ROSES & THORNS

- 6 8 -

"Belle?" Arthur looked at me with a huge smile on his face before walking up to me and pulling me into a bear hug.

"Can't-... Breathe..." I mumbled against his chest when he loosened his grip on me as I put a hand on my chest to calm myself.

"The hell Art! Are you trying to kill me?" I looked at him when he fake-gasped.

"I would never!" He said feigning hurt when I rolled my eyes.

"Idiot." I mumbled but he heard me and hugged me again, thankfully not choking me.

"I missed you too baby sis." He cooed when I pushed him away with a small smile playing on my lips.

"Come on, Tristan's this way with Lance." He said and grabbed my hand, leading me towards a meeting room where everyone was.

"Nice to see you again sweetheart." Lance came and hugged me, planting a kiss on the top of my head and I smiled at him, making eye contact with Tristan who was standing behind him and was beaming.

"Hey Tris." I hugged my brother who kissed my forehead and wrapped his arms around me.

"It's so good to see you. I missed you so much." He said sighing when I pulled away.

"I did too." I said, my eyes wandering when they landed on my dad who was talking to... Adam's dad?

"Dad?" I said confused when both men's heads turned to me, my own father beaming when he opened his arms and walked up to me, effectively pulling me into a big hug.

"Oh my sweet, sweet girl." He said when I kissed his cheek, relishing in the warmth of his embrace.

"How have you been?" I asked him when we pulled away and he smiled.

"I've been better, but I'm fine. Although I really miss our game nights." He said with a sigh and I nodded.

"Me too dad." I said when he smiled.

"And how are you? How's Adam treating you? Did he hurt you? Tell me and I'll give him an ass whooping." He said threateningly, making me and my brothers laugh as I shook my head.

"I don't think you need to do that dad. I'm happy. Really happy. And Adam's absolutely amazing. He takes care of me a lot and makes me feel safe and protected." I reassured my dad who seemed to be satisfied with my answer.

"Good. Because you, my sweet girl, deserve the best." He said giving my hand a gentle squeeze when suddenly I was hugged from behind.

"Guess who it is." The deep voice came, making me roll my eyes as I turned around in the man's arms to come face to face with my nemesis.

I know I'm being dramatic.

"Gareth." I acknowledged him, keeping my face void of any emotion and he did the same, his cold eyes giving me a once over before his lips pulled up into a sinister smirk.

"Isabelle." He mocked me, both of us staring at each other with such coldness before his lip twitched, making us both burst into a fit of laughter.

"Oh my god, you should've seen your face. You were giving me all those crazy boss lady and cold CEO vibes." Gareth said wiping a fake tear from his eyes as my brothers rolled their eyes at our antics, a habit Gareth and I had since we were kids.

A classic, I tell you.

"And yet after all those years of practice, you couldn't pull off the face and like always, end up looking like a clown." I stated and saw him roll his eyes before I was pulled into his arms.