I had no intention of answering, my mind was already scrambled with images of what I was going to find at home. So I let Joe lead me out of the bar and back into his car. I sat back in a daze trying to push down the nerves that were surfacing at having to endure another run in with Adam in the state he was in now. Drunk Adam scared me the most of all.
As we pulled into my street I could see Adam straight away pacing up and down the path to our house. His face twisted into one of pure anger and violence. I thanked Joe for the lift home and prayed he’d drive off as I made my way over to where Adam was. When he saw me his eyes went from anger to remorse instantly.
“Ella,” he gasped stalking towards me with his arms out as if I was going to run into them and tell him all was forgiven and run off into the sunset with him.
“Baby I couldn’t stay away, I can’t. I miss you too much. I need you to come back home now. Listen I get it, I screwed up and I’m sorry I should never have done what I did, but Elle I was under a lot of pressure and I just wasn’t thinking straight.”
“We’re all under pressure Adam, it doesn’t mean we fuck around.”
I hated him right now and looking at this sorry state for a man I couldn’t remember what I’d ever seen in him. Skulking up and down our path stinking of booze, he was a complete mess. He was skinny with an ugly weasel like face, I wouldn’t even give him a second glance if I saw him in a bar now.
“I wasn’t thinking straight Elle, I know I took you for granted but I won’t ever do that again, I promise. You’ve made your point now, so let’s cut through the crap, go get your stuff and let’s go home babe. Enoughs enough”
I couldn’t believe the audacity of the dick. Did he really think that all of this was just my way to prove a point and win him back? He was delusional.
The front door opened and Chris poked his head round the door, “You okay Ella?” he asked me. I nodded but he obviously didn’t believe it as he came down the path to stand beside me.
“Fuck off back inside gay boy, she’s coming home with me now, no need for you to get your pantie
s in a twist.”
“Adam, you’re drunk and I’m not going anywhere with you, not now, not ever. We are done, it’s over, finished. Do you hear me? I wouldn’t go back to you if you were the last man on this earth. I hate you, you disgust me.” I sneered at him and took a step back to show him how even being that close to him filled me with revulsion.
“Who the fuck are you?” Adam bellowed, and from the prickles on my skin I knew exactly who he was talking to and who I would find standing behind me.
“A work colleague.” I said quickly as I turned my head to look at Joe, my eyes pleading with him to stay quiet and not make a crappy situation worse.
“Are you okay Ella?” He asked me with concern etched on his handsome rugged face.
“Of course she’s okay, I’m here now so fuck off and leave us alone, both of you, this has nothing to do with either of you. It’s between me and my fiancée.” Adam puffed his chest out in a show of dominance. He was a complete joke.
“I’m not your fiancée Adam! I haven’t been your fiancée since that first time you stuck your dick in another woman whilst I was waiting at home for you. So just fuck off and leave me alone. I’m done.”
I crossed my arms and couldn’t stop shaking, I was so over this whole spectacle. Adam was making himself look like the fool he was, and my patience was wearing thin.
“You heard the lady, now fuck off.” Joe said stepping forward and putting a protective arm around my shoulders, which instantly ignited the violence I could see swimming in Adam’s eyes.
“You think you’re gonna take my place do you big man? Huh?” Adam glared at Joe then turned to look at me and I flinched because I’d seen that look in his eyes before. I was in for a verbal battering. I braced myself.
“You know what mate you’re welcome to her. She’s a crap lay anyway. Cold, frigid and fucking lifeless in the bedroom, why do you think I had to go look elsewhere to get myself off.”
There it was, that knife in my chest. Adam had a way of always annihilating me when I was at my lowest. He could always drag me down and put me into a state of total weakness and embed that lack of self-worth he so kindly gave me all those years ago. I felt the familiar tears pool in my eyes, my shoulders slumped forward; I couldn’t take anymore.
“Fuck you Adam.”
I scowled at him in disgust then marched towards the house, heading for the comfort of my room; my safe place where he couldn’t reach me or hurt me.
I couldn’t stay behind another minute to witness the personality attack that Adam was no doubt planning to dish out to me. I was cold, lifeless, boring, frigid, oh and let’s not forget plain and dumpy too. God could my self-confidence take any more knocks? I very much doubted it.
I heard shouting in the street and walked into Robyn’s empty room at the front of the house to glance out of the window. Adam was lying on the floor and holding his nose, blood pouring out of his fingers. Joe was leaning over him pointing his finger into his face as Chris was holding Joe’s arm in some sort of effort to pull him away or calm him down.
Adam stood up, took one look at our house and stalked off down the street. Joe stood talking to Chris for a few minutes, glancing up at our house a few times. He took his phone out and typed something into it before turning back to his car, getting in and driving off. Chris turned round, saw me at the upstairs window and gave me a comforting smile. I walked off back to my room to dive under the covers and lick my wounds.
“That was so embarrassing Chris, how am I ever going to live that down?” Chris sat down on the bed next to me and held my hand.
“You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about Elle, he’s an ass even a blind man could see that. Don’t listen to him, if you let his poison in then he’s won, He can’t win Elle, not after everything we’ve done to build you back up babes. You wasted nearly six years with that narcissist, but you’re free of him now. Stay strong beautiful, please.”
My mobile sounded a text message alert from my bag and I sighed and lifted it out. Number unknown but the message read.