The Morning After

I woke up with a start, instantly feeling my sore muscles and something else weighing me down.

I looked down at myself, dressed in a man's dress shirt, strong muscular arms wrapped around me and holding me tightly.

Looking back a bit, I saw Adam's face and sighed, turning around in his arms and snuggling myself in his warmth, not wanting to face the consequences of my actions just yet.

I deserved a little break from the world, and my safe space at this moment was his embrace.

He grumbled something incoherent in his sleep, mumbling before blindly kissing my forehead and sighing heavily, he nuzzled his nose in my hair, taking a deep breath.

I watched him quietly, his features relaxed and soft as I contemplated what I was supposed to say or do now.

I knew I had told him… those words… last night. Now all I had to figure out was what I would do next, not that I didn't know what I wanted to do.

He stirred after a few minutes, his eyes slowly fluttering open and landing straight on me.

"What a sight for sore eyes." He smiled softly at me, his groggy voice doing things to me as I pulled away from him a bit.

He stretched, his taut muscles grabbing my attention when the sheet slipped down his stomach and to his navel, barely hiding his V-line and my eyes lingered there for a second longer before coming back up.

"Good morning, baby." He muttered, facing me and placing a lazy kiss on my lips, one which I responded to with fervour before pulling back with my hands on his chest.

"I need to shower." I whispered as he climbed on top of me, peppering my face with kisses and groaning.

"Stay for a few more minutes, please?" He asked me with pleading eyes and I rolled my lip between my teeth before sighing.

"You can shower with me. If you want." I suggested reluctantly and he grinned, pecking my cheek.

"Sounds like a wonderful plan. Let's go." He got up, letting the sheet drop on the bed, only standing in his boxers that hung low on his hips stretching his arms before holding a hand to me.

I climbed out of me, crashing into his chest when he pulled me to him, looking me over.

"Don't you look gorgeous in my clothes? But even better naked, hm?" He smirked teasingly and I bit my lip to suppress the smile, obviously failing as he chuckled and pulled me into the bathroom.

Standing under the shower, he held me to him, my back against his chest, our naked bodies pressed together as he trailed kisses down my neck and shoulder, his erection poking the small of my back.

I gasped softly when his length entered me, our hands interlacing on the shower wall as he slid in and out of me, slow and steady, my head rolling back onto his shoulder while his free hand caressed my breasts.

He joined our lips, stilling inside me before pulling out and slamming right back in.

He fucked me like he meant it, every thrust purposeful and strong, leaving me breathless and wanting more each time.

"Adam…" I moaned, his grunts echoing in the bathroom as he increased pace, tipping my head back to look into my eyes as he moved in and out of me.

"Tell me you love me." He whispered against my lips and I shivered when his hand slid down from my throat to my breast, inching my nipple harshly.

"I love you." I said it, loud and clear when he growled, kissing me ferociously.

"Goddamn it, Rose, I love you too." He gritted out with a clenched jaw and I came when he thrusted roughly into me, his own cum spilling into me and down my legs.

He stayed buried inside me for a few moments before pulling out, turning me around so he could place a sloppy kiss on my lips before pulling away and doing what we actually came to do– taking a shower.

Getting out of the bathroom with towels wrapped around us, Adam went to the guest room to get dressed while I put some on as well.

When I went out, I was surprised to see Adam making breakfast and padded over to him, peering over his shoulder into the pan of eggs.

"Let me help." I said but he shook his head, gesturing to the stool.

"Sit down, I'll finish up here." He said and I smiled.

"Let me help, Adam, it's not going to kill me. Or you." I said and he smiled faintly, kissing my temple.

"Let me spoil you, sweetheart. Now go and sit your cute ass down." He said in a more firm and demanding voice and I didn't hate how it turned me on as I plopped down on the stool.

We had our breakfast in silence mostly, occasionally chatting about useless stuff and not the elephant in the room.

I was clearing up the counter when Adam came from behind me and swiftly picked me up, placing me on the counter, not giving me a chance to say anything before his lips connected to mine.

"You're mine." He said in a low voice in between kisses as my hands held onto his face, kissing him back hungrily.

"I'm yours." I whispered as he started to place kisses on my jaw, moving to my neck and collarbone while I sighed in content, threading my hands through his hair and bringing his lips back to mine.

We were so into it that we didn't notice anyone coming into the flat and screaming rather loudly.

"What the fuck?" I heard an angry voice, pulling away from Adam, startled, and facing all three of my brothers, Taylor, Aaron and Dylan staring at us wide eyed.

"Woah, wrong time." Aaron said and I gulped, briefly looking at Adam's smug smoke as he turned to me and kissed me harshly once again, just to get his point across to everyone before pulling away.

I could see the anger on my brother's faces rise even more as Adam blatantly kissed me in front of me before helping me down from the counter and pecking the top of my head.

He wrapped an arm around my waist possessively and brought me closer to him.

"Isabelle. Explain." Lance gritted out with a clenched jaw and I squared my shoulders.

"There's nothing to explain." I said and he scoffed.

"So that's where you disappeared off to last night? With him?" Arthur asked and I pursed my lips, the silence answering their unanswered question when Tristan shook his head.

"So you're suddenly all good and lovey dovey with him now?" Tristan asked and Taylor inched him, earning a scowl from him.

"We're working things out, it's none of your bloody business what I do." I said and Lance sneered at the man beside me.

"It is when you order me to get you a plane to fly you out to England out of the blue so you can wallow in self pity for the next six months and ruin yourself over some American arsehole." He sat and I took a step back, surprised before narrowing my eyes at him.

"I know what happened, Lance, no need to remind me. And I know what I have to do." I said with a firmness that surprised everyone and turned to Adam.

"He's genuinely sorry. I forgive him, but I certainly won't forget what he did. That should be enough punishment." I said and Adam winced as I pulled away from him, wrapping my arms around myself in order to think– and to protect myself.

"Someone has it out for me. There's a ton of people who want me gone, and out of Adam's life, preferably the face of the earth. I'd appreciate it if you didn't count yourselves in that list too." I said, my voice slightly cracking at the end.

"I've had enough backstabbing and blackmailing to deal with for a lifetime, and too many people controlling every second of my life, so please… just... Let me live, for once." I pleaded, my eyes burning as Lance's face contorted to one of sympathy.

"I wasn't trying to hurt you, Belle, I'm only trying to protect you." He said gently when I shook my head, looking at my feet and heaving a shuddery breath.

"I know, but I need you to back off a bit. I appreciate all you do for me, and I know I would have probably been long gone by now if it wasn't for you, but you have to trust me, Lance. Trust me that I know what I'm doing, for once." I said and looked into his identical bright blue eyes peering into mine.

"I do trust you, love. It's him I don't trust. He ruined you, I don't want you to see hurting again." He said and I nodded, sniffling lightly as I walked over to him and hugged him tightly.

"He loves me. And I love him." I whispered and felt my brother's body tense as he pulled back to look at me surprised.

"You do?" He asked and I nodded slowly, chewing on my lips nervously when he sighed and shook his head, muttering something under his breath.

"I wish I could kill him, but now I've been robbed of that opportunity." He said and I cracked a small smile.

"Disappointing, really." I added and he chuckled, kissing my forehead gently.

"Go give him hell, or I'll do it for you." He warned playfully and I nodded with a small yet warm smile.

"I love you, Lancelot.' I hugged him again and heard his chuckle as he rubbed my back affectionately.

"I love you too, Isabelle." He whispered, making me smile widen as I pulled back from him and looked at my other two brothers.

"Come here, you idiots" I said and they both grumbled something incoherent as I wrapped my arms around them before pulling away briefly.

I caught sight of Lance gesturing to slash his neck, eyes pointed in a glare towards Adam when I cleared my throat.

Lance looked at me sheepishly while Adam smirked as I walked over to him, pecking his jaw and feeling his arm wrap around my waist.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" I questioned when Lance turned to Arthur.

"Arthur's finding out who sent those messages to Adam, as well as the pictures and voice notes." He said and I nodded with lips pursed.

"Although I don't think our guesses aren't that far off either. Any idiot could guess it." He said and I felt Adam's body tense around me and looked up at him, watching his jaw clench as he looked away in remorse.

"When are we finding out?" I asked in an uneven voice and looked at Arthur who looked at his watch and smirked.

"Now." He spoke after a few moments and his phone lit up with a notification just as he picked it up.

He scrolled through his phone for a few moments before huffing out a frustrated breath and chuckled humourlessly when he looked up at me.

"Looks like our guess was right. George and his son were up to this along with Josephine." He said, his eyes brimming with anger as my shoulders slumped and Lance and Tristan tensed, glancing at each other warily.

Adam looked furious, as if he could punch a hole through the wall.

"Not only that." He continued and came closer to us, standing right in front of Adam, leaning towards him and hissed.

"Your beloved ex was trying to get rid of my sister. For good." He said and snatched me away from Adam, making me yelp as Adam grabbed my other hand, pulling me back to him.

Arthur wouldn't let go of me either and when Adam tugged at me again, Arthur to let me go only to punch Adam square in the jaw and I gasped.

Everyone stood stunned as Adam staggered back a step and clutched his nose, wincing when he saw the blood streaming down and dripping onto his white shirt.

"Arthur!" I shouted at him to stop but he lunged at Adam again but Adam dodged this time, but Arthur was quick enough to punch him in the stomach, knocking the air out of him as he fell to the ground, but took Arthur with him too.

Lance and Dylan hurried forward and tried to pry Arthur from Adam while tears streamed down my face as I pressed a palm to my mouth in shock.

Aaron and Tristan pulled Adam away from lunging at Arthur but he never once attacked or tired to defend himself and I fell to my knees beside him, framing his face in my hands as I scanned his face.

"Shh, my love, I'm okay. I deserved it." He said, wiping my tears away when Arthur growled.

"Fucking let me go! This arsehole deserves worse!" He spat at Lance who said something to him in a low and firm tone, shoving him back.

"That's enough." Lance told him, grabbing his blazer's collar and pulling him off the ground and out of the apartment with him.

Tristan looked at Adam with hostility before following my other brothers and Dylan followed him too as Aaron helped Adam to his feet.

"I can stand just fine." He snapped at Aaron when he looked at me his eyes softened, a guilty expression crossing his face, one filled with remorse and sadness.

"I'm sorry, baby." He whispered, taking my hands in his as I sniffled, cupping his cheek.

"I know, Adam. I know." I whispered before dragging him to my bedroom and made him sit on the bed.

I helped take his bloody shirt off, wetting it under the sink in the bathroom before going to him and cleaning the blood off his face.

I took out the first aid kit from under the sink and applied an ointment to the cut on his cheek that must have been caused by the ring Arthur was wearing.

"I'm so sorry on behalf of Arthur. He's never reacted this way." I said as I applied the ointment when he squeezed my thigh. I was sitting on his lap, his arms around me when he sighed.

"It's alright, sweetheart. I know I deserved it." He said and I frowned.

"Is that why you didn't do anything?" I asked and he nodded with his head down. I raised his face so he could look into my eyes and kissed his lips softly before pulling away.

"I love you, Adam. I mean it when I say that." I whispered and the ghost of a smile appeared on his face as he kissed both my hands.

"I know. And I love you." He said and I smiled at him.

He had no idea how good it felt to finally be able to say that now.