My teeth dig into the side of my cheek, biting back the tears welling in my eyes. How did I end up here? I refuse to let Adam see them. I don’t want him to think they’re for him.
I really wish my grandmother was still here. Closing my eyes, I try to think of what she would say to me in this moment.
Straighten those shoulders of yours and hold your head high. Don’t ever allow anyone to walk all over you, Selene. You’re too beautiful, inside and out, to put up with shit like that.
I’ve never been the confrontational kind, but Adam has me testing even my own limits.
Aluminum cans crush under the weight of his feet as he stomps his way back over to his suit. I watch as he dramatically shakes out his suit pants before stepping into them with a huff. His cheeks are flaming red, and he won’t stop shaking his head. He’s so unkempt, even his hair still refuses to move.
“It’s going to take me almost two hours to get home at this time of day so I can get ready for the auction tonight.” He narrows his eyes but still refuses to look my way as he gestures toward his face, waving his fingers around. “I can’t go looking like this.”
I keep my thoughts to myself, that it’s his own fault he looks that way, because I don’t have the energy to fight him anymore. I’m hoping the fewer words that spill from my mouth, the fewer reasons there are for him to drag out this breakup more than it already has been.
He scoffs with disgust as he drapes his suit jacket over his arm and fists his tie in his large hands. He’s still covered in orange chip dust, so it’s hard to take him seriously, but if it wasn’t for the anger blazing in his stare, I would think he was joking.
“Again, you say nothing.” He curls his lip in disgust. “Is this how you’ve always been?”
I roll my eyes and pick up a handful of empty soda cansbefore dropping them into my trash can, which is already filled to the top—another mess Adam has left that I’ll have to clean up.
“Please just leave, Adam.” I mutter, returning to the sticky mess on my coffee table.
The one my grandmother insisted I keep after my parents died.
I didn’t plan on taking it then. I was angry for the way they left London and me behind, but my grandmother said that if I didn’t keep anything from them, I would regret it. Lord knows why I chose their coffee table of all things.
“If this is how you’ve always been, then it finally all makes sense.”
Heat blooms up my neck, and I stop wiping as I stand to face him, this time narrowing my eyes on his. “Whatsuddenly makes sense?”
He lifts his chin, working his jaw. “Your sense of entitlement.”
I take a step back, feeling as if this puny little, Dorito-dusted man child is giving me whiplash.
“I’m not entitled. You’ve seen where I live.” I want to laugh.
In fact, I do. I let out a sarcastic huff of air as I look around, waving my arms at my cheap apartment. Sure, the paint is chipping and the hot water heater craps out at least once a month, but this place has become my home since the day I graduated college. It’s the place where I curled into the corner of every room, pouring my heart and soul into my first romance novel. Every penny I earn working at Charleigh’s flower shop goes to this place. It may be shit, but it’s mine.
“You are entitled. Entitled and pretentious.” Adam sticks an accusatory finger in my direction. “You walk around as if you think you’re better than everyone else in your little yoga outfits.” He gestures up and down thelength of my body.
What the fuck is he talking about? “Yoga outfits are pretentious?”
He gives a sarcastic laugh, ignoring my question. “You think because everyone in that little group of yours are billionaires that it somehow makes you one of them too? Because you aren’t, Selene. You never will be. You live in this shithole apartment that not a single one of them would ever bother to step foot in. You’re just as lowly as me—the people who are the blood of this city. Those billionaires don’t keep this city alive, we do. To them you’re nothing but another piece of gum stuck to the bottom of their Armani shoes.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Adam.” I try not to let my voice waver because, even though I hate to admit it, Adam’s accusations hit me harder than they should. I’ve lived a lifetime of trauma, and my best friends are who have kept me afloat for the last decade of my life. While working at Charleigh’s flower shop isn’t my passion, at one point in time, she was the only person who managed to bring a smile out of me every day. Then entered Julianna, before London finally moved to New York City permanently. For a time, my world was isolated and lonely. But now, even though I may be shy to my core, I’m certainly not lonely. I’m simply grieving.
Adam hurling endless insults my way about my life sparks anger in my gut. Aside from the confusing grief surrounding my parents, I miss my grandmother. Fuck, I miss her.
I cross my arms and stare at him blankly. “We’re over, Adam. Leave.”
He nods and steps over a pile of cans trailing between the sofa and the coffee table. He stops beside me and leans forward, bringing his face closer to mine. I look into his eyes but try not to gag at the smell of stale corn chips when he breathes.
“Your so-called friend Julianna had her one of her cronies drop off a dress for tonight’s auction.” He glancestoward the hallway. “I would say I’m surprised you’re going tonight, but I’m not.”
“You’re going to the auction too, so don’t act like I’m someone special. I’m not.”
“I’m going for thepaper. It’s my job. What’s your excuse?”
“I don’t owe you any explanation. Especially not after you’ve trashed my apartment and refuse to accept that I ended whatever this was.”
