I took a deep breath. Then another one. And another one.
"Let me rephrase my question, Mr. Thorne. Keeping in mind your... ah... reputation. What intentions do you have for my daughter, Isabelle."
My dads words echoed like a song that gets stuck inside your head.
I shook my head, bracing myself for what was to come and taking another deep breath after pacing the garden for the last five minutes, I went back to the dining room to a whining Olivia.
"What do you mean, daddy? I thought you meant me?" She whined.
"I meant Isabelle, dear." My dad confirmed it for her, and Josephine glared at him.
"Isabelle? Why her? She's always looking for trouble. At least Olivia doesn't kiss random strangers in front of the media just for attention." She exclaimed.
Ha! Liar.
"Enough. I don't want to hear another word." He shut Josephine up and then looked up at me.
"Ah! Isabelle, dear, are you feeling better now?" He asked me concerned.
"Yes. Very." I told him and sat down on my seat, not sparing anyone else a glance, and before my dad could say anything, Mr. Baker walked in with servants behind him carrying dessert.
I have never been happier to see him... or dessert for that matter.
We ate in silence once again, while I enjoyed it very much, the dessert of course.
Dipping my spoon into the ice cream that was now melting, I licked it thoroughly, like I always did and glanced sideways, stopping mid way.
Adam Thorne just witnessed me licking my spoon.
I face palmed myself in my head and looked away suddenly, when he did too.
"You haven't answered my question." My dad said once again after we were done with dessert, looking straight at Adam.
"The best." He answered simply, looking my father in the eye. Not many people can look him in the eye and I have to say, I'm impressed.
Well done Thorne.
Wait, did he just say the best? As in the best intentions? For me?
My heart skipped a beat and I glanced at him, who was still looking my father dead in the eye.
"I don't believe a word of the nonsense you just said." Arthur snapped at him, and I was surprised to see Lance so quiet and so... calm?
Something is definitely wrong.
"You have my word. I have the best intentions for your daughter, Isabelle." The way he said my name sent a shiver down my spine.
"And I don't back out of my word. You know that very well." He said more firmly this time and I guessed my dad believed him although Arthur and Tristan were still a bit suspicious.
Does he keep his promises? He must have a good reputation for keeping his promises if dad looks calmer than before.
"Very well.
I trust my daughter knows what she is doing." My dad looked at me thoughtfully and gave me a small smile that reached his eyes and I couldn't help but smile back.
What am I doing? Why did I not speak up? I was all a ruse!
"If I may be excused, I need to speak to Adam... alone." I rose from my seat and looked at my father expectantly.
"Don't take too long." He motioned to Adam.
"Lead the way." Adam said and smirked at me before following me out of the dining hall, up the stairs and into my room.
Wait, why am I taking him there?
I stopped in my tracks in the hallway and thought for a moment, before continuing to go again.
I can't talk to him anywhere else where people won't spy on us.
Opening my room door, I went in and he followed.
"Nice room." He told me as he looked at me.
"Don't pretend as if you haven't been here." I told him and folded my arms across my chest. He put his hands in his pant pockets and looked straight at me and smirked.
"So you know, huh?" He asked me.
"Yes, I know." I mimicked him and he chuckled.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" He sighed and asked me.
"I think you know exactly what I want to talk about." I snapped at him.
"Please, enlighten me." He told me and looked at me expectantly before making himself comfortable on the couch.
I sat down away from him.
"Listen, I really appreciate all that you've done for me but really? Why would you let my dad believe we were together?" I asked him and he seemed to take time to form his words.
"Weren't we though? Together I mean?" He asked me innocently.
"No! We were not! And for the last time, it was all a fucking ruse!" I suddenly snapped and he looked taken aback before smiling.
"My, my, Ms. Edward, you're not exactly the prim and proper lady everyone talks about." He chastised me and I scoffed.
"Come on, I'm sure you're dying to be with me. I know everyone else is." Adam waggled his eyebrows playfully and I scoffed.
As if.
"Just because a large amount of women have an unhealthy obsession with you doesn't mean that I don't have an equally large number of love letters in my side drawer." I smirked at him when his smile disappeared from his face and his brows furrowed.
"What?" He asked me confused.
"You heard that right." I told him, putting one of my legs on the other.
"Why? are you jealous?" I asked him with a slight grin and heard him scoff.
"Jealous? Me? Tell me something that actually matters sweetheart. Like how you look beautiful tonight. I hope you didn't take too much time getting ready for me." He looked at me directly and I looked right back.
I could feel him squirm under my scrutinizing gaze, but he didn't once look away.
Impressed.
"This is important, and I'm not going to fake a relationship with you." I stated simply. There was no way I would lie, even if it landed me a hot guy.
Huh, I just rhymed.
"Why not? As I see it, your father already gave us his blessing, in his way. And your ex is roaming around somewhere and from what I've gathered, your'e not exactly very fond of him, are you? Then coming to the press, they already have pictures of us, kissing. Twice." He told me and I looked away.
"It wasn't real." I glared at him.
"They don't know that, and I don't think you can tell them, can you? He smirked at me, knowing he had won.
What am I to do now?
"Fine. I'll pretend to be with you, but only when we see either of our exes, that's it. Nothing less and nothing more." I stated, looking him dead in the eye.
"Alright." He said.
"But, I will not, at any cost, lie to anyone. That is not something I do." I told him and he nodded his head.
"Surely you've lied sometime in your life?" He asked clicking his tongue.
"Never." I stated with confidence.
"Honesty is something I value very much. And I expect it from everyone who knows me." I stated confidently.
"Alright." He said getting up and I did the same, but then he came closer to me. Too close for comfort.
"Then how do you feel now that I'm close to you?" He asked me huskily, making my breath hitch and heart speed up.
"Confused." I answered honestly. I had no idea what he was doing.
"Hmm." He said and came even closer, taking his hands out his pockets and placing one on my face and stroking my cheek very lightly, and bring the other behind my waist, pulling me close.
"And now?" I breathed in his scent, making me dizzy and want to lean in even more.
"The same." I whispered.
"Except a bit flustered too." I looked at his eyes that looked nearly black except for the dark blue that could be seen from this close.
"You have pretty eyes." I whispered to him and he smiled.
"You do too." And he leaned in, our lips just inches apart and he breathed out, his hot breath fanning my neck. "What about now?"
My heart was threatening to jump out of my chest. This escalated quickly, I thought.
"The same, mostly." I told him and he smiled faintly, his eyes dropping to my lips when he pulled me flush against him and I had to put my arms on his chest.
"What are you doing?" I whispered to him.
"What I've wanted to do since the day you threw that coffee on me and then had the audacity to curse me in the office." He chuckled, still looking at my lips and I smiled, which was drowned away when he leaning down and kissed me, pulling me even closer and holding me tight.
Holy mother of-...
He pressed on the small of my back a little harder, making me arch my back and he took this opportunity to enter his tongue into my mouth and kiss me properly, while I held onto the lapels of his jackets for support, getting weak in the knees.
He kissed me oh-so-passionately, turning his face and deepening the kiss. We stayed like that until we pulled apart, breathing deeply then he looked me in the eye, before leaning down and kissing me again, shortly.
He finally let go of me and I distanced myself away from him a bit suddenly as if I'd catch fire from him, trying to get my head straight.
OH MY GOD.
He looked at me concerned .
"Are you okay?" He asked, and I was just about to answer before someone knocked on the door.
"Ms. Edward, they are calling for you downstairs." Mr. Baker said and left.
I took one glance at Adam and before he could say anything further, I rushed out of the room, with him following suit.
I went down the stairs quickly and saw everyone chatting among themselves but stopped when they looked at me and then at the man behind.
"Have you talked?" My father asked me and I nodded my head.
"Mr. Edward, I'll be going now, thank you for inviting me to dinner." He came forward and shook my father's hand, who didn't stop him. Then he shook my brothers hands who all glared at him with the same intensity and he left with a last glance at me.
"You okay, B? You look like you're going to collapse any second." Tristan came to me and I backed up the stairs.
"Y-yes. I'm just feeling a bit... weird so I'll be heading to bed." I mumbled.
"Can we talk later Lance? I'm not feeling like it right now" I said looking away when he nodded his head simply. I practically ran to my room and closed the door, collapsing on my bed.
I kissed Adam fucking Thorne, and it was real!
* * *
Adam has the best intentions for Isabelle... But does she believe him? Or is it all a ploy?
Keep reading to find out!
Question of the Day: Patience or Kindness?
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