Chapter 11: Smiles and Laughter

ADAM THORNE

Lance came closer to us and I could see a girl on his arm I looked closer and saw his sister, who looked a little uncomfortable. Only then did I look at her completely and I could feel my breath hitch. She looked absolutely gorgeous, and didn't have any make up on like those fake women who spend so much money on their hideous faces, only to look worse.

And before I could say anything, the words had already left my mouth.

"We meet once more, Ms. Edward, and might I say, you look ravishing tonight", I looked at her the kissed the back of her hands. We stared at each other until I heard a voice that made her look back with a smile on her face.

I saw Gareth David King walking towards us with a big smile on his face as he looked at her, and for reason, I felt oddly uneasy, when he kissed her on on cheek and put his arm around her waist.

"Did you miss me Belle? I know you couldn't resist such a handsome face as mine. But don't worry sweetheart, I'm here now." He waggled his eyes playfully at her and she giggled, then held her hand and put it on his heart.

"This is where you hit me Belle, right here." And he chuckled along with her brothers at her bewildered expression, letting go of her hand, but not her waist, and looked at me pointedly.

"Gareth David King, and you must be Adam Thorne, nice to meet you." He sounded polite but I couldn't miss the hint of poison in his words, making me chuckle.

"Yes, although I wish I could say the same." I smirked but then looked at the hand around her waist and frowned.

"And how do you know this lovely woman here?" I asked, curious to know, but confused at my own thoughts.

"That's for you to guess and and me to know, my kind sir." Gareth told me smirking and I felt frustrated. I was used to getting what I wanted, but not getting answers made me frustrated.

"Gareth is my cousin, Mr. Thorne, and a close friend as well." Isabelle suddenly spoke, and I nodded my head at her, thinking hard at how they could be related, until I remembered he was the son of her uncle, Charles David King.

"Please, call me Adam, no need for formalities." And she smiled at me, making me feel something I hadn't felt before. So many women smiled at me, but those all were fake, trying to impress me. But something just felt so right when she smiled and I knew it was a genuine one.

We all shook hands and sat down and I just couldn't help myself staring at her. The men in the other booths of the VIP Lounge would turn their heads occasionally to get a look at her, and I would glare at them and they would turn right back. I found Gareth King look at me staring at her a few times and he would glare, and I would just smirk right at him.

"You look really beautiful tonight Belle." Gareth King whispered in her ear, but loud enough on purpose so everyone could hear, including me. She looked at him and smiled when he left.

"So, is Gareth King your boyfriend?" Aveline suddenly asked her excitedly and my head snapped to her, waiting for her answer, while she laughed. It was infectious and I couldn't help but smile. Just like that day, I thought to myself.

"No, it's not like that, we're just really close because we basically grew up together. And he flirts with literally everyone." She smiled widely at her and I felt... relief? No, it couldn't be relief.

"So Isabelle, what is that you do exactly, in your company?"She suddenly turned and looked at me while I waited for her to answer.

"Nothing much. I'm their designer, interior decorator, artist, and all the orders have to go through me before they are finalized." She said casually as if this was normal for her, but I guess it was.

"Other than that I have a boutique." She added and I nodded and smiled, and continued to sip my drink, looking at something behind her. It had only been a minute when I looked back at her only to realize she had already been staring at me and from the look on her face, for a while now. She kept looking before someone called her name and she looked up at me, realizing I had caught her.

She looked into my eyes until she looked beside her suddenly at Gareth King.

"What?!" She snapped, and he looked at her in confusion.

"Jeez, sorry Bee, didn't know you were admiring people or I would've waited for your staring contest to finish." Gareth chuckled and every eye turned to look at her when her turned red and she looked at me, still grinning.

"Shut up King." She told him and he laughed, when she got up from the couch and left the booth. I only looked at her go towards the bar far below and I could still see her since I was sitting close to the railing. Gareth King glared at me as a warning but I paid him no mind and watched her drink water until a man approached her and started talking to her.

She looked uncomfortable and when she got up from the seat, he blocked her way.

"Excuse me." I said as I got up from the chair and went down towards the bar. He was about to touch her when I caught his arm and held it much tighter than I myself expected. She gasped at my actions and some people looked at us, before I shoved him away from her.

"And who the hell are you?" the man asked, looking into my eyes.

"The boyfriend. That's all you should know." I smirked and looked at Isabelle beside me, who had her mouth open, so I took this opportunity and pulled her close by her waist, hooking my arm around her.

"She never mentioned a boyfriend, I think you've got it all wrong mister." The man said and came closer to us, and I nodded to the men behind and they held the man by his arms.

"I think I got everything right. Sweetheart, you okay?" I asked innocently causing her to look at me. She stared at me for a few seconds before she answered.

"Y-yes. I'm fine, Adam." She give me a small reassuring smile, completely oblivious to the people staring at us.

"Isn't that Adam Thorne? Who's the girl?" Someone whispered.

"Yeah it is, must be his next conquest." Someone else added.

She has beautiful eyes, I thought to myself and looked at her intently. She suddenly cleared her throat and looked away.

"I'll deal with him later. Take him out." I ordered them and they obliged. Then as soon as my grip on her waist loosened, she tried to walk away, but I wasn't ready to let go of her just yet. I caught her arm and spun her around, forcing her back to the bar's counter, with my hands on either side of her.

"Did he touch you?" I looked into her eyes, then her face, trying to understand what she was thinking.

"No, he didn't." She finally answered and I nodded, refusing to back away. I could smell her perfume.

Vanilla, I thought.

I took hold of her chin and pulled her face up and turned it, looking if she was hurt or touched somewhere, when someone cleared their throat behind us and I sighed.

This man couldn't wait, could he? I thought to myself, then turned around to see Charlie Williams.

I let go of her and started talking to Charlie about the contract we just signed because he had to know about it right this instant, as he said. She tried to go once again but I caught her waist and pulled her to me, holding her tight to myself, and felt her glaring at me, but I kept talking to Charlie.

"Ms. Edward, how nice to see you again, you look lovely this evening." Charlie looked at her and she held out her hand, which he shook.

"You too, Mr. Williams." she smiled at him and then he furrowed his eyebrows when he saw how close I was standing to her, then looked at my arm around her waist. He glanced at her, then me and back to her again and smiled, something that didn't seem real.

"Well have fun, I'll be going now." He said and left, smirking to himself, making me confused as to what he meant.

I lowered myself and whispered in her ear, "You look beautiful sweetheart." and felt her jump a bit, then signaled to our booth, smiling widely. She just nodded and we walked back together with my hand still on her waist.

Lance glared at me when he saw my arm and I glared in response. I could also see Gareth's jaw clench at the sight when he got up and held out his hand to Isabelle.

"Ready to go Belle? We're leaving." Gareth asked her but looked straight at me,when she took his hand, I had to let go of her, rather reluctantly, but didn't move from my place.

"Going already?" I asked them and her brothers got up from their seats and nodded.

"Yes, it's quite late, and we have to get Belle home anyway." Arthur told me, stressing on her name. Gareth King gave me another look then took her hand and pulled her close, taking her out of the club with her brother behind, and I could feel my jaw clench.

"What was that Adam?" Aidan came up to me and asked me.

"What was what?" I snapped. looking at him, when he backed away and Ave came ahead.

"What he means is" she glared at Aidan then looked back at me " what were you doing with Belle? You guys were.... pretty close." She said carefully, and looked at me questioningly like I'd done something wrong.

"Nothing much, just talking." I answered and made a show of picking up my wallet and phone from the table, and left the club.

We had reached outside when I saw Gareth and Isabelle walking hand in hand, smiling to each other, and her brothers were nowhere around. She then pointed to her feet and suddenly Gareth picked her up, bridal style and carried her the rest of the way while she laughed with him, telling him to put her down.

I felt... angry? I didn't know what I felt.. Frustrated? Maybe. But why i felt this way, I didn't know.

Aidan and Ave noticed me looking at the two laughing and going when one of them suddenly spoke from behind.

"They make a good couple, don't you think?" Aidan said teasingly and Ave laughed at him.

"They're just really close, you idiot." She answered him laughing and I swear I took a sigh of relief and sent my siblings home to deal with the ass**** from the bar.

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What does Gareth think of Isabelle? And why does Adam care about what they are or do?

Keep reading to find out!

Question of the day: What makes you smile?

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