and we forgave

Chapter 3

ADAM

"Someone is cranky today", Michael says as soon as I enter his house. The moment Nessie left, I thought I might go insane. I have loved this woman for two years now. Every day, for the past two years. And then we kissed. And made out. And had sex. And I thought that all my dreams came true.

And then she tells me she still loves him.

And runs away.

I could have chased her. I could have run after her. But she seemed so convinced to love him.

So I did the first thing I could. I ran away too. And left to Los Angeles. One of my brothers, Michael, has been in a bad accident some time ago. Over an year now. He spent weeks in a comma His nose was so injured, the doctors thought he might die. Then they found a solution. He needed a giver. Someone who would be connected through a tube to him and give him air.

I volunteered to do that. So did Alec. And James. My other brothers. Not by blood, but by every part of my heart. Yet Michael's girlfriend offered herself first. Cassie is now attached through a small thin tube to him, their noses linked. I try to fly over to Los Angeles as often as I can. I plan on spending the Summer there. Especially as they are going to have an operation in September, taking the tube off.

Besides, after what happened, there is nothing keeping me in New York. Alec is somewhere in Italy, enjoying his time with his girlfriend. I can run my company online as well. Nessie won't even talk to me.

So I left to Los Angeles.

"Nice to see you too, Michael", I say. He looks at me with a smirk on. His brown hair is messy, the curls falling free on his forehead. He's holding his guitar in his hands, probably having practiced until now. He is a well-known pop star. Sells millions of albums around the world. Fills stadiums at his concerts. I can't put in words how damn proud I am of him.

"Please forgive him", Cassie adds. She has the same color of hair as Michael, yet her eyes are green and not brown like his. "He must have forgotten his manners", she adds and hits Michael softly in his ribcage. He chuckles. "We are obviously happy to have you here, Adam."

I smile at her and give her a hug. She quickly became part of the family. So did Sofia, Alec's girlfriend. Luckily the two get along perfectly.

I give Michael a hug too and follow them to the couch, taking a sit on the armchair in front of them. I am so exhausted from this morning. Nessie seems all innocent, but she is the opposite in bed.

Now I am thinking of her again. I let out a growl.

"Told you he's cranky", Michael tells Cassie. She lets out a chuckle.

"Everything okay, Adam?", she asks me.

I only nod. Lying.

"Tell this shit to anyone else. I am your brother. You can't fool me. Tell me what the hell happened", Michael adds, his tone a bit worried.

I take a deep breath and glare at him. He smirks.

"Please", he adds, making some puppy eyes.

"Fine", I give up. I have had partners in business who had to beg me on their knees for something and I still said no, and I am giving up to Michael's puppy eyes. Ridiculous. "I just made out with someone."

Cassie gasps. Michael smirks even wider.

"That's my boy. I thought you were starting to get rigid", he says. Cassie hits him in the ribcage again. He chuckles and continues: "Ancient really. I heard hormones make you age better." I glare again and show him the finger. He laughs. Then asks: "So, given the fact this wonder just happened and you finally opened yourself romantically, why the heck are you here?"

I raise an eyebrow. He is quick to add: "Don't get me wrong, Cass and I love to have you here." Cassie backs him up with a nod. He smiles at her. Then adds: "But wouldn't you rather be with the lucky one now?"

"No", I answer sharply. "She ran away."

"Was it that bad, huh?", he asks me already laughing. I roll my eyes at him annoyed. Maybe coming here wasn't a good idea after all. Alec would have been a better choice. He would have just raised an eyebrow, teased me a bit, then let it go. Not Michael. Michael will never let me forget it. Will tease me about it for the rest of my life. James would be worse. He wouldn't tease me about it, but would always place this hidden comments in our talks. Like, "she had to know it, didn't she" or "at least you had it once".

But now I am stuck with Michael.

"It could have been a misunderstanding", Cassie says, to help me out. I thank her with a look. Michael is quick to go back to his teasing.

"Or she realized how ancient and unexperienced you are. How many times have you done it anyways?"

I roll my eyes. "First of all, I am only one year older than you, if I need to remind you." I am the oldest one from my brothers and I. They were all sixteen as we were brought in that house together. I was seventeen. I took it upon myself to be the older brother. "And second of all, I have experience. She even complimented me for it", I let out. She did. Nessie couldn't help but compliment the way I kissed her. Or touched her.

"Continue telling that to yourself, if that will make you sleep better at night", he replies.

I can't help but growl again. He laughs.

"Look man, I am sorry. I really am", he adds. I look at him. Nothing about him tells me his sorry.

"No, you're not", I point out

"No, I'm not", he confesses. "But I am here for you. Always will be."

There is honesty on his face now. I believe him.

"Thank you", I answer. He smiles. Then takes out his phone.

"Wait til the others hear about this. They will laugh themselves hoarse", he says. I place my hand on his phone to stop it.

"I'd rather they don't know." Alec will worry too much and try to help. And his methods are not the most normal ones. They mostly include blackmail and violence. James will, as I said, forever not let me forget that this happened.

It is better they don't know.

"As you wish", Michael says.

I thank him and want to close my eyes.

"At least sleep in your room like a good boy, you ass", he counters. "Cass and I just cleaned the living room."

I chuckle and go to my usual guest room. I try to sleep, yet images of her keep me awake. She's everywhere. All around me.

I sigh and stare at the ceiling. Guess I'll have to get used to this.