Until The Morning After

Chapter 10

Adrien's POV

A scream traveled out from her throat the second I pulled her into my room.

I tightened my hand over her mouth before anyone downstairs could hear, pinning her gently against the door as she struggled against my chest.

“Mm... Mmm... get... off me...!”

She shoved at me with both hands.

Then she pursed recognition flooding over her face the moment she caught my scent.

“Adrien.”

“I'd urge you to stop moving,” I said quietly against her ear. “Unless you want everyone downstairs running up here.”

The fight left her almost immediately and her breathing became uneven beneath my hand.

After making sure she wasn't about to scream again, I slowly let go,

She looked up at me her blue eyes meeting mine.

“Adrien...” she said softly, clearing her throat. “I ...how are you..... I mean you weren't... “No...I mean...” she started quickly, shaking her head. “No forget I said anything. I just...”

My expression hardened.

One night in my bed and somehow they all woke up expecting something more.

A reason I never laid beside them when they woke.

June was no different. Whatever happened between us should never have happened. The sooner she forgot it, the better.

"What happened last night," I said, keeping every bit of emotion out of my voice, "was a mistake. It should never happen again."

She forced out a laugh immediately, regret caught across her face.

"Right. Yes. Of course. It should never happen again. You’re going to be my stepbrother. We shouldn’t have done it in the first place. It...it was a mistake. The wedding is in a few days. We should forget it happened. As soon as possible.” she forced out hurriedly.

"Besides, it didn't really mean anything to me. It was just a dare. Roxy dared me to do it." She shrugged.

"Roxy?"

“Yeah and i had fun, you had fun. It's not like I'm expecting anything from you. I'm not going to follow you around or make things weird."

A quiet sign left my mouth.

I should've known Roxy would have her hands in this somehow.

She's never been the type to make female friends. In all the years I've known her, she'd always said women were too much drama. She'd only f**k them for the fun of it. The only people she ever kept around were the guys and me.

If Roxy was suddenly playing best friend to some shy girl she'd met less than some hours ago, she was up to some s**t up games I'll deal with later, but right now, I had a bigger problem standing in front of me.

Without another word, I turned and walked to the dresser, pulling open the top drawer.

When I came back, I held out a glass of water and an emergency pills.

She frowned immediately.

"What... what's that?"

"Take them." I said.

A scurry of confusion crossed her face.

"Why?"

I held her gaze.

"Rule number one," I said flatly. "Forget what happened last night."

I didn't give her a chance to speak and continued.

"Rule number two. Stay the f**k away from me."

Her face fell, but I ignore it. "I already have to deal with my father bringing another woman into this house. I don't need her daughter trying to be part of my life too. I have no interest in playing big brother. And I definitely don't have any interest in getting attached to you. So whatever fantasy you've got in your head about us playing happy siblings, get rid of it."

My gaze spread over her face.

"Let's not pretend we're ever going to be family. I don't want happy family dinners, family talks, or whatever the hell else you're expecting."

"I'm not expect....."She immediately responded angered but I cut her before she could finish.

"Good. Because I'd like that you never."

I saw hurt traveled across her eyes and guilt immediately threatened to creep in to my heart but I buried it, reminding myself who she was. My father's newest start and future stepdaughter.

Another ton s**t of mistake.

She didn't say another word so I stepped closer to her until the pills were right in front of her.

"You stay out of my way," I said quietly. "I'll stay out of yours. That's how this will work from now henceforth."

I took her hand before she could pull away and pressed the pills into her palm.

"And rule number three...If you're already pregnant..."

I closed her fingers around them.

"Get rid of it."

Then without more words, I opened the bedroom door and walked out, leaving her standing there with the pills still in her hand.

I made my way downstairs. Voices moved aimlessly from the dining room, followed by Rally's as she tried to convince my father to let her go see her best friend Kate again for another tenth sleep over night this month.

Lena June's mom looked up the moment she saw me.

"Adrien."

I ignored her and headed straight for the front door.

"Wait."

I stopped when she hurried after me.

"You didn't have breakfast." She held out a small lunch box. "I packed you some pancakes. You can eat them on the way."

I stared at the lunch box. Then back at her.

"I don't want it."

"You can eat it later if you're......"

"I said I don't want it."

She looked taken aback but tried to smile anyway

"I was only trying to....."

"You're overstepping." The dining room fell silent immediately.

"You're not my mother. So stop acting like one."

The smile disappeared from her face.

"I wasn't trying to replace your...."

"I don't care what you were trying to do." I laughed bitterly "I'd appreciate if you don't act like my mother just because you're marrying my father.

"Adrien." My father's immediately stood up from his chair. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak to your future step mother like that. She's only being kind."

I scoffed. "Stepmother? This whole marriage is a f*****g mistake."

"That's enough Adrien."

"You really think this is a good idea? This marriage." I gestured between him and her.

"You think she's different? They're all the same. I've watched this story play out before. They all swear they're in love. Until someone richer comes along."

My eyes shifted to her.

"Tell me... when you're done with him, what's next?"

She frowned Immediately.

"What do you mean."

" I mean when the money gets old...Lena When this house gets boring. When you've taken everything you came for. I took a step forward to her.

"Which billionaire comes after my father?"

The color drained from her face.

"I... I would never..."

"Get out!" My father barked.

I scoffed nodding my head in anger. "I just hope you've thought it through. "I turned to my father one last time," "When this blows up in your face....don't say I didn't warn you." Then with that

I walked out slamming the front door behind me.

With a press of my key fob, my black Rolls-Royce Cullinan unlocked. I climbed inside, shutting the door gripping onto the steering wheel.

The whole damn morning had been one headache after another.

I started the engine.

The low growl of the V12 filled the silence just as my phone lit up on the center console.

ROXY

I stared at her name for a second before answering through the car's speakers.

"What?"

A laugh came from the other end.

"So..." she drawled. "How'd you like your surprise?"

My grip tightened around the steering wheel.

"I don't have time for your games, Roxy."

"Oh, come on." She laughed again. "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy yourself."

My jaw clenched.

"You used her."

"What's wrong with that? You used her too. I clearly introduced two people who wanted each other."