ROSES & THORNS

- 3 9 -

I didn't see Isabelle for the next two days. To say she was messing with my head would be an understatement. 

I would go the cafe early morning to see her and wait for her while Taylor worked away but she would never show up.

"She's not coming. Thought I'd let your worrying heart know." Taylor sighed, closing her laptop and looking at me.

"She's not?" I asked her, my voice sounding foreign to me.

When did I start caring?

"Nope." She answered, popping the 'p'.

"Is she alright?" I asked her.

"She's been better. But she's resting and all that. Lance won't let her work and told her to rest for a day or two and clear her head." I hummed in response, sipping my coffee and when I looked up I saw Taylor staring at me intently.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.

"Nothing. You seem different. I don't know you very well but you're certainly not the type of guy to wait for a girl. What happened to our cold and ruthless CEO, hmm?" She asked me and I frowned.

"Tell me about it." I sighed, running a hand over my face for the tenth time this day. We both drank our coffee in silence for the next while.

"Don't hurt her." Taylor suddenly said.

"I won't." I reassured her.

"Good. Or you'll deal with me." She glared at me, before smiling.

"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow I guess." She smiled and left the cafe, leaving me bewildered.

Women and their mood swings, I thought.

I sighed once again and paid for my coffee, and sitting in my car thought about how Belle might be doing. 

Should I visit her? Not a good idea. They'll have my head if I do so.

I went to the office and saw Lucas waiting for me.

"Sir, I tried to stop her, but she... She said you asked for her and wouldn't listen." He said. 

Is Belle here?

I went inside my office without asking Lucas who it was, smiling to myself that Belle was here to see me. 

But why would she come here? I went in thinking about her but my smile disappeared once I saw her standing there.

"Milani." I spat and she smiled at me seductively.

Can't she take the hint that I don't want to see her face?

"Adam! I've been waiting for you for quite a while now! That ghastly assistant of yours wouldn't let me in." She sauntered over to me and batted her eyelashes. 

"I've missed you so much. Where have you been all this time?"

"Milani, how many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to see you?" I hissed at her but she reached for me and touched my arm, but I pulled my arm away instantly.

"Why are you doing this to me? Is it because you have a girlfriend now? She's quite beautiful by the way, don't you think? Even my brother thinks so." She smirked at me and my blood started to boil, but I tried to remain calm. She was trying to make me angry.

"Don't speak of her from your filthy mouth and tell your brother the same because if he thinks of even touching her, he will regret it, and so will you. Now GET.OUT." I said through clenched teeth and her smirk disappeared, and she backed away in fear.

"Wh-whatever. She doesn't know you like I do and she can't fulfill your needs like I can. You'll come running back to me, because I'm the one for you." She said haughtily.

"Don't make me repeat myself. GET.OUT." I hissed at her and she stomped out of the office. I slumped in my chair and sighed, preparing myself to dive headfirst into work.

This is going to be a long day.

The next morning she wasn't at the cafe again. I met Taylor again and we made small talk until I decided to go see her myself. 

It's been three days. She didn't call, text or send any other message. It was like she disappeared, without any trace. She must've done this last year as well, disappeared without a trace.

I bought a bouquet of roses for her on the way and on reaching her house, I was met by the butler, Baker. Another black car was parked outside the house.

"Hello, Mr. Thorne, are you here to Ms. Edward?" He asked glancing at the roses in my hand.

"Yes, is she home?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes, she's in her room. She didn't tell me you were coming."He frowned looking at the sky.

"Ah, yes. I wanted to see how she was doing so I thought I'd surprise her." I answered him, to which he smiled warmly and nodded.

"She's in her room, you can go up." I nodded at him and made my way into the estate and up the stairs, flowers in hand.

Will she like these? I hope she does.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on her bedroom door before opening it and to say I was shocked would be an understatement.

Gareth King, sat on her sofa, his tie loose and hair disheveled, the first two buttons of his open, and he was working on his laptop. 

With her back facing me sat Isabelle, with only a t-shirt on, her bare legs resting on Gareth's lap as she stretched on the sofa, doing something on her phone.

She looked very sexy but seeing her like that with Gareth made me angry for some reason. I cleared my throat and they both looked at me at the same time. 

The looks on their faces quite amusing. Gareth's confused, and Belle's look of horror as she looked at me and the flowers in my hand.

"Adam?" She asked shocked.

"Belle. Good to see you." The grip on the flowers tightened dangerously as I searched her face.

And then she realized she was hardly wearing any clothes in front of two men.

She drives me crazy sometimes.

* * *

Isabelle seems to be quite casual with Gareth, don't you think? What does this mean for Adam and how does he take it? 

Keep reading to find out!

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