Chapter 94: Advice
Ryan’s POV
Something was wrong and whatever it was, it was bad.
Vivian was actively pushing him away and he had no idea how to handle that. She barely ever responded to his texts. During their calls, she always said the bare minimum and then always found something that required her to end the call quickly so that she could go attend to it. Ryan did not even want to get started on the way their meet-ups went if they happened at all.
Why was she being like this?
Could it be did she wished to end their arrangement? The idea kept popping up in Ryan’s head no matter how many times he tried to push it away and the more times it came to him the harder it was for him to ignore,
What if Vivian truly wanted their arrangement to come to an end? What if she no longer wanted to be in Ryan’s presence? The mere thought of not seeing her anymore was enough to make Ryan feel sick. But given the way that she was acting, it was a very real possibility.
***
As was often the case whenever Ryan felt like he was facing a problem that he could not handle on his own, he had called Mark. But now that his friend was with him at the penthouse the billionaire found that the words he wanted to say just would not leave his mouth. So instead, he asked his friend if he were up to watching a football game on TV. With a shrug Mark easily agreed and soon enough the two of them were on the couch, bowls of popcorn on their laps and beers on the table as they watched the athletes on the screen do their thing.
More than once during the course of the game Ryan found himself wanting to bring up the issue that was bothering him. But every time that he would look at Mark he would find the words stuck in his throat and would turn his attention back to the TV. Now the game was over and it seemed like Mark had every intention of leaving.
"How about we take our drinks to the balcony and just chat for a bit?" He blurted, earning himself a raised brow from his friend before the other man nodded and followed Ryan out.
The night air was chilly and for a moment Ryan just stood there feeling it on his skin. Outwardly he was projecting calm. But internally, Ryan felt like he was on quicksand and at any moment his head would go under, and he would never be able to come back up.
Just how was he supposed to tell Mark what was going on?
’My no strings attached sex partner is probably thinking of ending things and that’s freaking me out’. Even in his own head the panic he was feeling was clear, and that did not sit well with Ryan.
It made no sense.
Whether Vivian wanted to go or not it should not have bothered him given the terms of their agreement but it bothered Ryan in great deal.
Mark being the life saver that he was somehow sniffed out that there was something on Ryan’s mind, and he broached the difficult subject that Ryan was having trouble bringing up.
"So... what is with you wanting to hang out, out of the blue. Especially in the middle of the night when I know for a fact that you normally would be with Vivian Rose. Is there trouble in paradise?"
His friend said it teasingly. But something on Ryan’s face must have given the game away because the amused look in Mark’s eyes instantly vanished.
"So there really is a problem then? What is going on between the two of you?"
"I think that Vivian wants to end things," Ryan finally blurted out. So relieved to have someone else to help him carry the burden that he did not even bother to hide the shaky breath that he let out after saying them.
Mark stared at him with wide eyes then a look of deep concentration came over his face when it faded he gave Ryan a considering look.
"Clearly you have not just come up with that conclusion. So tell me everything that has been going on so that I can get a better picture of things before I advise you," Without further prompting Ryan started singing like a canary. By the time that he was done it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
"All of that points to her wanting to leave right? She’s sick and tired of this arrangement," Mark sighed then he brought his drink to his lips and took a sip.
"The way I see it, if Vivian were going to leave you, she would have done so already,"
"Then why is she acting this way?" Mark shrugged.
"Women are complicated. Perhaps as you said she is tired of the arrangement but she does not wish to leave you. What if she wants to be more? Is that something you’d be willing to consider in order to keep her?"
***
Mark’s words stayed with Ryan long after his friend left.
He had been so busy hurting over Vivian pulling away, that he had not considered that she might be doing so because she wanted him to reach out and pull her close. But the question was did Ryan want to do that?
He had not been in an actual relationship in years, and that was with good reason. Gwendolyn had done a number on him.
Could he really risk his heart again like that?
Unable to come up with an answer for that. Ryan asked himself another question. If he was unwilling to have Vivian as a girlfriend, would he be willing to let her go?
To watch her move on and date other men. Or even go back to that good for nothing Bryce?
The thought of her with someone else filled Ryan with such rage that he immediately saw red.
Blinking rapidly in an effort to dispel the sudden anger. Ryan realized with a shocked little gasp that that alone was the answer he had been looking for.
He could not bear the thought of Vivian with anyone else but him. So what if he had not dated in years? For her he was willing to give it a try.
