As long as we both shall live [Tom Hiddleston]{EBT book 3 of 4}

Moving it

"To the return of the wonderful Kate!" Ed said, holding up his glass. "May she never leave us again!"
Kate, Craig and Adam clinked their drinks with his and took their first sip. "Nice to have you out with us for a change, too." Adam said.
"Thanks guys. It's nice to be out having some fun!" Kate's phone pinged and she took it from her pocket. It was a message from Luke, he had promised to keep her updated while she and Tom gave one another some space. She was impressed to have made it all day without talking to either of them. Quick visit to the set, rehearsed with Rodney, everything is fine. He's sleeping and he has everything he needs next to the bed. Hope you had a good gig, I'll call you tomorrow.
"How's lover boy going?" Craig asked.
"Yeah he's good. That was Luke actually."
"Are you guys ok, you haven't talked to him tonight." Kate was choosing her words when she was saved by Ed dragging her to the dance floor.
"Awkward crisis averted!" He yelled, spinning her around. "I have to warn you, there might be fan girls. Turns out Phoenix isn't packed with VIP clubs. Who would've thought?"
A few drinks later, Kate was enjoying letting her hair down. It had been a long time since she had been out on her own, especially to a club like this. After a few songs dancing with Craig she went to the bar to get more drinks. While she was waiting she felt someone standing behind her and turned to see Adam. "Oh it's you!"
"You should come out with us more often," he said in her ear. "It's nice to have a view that isn't Ed and Craig!"
"Haha thanks! I'm having so much fun, I haven't had this much fun in ages."
He pulled her around to face him, making her squeal. He ran his fingers through the hair that hung over her shoulder. "No, I don't imagine you have."
"Huh? No, Adam. No," his hand had moved to her cheek and before she could stop him his lips were on hers. Softly at first, he pressed harder as she tried to pull back, but she was hard up against the bar and couldn't move any further. She put her hands flat on his chest and pushed, but he was so much bigger and stronger than she was he barely budged. Beginning to panic, her last resort was to bring her knee up hard between his legs, and he finally stumbled back, yelling profanities at her. Ed was right behind him, and he put an arm around Kate's shoulders, guiding her out the door and up the half block to the hotel.
"What the fuck was that about?" Ed asked.
"I don't know! We were talking and then he was kissing me and I couldn't move. The more I tried to stop him the harder he pushed me in to the bar."
"I'm getting you to your room and then I'm going back to fucking kill him."
"No, you're not. Craig will bring him back. He's wasted, he didn't mean any harm. I don't think. If he did we can talk about it tomorrow. Please just let it go?"
"OK. Are you OK?"
"Yeah I'm fine. Just shocked! I think I'm better off than he is," she chuckled.
"Yeah remind me not to piss you off, that was one hell of a kneeing." Ed laughed loudly as they arrived at Kate's door.
"This might be.... nope this definitely is, the weirdest two days I've ever had. In my life."
"Let's see what happens tomorrow then!" He hugged her lightly. "See you in the morning. We leave at 9."
"6 hours. Rock star awesome." Kate giggled as she closed the door.
She got a glass of water and put on her pajamas, collapsing in to bed and falling asleep in a few seconds.

When Ed came to her door in the morning she was packed, dressed, and ready to leave. "Wow. You're chipper this morning!"
"I know! I need to show you something though, come in for a sec." She closed the door, turned her back to him and lifted her shirt. Across the top of her ribs was a pinkish red bruise starting to form, about a hand width wide. Ed clapped his hand over his mouth.
"That from Adam?"
"I think so. It's ok, I just thought you should see it. Seriously it's not a big deal, he had twice as much to drink as I did."
"It is utterly unacceptable, Kate. I don't know how you can just brush it off!"
"I'm not, I'm angry and you need to talk to him. But I'm not going to stomp my feet and insist you fire him, he's a good drummer."
"Oh I'll be talking to him, believe me."
When they opened the door, Adam was standing there, about to knock. "Oh. Uh, hi. Can I talk to you, Kate?"
"Come in," she said calmly. "Ed is staying."
"I want to apologise for last night. I was way out of line, and it won't happen again. I'm really really sorry. I had more to drink than I should have, and I obviously read the situation wrong."
"I'll say," Ed held up Kate's left hand. "Wait, where's your engagement ring?"
"Here," it was on her necklace. "I put it there last night because my hand was swollen after the gig. Wait, you thought I wanted you to kiss me?"
"Um, yeah. I'm really sorry Kate."
"Dude you left a huge mark on her back because you pushed her in to the bar!"
Adam went grey and looked like he might faint. "Oh god. I would never ever do that deliberately. Fuck. I'll organise a new drummer for you. I'm so sorry."
Kate glared at Ed. "We'll talk about it later. I'm not firing you, but we will talk about it. We have to go."

Kate's phone rang in the car on the way to the airport. "Good morning Lukey!" she said brightly.
"Kate, where were you last night?"
"I went out with the boys for a while, then came home. Why?"
"Are you alone?"
"Now? No, I'm in the car on the way to the airport. Luke, what's wrong? Is it Tom?"
"Tom is fine. Tom is fucking fantastic right now, because he's sleeping and hasn't seen it yet." He growled. "Call me when you can talk." He hung up.
"What was that about?" Craig asked her.
"I don't know. But Luke is pissed off. Did anything happen last night, aside from the obvious?" She asked Adam.
"No, not that I can think of."
"We drank, we danced, and then... the thing, and then we left. There were some questionable dance moves but that's it!" Craig said.
"Oh." Ed's face dropped. "Oh no. There was a pretty girl, a couple of them, wanting a photo of us together. So we, um, well we posed. You and me."
"That might explain it. But it's innocent, it's nothing. Don't know what he's got his panties in a twist about."
"Oh Shit. I do." Craig handed Kate his phone. There were photos, lots of them, on a gossip site. Mostly Kate and Ed messing around, but she could see how they looked sinister, and it was clear she wasn't wearing her engagement ring on her finger. Then she saw the photos with Adam, and they were much worse. There was no indication at all that Kate wasn't a willing participant.
Kate felt the blood drain from her face and she suddenly felt very cold. Luke had every right to be furious and Tom would be devastated. Of course everything was innocent and had an explanation, but that hadn't stopped the celebrity gossip sites running with it. All of them apparently. She was already being referred to as she had spat it at Tom: 'Tom Hiddleston's former fiancée'. Apparently she was moving on with Ed Sheeran, or was it Adam Powell, his drummer? Kate thought she might vomit.