Chapter 5

After wiping the gel off of me, I slid off the bed, thanked Dr. Drew, and sped walked out the door. Daxton had his back turned and he was leaning against the wall, one hand on his face.

"Dax?" I called out, walking towards him. He stayed on the wall, ignoring me. I sighed and reached out, putting my hand on his arm. He turned rigid beneath my touch.

"Look, I know how you're feeling and-" He yanked his arm away and turned around, a murderous glint shining in his green eyes.

"You think you know how I feel?" He stalked towards me and I stepped back, suddenly afraid of what he was going to do.

"Dax-" I tried, but he interrupted me.

"Don't Dax me, Ari. You set this up, didn't you? Get knocked up by me so you'll be forever rich?" He searched my eyes, but my throat closed up, trying to block the tears that threatened to spill. "That's why isn't it? You greedy, manipulative bitch." He spit out, eyes turning red with anger. Air rushed out my lungs, making it hard to breathe.

"I would never-" Daxton interrupted me again, laughing bitterly and shook his head.

"Save it for someone who actually cares." He turned around and walked out the door, leaving me alone. My hand trembled and I covered my mouth, hot tears falling down my face.

I actually thought if I had proved that this child was his baby, he would start to care for me like he did before. What a foolish idea. I fumbled for my phone, dialing Rayna's number. She picked up right away.

"Hey hot stuff! How'd it go?" She asked. Voices filled the background. "Not now Sam!" She yelled to her boyfriend.

"H-he left me." I whispered, rubbing my belly absently. Rayna gasped and I heard shuffling.

"I'm on my way. Stay where you are!" She yelled and then shouted something to Sam in the background. I hung up and went outside to wait for her. I sat on a bench and wiped my eyes, not wanting to shed tears for that asshole. When she came, I hurriedly slipped inside and closed my eyes.

"Are you okay?" She asked, driving home. I shook my head, not wanting to speak. Daxton made me feel like shit and I wanted nothing to do with him. I didn't want him involved with anything I did with the baby, checkups, when I gave birth....nothing.

She pulled up into the driveway and I automatically went into my room and shut it, closing off the world. Later that night, Rayna came in with some food, but I wasn't hungry.

"You have to eat, Ari. At least for the baby's sake." She argued. I ignored her and turned over, closing my eyes and going to sleep.

For the next few days, I didn't shower, eat, or leave my bed. I was too depressed to do anything. I could feel myself getting weaker, but I didn't care. Rayna came in and out each day, begging for me to eat or shower, but like the last million times, I ignored her, not caring what happened to me anymore.

So when Marco appeared in my doorway days later, I just blinked at him. His hair was tousled and his grey eyes took in my ragged appearance. I knew I looked terrible. My breath probably smelled worse. Hell, I probably smelled horrible.

He was wearing black sweat pants and a white top and he came next to my bed, a worried look in his eyes.

"Hey, Ari." He said whispered.

"Hey." I croaked, my voice dry from not speaking or drinking water for days.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, brushing my matted hair back. I closed my eyes for a second.

"Like shit." I answered, shifting my weight. I only had a long t-shirt on and nothing else because I would overheat at night.

"We were supposed to meet up, remember?" I thought about it and realized I hadn't checked my phone either.

"I sorry, Marc. I've just been so-" My voice broke and he shushed me, cupping my cheek.

"No, no it's okay. Don't worry about it. We can always plan for it another time." I still felt bad and it was probably evident in my eyes. "Okay?" He said again, and I nodded.

"Thanks for coming, Marc." I said quietly, touching his hand. His presence instantly made me feel better and he smiled.

"Anytime, love, anytime. How about we get you in the tub, yeah?" He suggested. I sighed, knowing it was his nice way of saying I smelled like a pig. But at least he didn't say it. Daxton would. My heart squeezed in pain at the thought of his name and I shoved it away, not wanting to think about him.

Marco ran to my bathroom and set the temperature in the tub before coming back and helping me out the bed. My legs turned to jello and I leaned on him for support. Luckily, he could hold up my weight with no problem. When he turned to walk out the bathroom, I stopped him, leaning against the sink.

"Can you...help me?" I asked softly, gesturing to my enormous shirt. His eyes widened.

"You want me to-" He pointed both pointer fingers to my shirt, arching his eyebrow. "-take your shirt off for you?" I smiled lightly and nodded. He came back and lifted my shirt up over my head, making sure to avert his eyes. What a gentleman.

"Can you help me in, too? I don't want to slip." I didn't want to take any chances, since I already basically starved myself over some guy. I hope my stupidity didn't harm the baby.

"Sure." His arms encircled my waist and he lifted me up and set me down in the hot water slowly. I groaned with relief as the water released any tension that was built up. "You good?" He asked, still trying not to look my way. I laughed at what he was doing.

"Marco, I won't take it offensively if you look at me while I'm naked. I'm pregnant, so not much you can do with me anyway." His face turned red and he slowly turned his gaze on me.

"I feel like a perv." He muttered, sitting down on the toilet while I washed myself. "You're lucky we're just friends and that I'm not attracted to you in any other way." I smiled at his statement, rinsing my body and playing with the bubbles.

"I guess I am lucky." I leaned back against the wall of the tub. "Why don't you have a girlfriend, Marc?" I asked, rubbing my belly. Before he could answer, Rayna appeared in the doorway and stopped in her tracks when she saw Marco in the bathroom.

"Ummm.....I didn't know calling you would lead to this." Her lips split into a grin and she shrugged. "Anyway, I'm glad you convinced her to take a bath. Now, she needs to eat. Come on, up and at em." I rolled my eyes and reached for Marco to help me out the tub. When he did, dizziness hit me and the world started spinning.

"Ari, you okay?" Rayna's face split into two and then three. My eyes crossed and rolled back into my head as I slumped in Marco's arms, passing out.