Fuck.
His gaze met Adathan’s, whose face showed no sign of surprise. For a moment, William clung to the hope that Adathan didn’t understand the word, but of course he did. After all the articles he’d read about relationships, there was no way he didn’t.
Adathan stood up from the black leather couch and made his way toward the door, looking far more relaxed than William felt. Two glasses of red wine sat on the coffee table, alongside a pizza box and two plates. From the look of it, they’d just started eating.
William ignored the guilt poking at his heart. He didn’t care whether he was ruining Adathan’s evening—he wanted him out of this apartment.
And away from Kyle.
Adathan bent down to put on his loafers. Kyle crossed his arms, staring at William with a smirk that made his fists itch.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Adathan told Kyle with a smile.
“Anytime.”
Adathan gave Kyle a hug. He gave him afucking hug.
And it hit William.
Adathan hadn’t hugged him once since they’d come back from Oliver’s place yesterday. In fact, he’d been uncharacteristically distant, which William had chalked up to him needing space after a full day of socializing.
But no. It was clear now. It had been deliberate.
An awkward silence followed William and Adathan as they made their way to the fourth floor. Adathan was still smiling, but his gaze was unfocused. Empty.
As William’s nerves settled, regret flooded him. What the hell had he done?
He’d invaded Adathan’s privacy the first chance he had. Then he’d let his emotions take control, and he’d acted like a possessive asshole—and not even because he’d been afraid for Adathan’s safety. His motive had been entirely selfish.
Adathan had only been part of William’s life for six days, and yet, the thought of losing him was unbearable.
But William wasn’t allowed to feel this way. Adathan deserved to be with someone he chose, not the person he’d been conditioned to believe he loved. Who was William to decide Kyle wasn’t good enough for him?
“Should I have asked permission?”
Adathan’s words shook William back to the present. “No, no,” he said, closing the door to their apartment. “Of course not. I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have come to get you. I just...”
He just what? What the hell could he say now to justify his behavior?
Adathan cocked his head, his smile stirring painful warmth in William’s chest. “You wanted my company?”
William ran his fingers through his hair. “Y-yeah,” he said, even though it made him feel all sorts of confused, and guilty, and vulnerable.
Because he couldn’t say no.
But most importantly, because it was the truth.
CHAPTER 16
Expectations
William woke up with a jolt. He sat up, squinting at his dark surroundings. All he could hear was the buzzing of his old refrigerator and the whoosh of late-night drivers passing the building. Must have been a dream.
He lay down with a sigh, only to jolt back up at a muffled cry coming from the other room.
Adathan.
William reached for his phone on the nightstand, but only felt a flat surface. He’d left it in the kitchen last night.
