Ariel said, reaching for her things.
“Give me a minute,” I said slowly, my mind racing as fast as my heart. It had taken a lot of self-control not to knock Douglas into the middle of next week, but that wouldn’t help Ariel.
“What are you thinking?” she asked me.
I was mentally plotting out a plan as we stood there. With the demo tape finished, the band was in something of a holding pattern. We could rehearse our own songs, of course, but for the first time in my life I wasn’t that interested in being in the studio. I was far more excited about spending time with Ariel. She was sweet and sexy and talented, all things that turned me on. Our sex life was explosive, we enjoyed spending time together, and had many of the same interests.
Letting her go at this point would be impossible. I’d already been thinking about asking her to stay with me longer, and we’d been interrupted this morning before I could say anything, but her father had forced my hand.
“Let’s leave the country.”
20
Ariel
There was an awkward silence as everyone avoided our eyes. It was just Tyler and me right now, despite the others’ presence, and I wasn’t sure what he was saying. How could we leave the country?
“I don’t have my passport with me,” I whispered, swallowing hard to fight the overwhelming emotions whipping through me. Fear, embarrassment, shame. So many things that made me hate my life more than ever before.
“Doesn’t matter.” Tyler seemed distracted, full of nervous energy.
“But, Tyler…”
“Come here.” He took my hand and pulled me out of the room, into the hallway. We seemed to be alone, but I looked around to be sure.
“Hey.” He drew me against him, one arm around my waist. “The last week has been amazing. I don’t want it to end, and I don’t think you do, either. Now that the cat is out of the bag about us, let’s just leave and go somewhere we can be alone. Be together. I’m crazy about you, Ariel, and I think you feel the same.”
My eyes sought his, and for a long moment I didn’t say anything. I wanted to do this so much. I was terrified and exhilarated and breathless all at the same time, and it made me nervous because I had so many questions.
“Say yes,” he whispered, his eyes burning into mine. “We can do this. We’ll find a lawyer and make your dad go away. In the meantime, we can explore what this is. And how much more we might have as a couple.”
I had a million reasons to say no, but a few very important reasons to say yes. Reasons that gave me hope for my future. Our future. If there was such a thing.
“Yes,” I whispered back. “As long as we’re together, yes.”
Everything happened in a whirlwind once we left the studio. We went back to Tyler’s house while he called Casey to see if she would be willing to send the private jet for us. This was a confusing combination of a nightmare and a dream-come-true because even though I was terrified my father would take me back to L.A. and/or institutionalize me again, I’d finally been forced into action. I hadn’t planned it this way, but now that it was happening, I was going to do everything in my power to get away from my old life. I’d gladly give up my career, even most of my money, if I could just have a little peace.
My only big worry was that my father would go after my friends, which was the last thing I wanted. If not for