Page 14 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. One

His hands cup my shoulders as he pushes me toward the bed. “C’mon, babe. You’ll like it once we get started.”

My body goes stiff. “Adam, please don’t.”

He sighs, finally taking a step back. “What’s gotten into you lately?”

There’s a beat of silence. Maybe this is it—my chance to express my feelings. I can do it gently, and maybe it’ll help us get back to who we used to be back in college.

“I just… don’t feel particularly cared for by you, and it makes it hard to want to have sex. I need the emotional connection, you know?”

“Well, maybe if you gave me areasonto care about you, then things would be different.”

I jerk back, his words like a slap to the face. “W-what?”

“You know what? Forget it. I don’t want to do this with you.” He grabs his shirt and throws it on before storming down the hallway.

My mind is barely able to process what just happened. But when I hear the familiar jingle of keys in the living room, I’m shaken from my stupor.

“Adam,” I call, but the only response I get is the front door slamming.

Chapter five

Wren

Adam comes home the next day but refuses to tell me where he went. I texted Chloe and Rachel, but as far as they’re aware, Adam didn’t stay with either of their respective boyfriends.

For the next week, things in our apartment are tense. Adam barely talks to me, and he only comes to bed after I’ve fallen asleep. Whenever I try to start a conversation to fix things, he silently gets up and leaves the room. I even apologize for turning him down even though it wasn’t out of malice, but it’s pointless.

It feels like I’m unwelcome in my own home, even though I pay half our expenses and my name is on the lease. Work becomes a haven. I’d rather deal with the rudest customer than Adam’s silent treatment. But the hurt lingers, even when I’m at my most distracted.

On Friday, Ava must be fed up with my low mood because she corners me near the drive-thru window. The lane is clear, and it’s slower this morning than usual, so we have a second to breathe.

“What’s going on?” she asks, arms crossed and eyes filled with determination. “You’re acting like I did when Lizzie and I broke up.”

“Adam and I had a fight, that’s all. I’ll be fine.” I keep my voice low, matching her tone. Neither of us want customers to overhear this.

Ava’s shoulders sag. “Not again.” She doesn’t sound annoyed, although I wouldn’t be surprised if she is. Adam and I have been having a lot of issues lately. “When? Is this why you’ve been so down all week?”

“It was after we saw that movie last weekend. I just… haven’t wanted to talk about it. It was pretty rough.”

“What happened?”

“He wanted sex, and I said no.”

Ava freezes, watching me warily but not saying anything. She knows how he can get sometimes, and no doubt she’s worried that it’s finally escalated. In a way, it has.

“He got mad. More upset than usual. And then he stormed out and spent the night someplace else.”

“Like… with a friend?” she asks cautiously.

I’ve shed enough tears over this, but apparently there are more because my vision blurs up. “He—” My voice threatens to break, so I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nervous system. “He won’t tell me.”

“That motherfucker,” Ava mutters under her breath. “Babe, I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have to put up with this shit.”

“I just… I can’t do it. It feels like a betrayal to myself if I say yes when all he’s doing is slowly breaking my heart.”

The tears fall onto my cheeks, and when Ava sees them, she thumbs them away gently. “You don’t have to justify your feelings, Wren.Definitelynot to me, but you shouldn’t have to where Adam is concerned, either.”

“I know—I know you think I should break up with him. But I’m just not ready to.”