"So its decided?" Aaron asked me the next day when I nodded solemnly.
"Yes. I'm going to see Michael." I said when Taylor squeezed my hand reasuringly.
"It's going to be alright. What does Adam think of this?" She asked when I lowered my eyes and swallowed thickly.
"He stormed out after we told him." I say in a small voice.
"And where is he now?" Aaron asked after sharing a look with Taylor.
"I don't know. He came back sometime when I was asleep and slept next to me but he was gone in the morning again." I said and they nodded.
"But you're still going through with it, right?" Taylor asked when I sat up straighter and nodded.
"I have to confront him. He's in England these days, who knows when we get a chance again." I told them both and they nodded just as the main door swung open and I heard heavy footsteps before Adam came into view.
His eyes flicked to Taylor and Aaron, narrowing before settling on me, I couldn't look away.
"We need to talk." He said and I nodded, both Taylor and Aaron getting up wordlessly and giving me reassuring smiles.
"We'll be right next door if you need us." Taylor told me and they both left quietly as Adam walked over to me and settled on the seat next to me on the couch.
"I had a few connections and arranged security for you." He started when my eyebrows raised in question.
"Secrity? For what?" I asked when he released a harsh breath.
"For your safety, what else? I find that you're going to meet your ex who with his sister tried to get rid of you and I do nothing about it?" He scoffed when I pursed my lips.
"I have to do this, and you know it. There's no way the poilce can get to them without any proof. I need him to say it." I said and he chuckled humourlessly.
"I have connections, we could get them both behind bars with the little proof we already have." He said through gritted teeth when I frowned.
"Then how are we any better than them? Doing illegal stuff just like they did?" I cock my head to a side when he grabs my hand.
"You think your life is a joke?" He asked in a harsh tone.
"Do you think anything else matters to me?" He pulled me closer, cupping my cheek.
"I wouldn't survive if anything happened to you, sweetheart. I'd die without you." He lowered his voice to a mere whisper when I sighed, holding his hand.
"I'll be okay, I promise you." I tried to tell him but he wouldn't have it.
"You say that everytime you step into danger and each time, you get hurt. I can't let anything happen to you. Trust me on this, sweetheart, let me protect you. Let me keep you safe. Please." He pleaded, his eyes begging me to lean on him and I knew I couldn't refuse the way he was looking at me.
"Okay." I whispered when the hint of a relieved smile appeared on his lips.
"Okay?" He confirmed and I nodded when he pulled me sideways into his lap.
"I love you, darling, and I'm willing to destroy words to keep you safe, got it?" He asked in a darker tone when I nodded slowly, laying my head on his chest.
"Yes. Where did you go yesterday? And today?" I asked him when he sighed heavily.
"To get a favour from someone." He replied and I frowned, looking up at him.
"Who?"
"Eros Ricci." He asnwered and I frowned.
"Who's that? And what favour?" I asked while he ran his hands through my hair, as if soothing me. It was working very well, by the way.
"He's an influential Italian man. Does some shady stuff but he got the job done." He said.
"You didn't do anything illegal, did you?" I narrowed my eyes at him when he grinned innocently at me.
"No, don't worry. I just asked him for protection to keep you safe. We have to meet him in a bit." He said and my eyes widened.
"Today? For what? What did he ask for in exchange? I don't have to sell my soul, do I?" I asked in a hurry, worried about what this Eros man wanted in return.
"Nothing yet. But don't worry, he's not as bad as he sounds... I think." Adam frowned thoughtfully and I slapped his arm.
"If he asks for my soul, I'm telling him take you instead." I joked and he laughed softly, pushing my hair behind my ear.
"You do that, sweetheart." He murmured, leaning down to kiss me. Our lips moved together as one before he swiped his tongue across them and I granted hm access to my mouth.
His tongue fought with mine for dominance before he overpowered me easily, my hands playing with the hair on the back of his neck while he held me impossibly closer to him.
I moaned into his mouth when he bit my lip and nibbled on it before pulling away after pecking my lips a few times, gazing into my eyes like I was his everything.
"When are you meeting up wth Michael?" He asked after while when I shrugged.
"In a day or two." I answered and he nodded with a gulp.
"I'll be with you, don't worry." He said and I frowned.
"Not with you when you meet him, but beside you, dont worry. We can't take any risks." He said and I nodded in understanding.
"What time do we meet this man?" I asked when he looked at his watch.
"There's still two hours." He said and I nodded.
"Are your brothers...?" He trailed off when I sighed.
"They're okay now. Arthur just got angry. I'm sorry on his behalf." I cupped his cheek and ran my thumb over his cheekbone when he smiled warmly.
"It's not like I didn't deserve it." He muttered when I shook my head but decided to stay quiet.
We spent the next hour wrapped up in each other, talking about useless things to put ourselves at ease before it was time to get ready.
"I need to take a shower. Join me?" He asked as we walked into my room.
"I showered in the morning." I said and he pouted.
"Doesn't matter." He said and I giggled as he tried to grab me but I moved away from him.
"Does to me, go shower." I shooed him away and he left grumbling about feeling lonely while I laughed at him.
"Do we dress formal?" I called for Adam as I searched through my closet.
"Yes." He answered from the bathroom and I decided on a tea pink knee length satin dress with spaghetti straps.
It had a small slit at the thigh and I decided to wear my nude heels with it. Since my hair was naturally straight, I decided to keep it that way and put on some light make up and quickly got ready.
Just as I was putting on my earrings, Adam walked out of the bathroom with a towel hanging loosely from hs waist and my eyes latched onto his muscular body.
Holy moly.
"Enjoying the view?" His amused voice reaced me when I licked my lips, watching the drops of water disappear under the towel before looking up at him with a red face and shaking my head.
He chuckled, placing a strong kiss on my forehead before getting dressed.
"Let me help you." I walked over to him and did his tie, then helped him wear his blazer.
"Thank you." He murmured as he kssed the top of my head.
"Let's go?" He held out his hand and I took it gingerly, letting him lead me out of the apartment.
As soon as we opened the door, Aaron and Taylor fell stumbled forward into my place and Adam pulled me back immediately so we didn't crash.
He narrowed his eyes at the two who looked at us with guilty and sheepish smiles.
"Were you two spying on us?" I asked baffled but they only pursed their lips while I shook my head.
"Are you two going somewhere?" Aaron asked instead and Adam glared at him, wrapping an am around me and pulling me closer.
My jelly man.
"Yes, we have to meet someone. I'll explain everything later." I told them both.
"Alright, stay safe." Aaron said and hugged me, followed by Taylor before we left.
"Hello, Carter." I told the man after he opened the door for us.
"Ms. Edward." He nodded in respect with a warm smile as we got in.
"Where are we meeting him?" I asked Adam whose hand stayed on my thigh, sometimes venturing up to tease me before sliding down again from time to time.
"There's a restaurant half an hour away from here." He answered and I nodded, looking out the window at the passing scenery.
When we reached the restaurant, Adam helped me out and led us both inside where a manager greeted us with a surprised face.
"Ms. Edward, Mr. Thorne, your guest is waiting." He said and Adam nodded, his face suddenly motionless and cold as he put his hand on the small of my back and followed the manager to our table.
I knew we were being watched as well as photographed the way the hair on my neck stood up with all the eyes on us, but I ignored it as best I could and kept an impassive face. This was second nature to me now.
When we reached our table in a more secluded part of the fancy restaurant, my eyes fell on a tanned man sitting alone. He wore a navy blue suit which hugged his frame perfectly, highlighting his lean yet muscular body.
He had a dangerous aura around him, and something about him just seemed so... dark. Suddenly, I wished I was far away from this man and back home hiding under my blankets.
Welp.
The moment he heard our footsteps, he looked up at us and I held in my breath because the expresson on his face was nothing short of a deadly killer's. He was calm. Too calm. That, and he was fairly good looking too.
Not as much as Adam though.
"Mr. Ricci." Adam said when the man stood up, and I noticed he was as tall as Adam as they both shook hands.
"This is my girlfirend, Isabelle Edward." He gestured to me and my tummy swarmed wth butterflies when he called me his 'girlfriend'.
Oh, shut it.
"The one for whom you need protection, I assume?" The man finally spoke in a thick talian accent, his voice deep and low at the same time.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ricci." I shook his hand with a smile and he nodded once, looking back at Adam without even moving a single muscle.
We all sat down and the server brought us our drinks, a delicious red wine which I enjoyed drinking very much while the men dscussed the details of their arrangement.
"And why, pray tell, do you really need my protection? I'm sure there are security companies all around who are more than willing to hep you out." Eros Ricci said with a raised brow just after we had ordered.
"Because I want nothing but the best for my girl. Her safety is my top priorty. And luckily for me, you happen to be the best." Adam squeezed my hand thoughtfully and I smiled at him.
"Her protection is the only thing I'm worried about. I'm sure you'd do the same for your woman?" Adam said and the man froze for a brief second, looking between the two of us wth narrowed and suspicious eyes before nodding once.
"Yes. Yes I would." He answered in a heartbeat and I smiled to myself.
He's not so bad, he actually cares for someone.
"Where is your... um... wife?" I guessed and the man turned to me with a rased brow.
"I am not married yet." He said and Adam turned to me.
"But he will be in a few days. His mariage had been arranged by his father for him." Adam smirked and Eros Ricci grumbled something under his breath.
"Oh, that must be... Weird?" I asked in confusion when Adam chuckled and shook his head.
"Sweetheart, he's been obsessed with that girl since god knows when." Adam said with a smug grin and Eros glared at him. At their banter, I guessed Adam knew this man more than he was letting on.
"Oh, I see. Congradulations then, you must be very happy." I said and he stared at the table cloth absent minded.
"Yes, I am." He said in a daze before looking at Adam.
"I will give you the protection she needs. Rest assured she's in safe hands." He said and Adam smirked victoriously.
"I'll take your word for it. Because if anything happens to her..." Adam trailed off, leavng the man to complete the sentence in his mind, a silent threat passing betwen the two men before Eros Ricci nodded in acknowledgement.
I wondered how Adam really knew this powerful man whose bodyguards were staring us down, ready to kill at any given moment when our food was brought in just when Eros' phone rung.
"Darling, is everything alright?" His voice was much softer and gentler now and I looked closer at hm, his body suddenly relaxed. Was this the girl?
"Yes, I'll be back soon." He said and I briefly heard a soft, feminine voice on the other end.
"Emerald, eat dinner, and I'll call you agan to see if you did as I asked, is that undstood?" He spoke with authority and after saying a few more things, he put down his phone and sighed heavily.
As if noticing my observant gaze on him, he looked up questioningly while I avetred my eyes in embarassment and cleared my throat.
"Was that your fiance?" I asked, trying to make small talk when he hummed.
"Yes." As if snapping back to reality, he looked more alert, harsh and scary now that he was off the phone and I pondered over how love really changes a person. It really was magicall if it could turn a deadly man like him into a fluffy little cloud for his girl within seconds.
After Adam had discussed everything with Eros, we got up to leave.
"It was great meeting you. Maybe next time I'll meet your wife too." I said after I shook his hand when he nodded once.
"Perhaps." He said and cleared his throat, his men standing to attention.
"Until next time, Thorne." He nodded at Adam who nodded once back.
"Until next time, Rcci." He replied and we watched Eros leave, his entourage leaving with him.
"He was intense." I breathed out, as if I had held in my breath the whole time we were sitting with him. Adam looked at me amused.
"Much like you. I wasn't sure to look at him or away. One wrong move and I thought he'd shoot me dead." I rambled as he led us out whil Adam chuckled at me.
"You thought of me like that?" He turned to me when we left the restaurant.
"No. I just thought you were annoying." I shrugged and he grinned.
"Annoying in a good way, right?" He asked hopefully when I frowned.
"No." I answered and his smile fell as I walked forward and he rushed to catch up to me and opened the door for me before Carter could.
"But I never annoyed you." He spoke thoughtfully when I looked at him incredulously.
"Never annoyed me? Adam, I had to hide from you." I said and he pouted playfully, making me grin.
"We're going home, yes?" I asked when he nodded.
"I want to show you somethng, though." He said when I turned to look at him questinongly.
"Right now?" I asked but he shook his head.
"We're going to go your apartment first, and we'll go after that." He said.
"But why not now? We're out anyway." I questioned and he sighed, glancing at me briefly.
"I have to take care of some things before that, sweetheart." He murmured, smoothing out my frown when I nodded in understanding.
"Okay." I agreed and the rest of the journey was spent in mostly silence, Adam's hand on my thigh, once again teasing the hell out of me.
"Adam." I warned when his finger not so subtly brushed my panties and he glanced at me briefly, the ghost of a smirk pulling on his lips.
"Yes, darling?" He asked and I gestured towards Carter when Adam's phone rang.
He leaned towards me, his lips touching the shell of my ear.
"Not a sound." He whispered, kissing my earlobe before pulling away as he put away the phone to his ear, but before I could ask what he meant, he answered my unasked question when his thumb pressed on my clothed clit and I gasped quietly.
"Thorne." He spoke, eyeing me from the corner of his eye and smirking lightly before he slipped his hand under my panties and I grabbed his wrist in warning, looking at him wide eyed.
"Let go." He hissed lowly and threw me a sharp glare before clearing his throat, "Yes, I'm listenng."
Gulping, I kept my grip on his hand firm as his finger traced my slit and spread my wetness when I closed my eyes, letting out a deep breath slowly.
This man is going to be the end of me. Literally.
Cautiously eyeing Carter who was humming along to a song playing on the radio, I breathed out a sigh of relief before tightening my grip on Adam's wrist when his finger circled my entrance.
"Adam." I whispered quietly as my head fell back against the seat, my lips parted as I tried to breathe while he tortured me.
"Shh." He murmured, his dark and intense gaze drinking in my flushed face and half lidded eyes when I bit my lip as two of his fingers entered me as I bit on my lip.
His eyes flicked to my lips and stayed there for a good few moments, watching them hungrily.
"Yes, I understand." He spoke to the person on the phone as he leaned towards me and took my lip between his teeth and pulled at it before letting go, he licked the seam of my lips, leaving me even more breathless as his finger plunged in and out of me, twisting at a pleasurable pace.
This was so wrong, but I absolutely loved it, the way he looked at me like I was his everything while he fucked me with his fngers in a place and position where we could easily get caught.
"Oh." I gasped quetly and Carter looked at me through the mirror briefly, my eyes widening.
"Everything alright, Ms. Edward?" He asked in concern when I nodded and smiled forcefully just as Adam curled his fingers inside me.
"Y-Yes. I just saw something outside. Could you turn up the volume, please?" I said as best as I could when Carter nodded and turned up the volume like I asked and from the corner of my eye I saw Adam smirk at my response.
"Ad-" He threw me a look that told me to keep quiet and I shut up immediately as he answered something on the phone and I bit on my lip harshly as my stomach twisted into knots at my approaching high.
His thumb pressed on my clt and I clenched around his fingers as I blew out a shaky breath and he grunted as I dropped my head onto his shoulder, my lips touching his neck as I panted quietly.
"Adam, please." I pleaded for nothing in particular in his ear in a breathless whisper when he increased the pace of his fingers and I bit onto his neck as I came, my nails diggng into his wrist while I fought myself not to moan out loud.
While I came down from my high, Adam pulled his fingers out of me and fixed my panties while my eyes drooped. He brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked them clean and hummed a bit.
"No, I just had dessert." He told the other person and looked at me with a hungry look that screamed 'I'm going to fuck you senseless until you can't walk anymore'.
Oh boy.
I swallowed thickly and licked the place I had bit on his neck when he grabbed my arm in warning but I licked the spot anyway and felt him shiver at the touch, smiling against his skin.
If he could torture me, so could I.
I slid my hand up his thigh and squeezed lightly, close to his cock when he adjsted himself in his place when I saw the bulge in his pants and smirked.
"Karma is a bitch, Mr. Thorne. And in this case, it's me." I whispered in his ear and ran my hand over his erection and then palmed it when he sucked in a sharp breath. He was still on the phone, which made this even more fun as I leaned towards him.
"Not a sound." I mocked him and was thankful for the music playing at a louder volume in the car when I unzipped his pants and slipped my hand under his boxers.
His sharp gaze turned to me in warning when I grinned and pecked his jaw before stoking his cock, his head falling back against the seat.
"Yes." He said, and I wasn't sure if he was talking to me or the person on the phone. Either way, it worked in my favour.
His eyes were closed and he swallowed thickly when I pumped his length a few times and just as his breathing started to quicken, I very nicely adjusted his boxers back in place, releasing him and zipping his pants back up.
His eyes shot open in a fury and his fists clenched as he glared at me while I smiled innocently and put my lips on his.
He kissed me back instantly but before it could get any deeper I pulled away and went back to my place, aware of Adam glaring holes into the side of my head.
But I ignored him just fine and only looked outside the window, although I was aware of the consequences that lay ahead because of what I just pulled.
Why did I have to tease him like this?!
Oh well, let's hope he doesn't mind it too much.
He's very nice... Right?