ROSES & THORNS

- 7 6 -

- A D A M - T H O R N E -

"No, I want you to fucking find that man as soon as possible." I gritted out, clenching my teeth so much that I'd bet they'd be fractured by the end of this call.

"Take all the money you need, but I need to find hi-" My words died out in my throat when I saw Belle peeking her head through the door of my study.

"Come in, darling." I said beckoning her closer and she obliged immediately, walking over to me still in my t-shirt form last night.

I pushed my chair a little back from the table, allowing her to sit in my lap so that she was straddling me while the man on the other side kept on talking.

"Good. Do what I said as soon as possible." I said, stroking my girl's hair as she snuggled deeper into me, nuzzling her face in my neck as I hung up, putting my phone on the desk.

"How are you feeling, love?" I asked when she hummed, her arms around my neck tightening.

"Fine." She whispered after a soft sigh.

"Did you have breakfast?" I pulled her away from me a bit when she shook her head, her bright blue eyes slightly red and puffy, making me frown.

"Have you been crying?" I asked, running my knuckles over the dried tear streaks as she bit her lip which quivered slightly before averting her gaze.

I sighed, knowing she didn't lie as I pulled her back into my chest, hearing her small sniffle.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" I cooed, trying to be as gentle as I could with her when she shrugged.

"Tell me." I urged, looking down at her as I pressed a kiss to her head.

"Do you hate me?" She asked looking up to me as my eyebrows creased together.

"No, baby, why are you saying that?" I asked confused, pulling her away from me so I could look at her properly.

"You were angry last night... At the club. You didn't support the idea either. And you weren't in bed when I woke up." She said peering at me through her lashes when I shook my head.

"I was angry, but not at you. I was angry at those pathetic excuse of men who put their hands on you and looked at you like that. Like I do." I said with clenched teeth as she fiddled with the buttons of my dress shirt.

"I hated the idea, yes, but I wasn't angry at you. I could never be angry at you. I trust you." I told her, watching her small nod.

"And I had a meeting to attend, so I decided not to wake you up." I told her, watching her tense shoulders relax.

"Okay. You didn't go to work today?" She asked me when I smiled a bit.

"No, I wanted to stay with you." I said and saw her eyes lit up as a small smile graced her beautiful face, making her look absolutely ethereal.

"Really?" She asked and I nodded, just as my laptop buzzed with an incoming call for the next meeting.

"I have another meeting now, why don't you get something to eat?" I asked but she shook her head, pulling me closer to her and swung her other leg over me, now sitting sideways in my lap.

I chuckled at her being clingy, shaking my head before connecting the call. Almost immediately, everyone's faces popped up on the screen and nearly all of them gawked at me, or rather, the girl in my lap as I leaned back in my seat.

"Uh... should we begin, Mr. Thorne?" Liam, the head of marketing asked a little confused.

"Proceed." I said coldly, wrapping my free arm around Belle and pulling her closer to me as the meeting started.