INICIAR SESIÓNTAKE ME, RUIN ME CHAPTER 26CHAPTER 26. MOST SENSITIVE PARTARIA'S POVI turn to look at him, my eyes stretching wide as I try to process his arrogance. He stands there, draped in the soft light of Selena’s dining room, wearing a smile that looks entirely too satisfied."I guess that hit home, didn't it?" he says, his voice smooth and knowing.I let out a sharp, jagged scoff and roll my eyes toward the ceiling. "You are completely delusional, Adrian," I snap. My heart is still drumming against my ribs from his previous comment, but I refuse to let him see the impact he’s having. He doesn't bother to reply right away; he just watches me, his expression calm and unbothered. "If you really believe that, then you have the wildest imagination of anyone I’ve ever met. Truly."He nods his head slowly, a rhythmic, predatory movement. "I'm not going to fight you, Aria. And I'm certainly not going to argue with you," he replies.I reach for my napkin and wipe my lips with more force than necess
TAKE ME, RUIN ME CHAPTER 25CHAPTER 25. CENTER OF EVERYTHING ARIA'S POV I sit at the dining table, the steam from the meal Selena prepared rising to meet me. The food is wonderful—fragrant, perfectly spiced, and exactly the kind of comfort I should be craving—but the flavors feel dull on my tongue. My focus is elsewhere. My eyes keep drifting toward the living room, drawn like a magnet to the scene unfolding on the plush rug.Selena and Adrian are surrounded by a sea of white pages. Documents are spread across the center table like a disorganized map, and the two of them are buried deep in a discussion I can’t seem to decipher. I try to chew, but my jaw feels tight as I watch them. I track every movement, every shift in body language.I watch the way he looks at her—gracious, attentive, and entirely too close. My eyes narrow as they exchange a set of papers, their fingers brushing together for a second too long. Something sharp and cold tightens in my stomach, a knot of discomfort I
TAKE ME, RUIN ME CHAPTER 24Chapter 24: The Uninvited GuestI stand there, frozen in Selena’s hallway, my travel bag still clutched in my hand. My mind is spinning so fast I feel dizzy. *What the hell is going on here right now?* Everything is moving at a speed I can’t keep up with. I thought I had finally escaped the tension and the suffocating heat of Adrian’s presence back at my apartment. I thought coming here would mean safety and a quiet night to gather my thoughts. But instead, I’ve walked right back into the trap. I’m going to be stuck under the same roof with him all over again.I look at Selena with wide, disbelieving eyes, my heart thumping a frantic rhythm. "What are you doing, Selena?" I whisper, my voice thick with panic."Relax, Aria. It’s not that serious," she says, waving a hand dismissively as she walks toward the kitchen. She sounds so calm that it only makes me more anxious. "You shouldn't be worried, okay? He actually needed to come over because of company busine
TAKE ME, RUIN ME CHAPTER 23Chapter 23: Out of the Frying Pan"I am so sorry to disappoint you, Selena, but playtime is over," I say into the phone, my voice flat and tired. I pace the length of the living room, my heels clicking softly on the expensive rug. "Look, he really did do a good job taking care of me. He treated my wounds and made sure I was okay, but nothing happened. Nothing. I didn't allow him to cross that line. So can you please, please stop playing this game with me? I really do not like it."There is a long, heavy silence on the other end of the line. I can almost picture Selena sitting on her couch, processing my words with a frown. Finally, I hear her let out a long, slow exhale."Okay. Fine. Sure," she says.She sounds more than a little disappointed, and honestly, I don't blame her. She is my best friend, and I know she only wants the best for me. She wants me to be happy, to be loved, and to be far away from the shadow of Daniel. But I really wish she—and Adrian
TAKE ME, RUIN ME CHAPTER 22Chapter 22: The Echo of SilenceThe room falls into a heavy, suffocating silence. Adrian doesn't say anything for a long while. He stands there with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his broad shoulders blocking out the light from the hallway. He observes me with his eyelids squinted, his blue eyes searching my face as if he’s trying to read the fine print of my soul. I can feel the weight of his gaze, and it makes my skin crawl with a mix of fear and a lingering, unwanted heat."How exactly is that putting you in danger?" he asks. His voice is calm, almost too calm, as if he truly cannot fathom why I am so terrified.I close my eyes and shake my head, a frustrated sigh escaping my lips. "I have mentioned this countless times, but you really do not listen," I whisper. My voice feels thin and brittle, like old paper. "It's really, really bad, Adrian. It is very dangerous for me, okay? You see Daniel, but you don't see the shadow behind him. His family
TAKE ME, RUIN ME CHAPTER 21Chapter 21: The Cold RealityThe sudden loss of his hands makes me flinch. One moment, the air was thick with heat and the heavy weight of his touch, and the next, he is gone. I am left kneeling there, breathing hard, my chest heaving as I try to find my bearings. I feel completely lost in the wake of the sensations that have finally departed from me. It’s like being plunged into ice water after standing too close to a fire.A part of me—a dark, shameless part—wants to reach out and call him back. My skin feels sensitive and lonely, craving the friction and the pressure he just took away. I feel the cool breeze of the room hit my damp skin, chilling my nipples, and suddenly the fog in my brain begins to clear. The shame returns with a vengeance, hitting me like a physical blow. I grab my bra from the sofa cushions, my fingers fumbling with the lace, and quickly try to slide it back on.But his hands stop me. He doesn't grab me roughly; he just places his fi







