ROSES & THORNS

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I looked into his eyes and he smirked, his eyes never leaving mine until I felt Gareth tugging at my dress which made me look at him.

"What?!" I snapped, while he looked at me in confusion.

"Jeez, sorry B, didn't know you were ogling people or I would've waited for your staring contest to finish." Gareth chuckled and I could feel every eye on me as my face turned red and I looked at Adam still grinning at me.

"Shut up King." I muttered to which he laughed.

Feeling too embarrassed to sit there any longer, I got up from the couch and realised I had one too many drinks. I excused myself to get some water, reassuring Lance and Tristan that I'd be fine and close by.

I reached the bar and sat down on one of the stools, propping my elbows on the counter and sighing a little too loudly.

"What can I get you Ms. Edward?" The bartender asked me, a man who looked to be in his mid thirties.

"Sparkling water, please." I looked up and watched the bartender who made his way to the back and brought me a glass of water.

Drinking it slowly I let myself sober up, still sitting on the stool and deciding to stay a little while longer before returning to that tense atmosphere.

Little did I know that one pair of eyes had followed my movements to the place where I sat.

"Hello beautiful." A man came up to me and sat on the stool to my right. I decided to ignore him.

"Ignoring me now, eh? No worries, I like my women playing hard to get." I groaned in frustration but he didn't seem to get the hint. After a while he put a drink in front of me.

"Drink up beautiful, it's on me." He winked at me and I could only feel disgusted.

"No thanks, I'm good." I replied casually, and I could feel him looking me up and down.

"You look really sexy tonight. I don't think I've met a hotter woman." He told me.

"Of course you haven't." I muttered to myself but assumed he heard it by the way he came closer to me.

"What do you say we get outta here? You know, let loose?" He said this and I wondered where my brothers could be, and the only reason this man was still breathing was because they were unaware of his existence.

Yet.

"No thanks." I replied to which he came closer. The music seemed to grow fainter and I was thankful, but the man coming closer only made me more uncomfortable.

"Am I making you uncomfortable? Don't worry, we can sort it out once we get out of here, now come on." He held out his hand and even though he wasn't that close, I could smell the alcohol on him.

Now more annoyed than ever, I decided to go back and stood up from my stool, only for the man to block my way, and I decided to keep my head down before anyone saw me.

"I said no, okay, what part do you not understand?" I snapped at him but he didn't take the hint and smiled.

"Do you even know who I am?" I tried to threaten him, but it seemed of no use.

"Yeah, you're my company for tonight, beautiful, what else?" He said as he inched closer to me and I backed away.

"Oh come on, don't be scared. A hottie like you should enjoy it while it lasts, you know." He said this and then tried to get a hold of my arm before someone caught it.

I looked up and gasped in shock as Adam held the man's arm from touching me and then shoved him away, causing a few people around us to look at us.

"And who the hell are you?" the man asked, surprised and more angry.