Until The Morning After

Chapter 9

Join us for breakfast

June's pov

“s**t!” I bent down to grab it, groaning when I saw spiderweb of cracks spreading across the screen.

I looked up, ready to give whoever it was a piece of my mind, but the stairs above me was empty. Whoever it was had already disappeared.

“What the ….” I scowled rolling my eyes.

Had to be him I murmured under my breath. The only other man in the mansion with the freedom to move about as he wanted, which in truth he can.

"What an asshole." I murmured climbing the remaining stairs to my room, tossing the phone onto my dresser and turning towards the bathroom to clean up, somehow thinking about the brief touch on the stairs and how annoyingly familiar it had felt.

____

I made my way down the stairs, after freshening up and changing into a beige button down short skirt and a tucked in pastel yellow tank top.

The smell of pancakes made my stomach rumble immediately.

There was only one meaning to the warm buttery smell, Mom was at it again.

Getting to the dinner table I saw my little brother Joey was halfway through his plate and had syrup on his chin, as was Rolly, who was seated across from him, while mom was standing by the counter, flipping another batch

Mr. Blackwood sat at the head of the table, a tablet in his hand, scanning something in it as he sipped his coffee.

“Good morning, June,” he said with a polite smile. “Had a good night rest."

“ye... yes,” I stuttered, sliding into the chair beside Rolly, hoping he didn't catch on my lie.

Mom smiled walking up to me and dropped me some pancakes. “June’s helping me pick out a wedding dress today,” she said.

Mr. Blackwood’s expression brightened.

“An excellent idea. You’ll have a busy day then.”

“Yes.” Mom murmured excitedly returning to the counter.

Rolly grinned, turning to me. “Hey.”

“Hey." I said grabbing a pancake from my plate and bringing it to my mouth.

"Had a good night rest." I asked between chewing.

She nodded her head in disapproval. "Couldn’t sleep half way through the morning. Had this terrible nightmare, so my brother came in to tucked me back to sleep.”

“That’s....actually really sweet,” I said, smiling at her considering he'd been an asshole to me when he ran into me on the stairs without a single apology.

She nodded proudly, grinning then shifted closer to whisper. “He's the best actually. He acts all cold sometimes, but he’s really protective and sweet. He takes good care of me a lot.”

I smiled quietly as my thoughts for no reason returned to how the hot, nice guy at the club had been...genuinely nice and my s*x heated up from the thoughts.

I pressed my thighs together under the table to suppress the ache quickly picking up more pancakes so no one notices the change in my demeanor.

Mr Blackwood closed his tab setting it aside as he glanced toward the doorway. “Join us for breakfast son,” he called.

My fork paused halfway to my mouth as I turned towards the door.

But dread came over me suddenly, and I wished the floor would just open and swallow me alive.

"A...drien.." i muttered slowly.

He looked just as shocked as I was, looking devastatingly hot as usual, his black shirt rolled up to his elbows revealing the same beautiful tattoos as last night and hand that had made my body do sinful things and I gasps choking on the previous pancake in my mouth.

“June!” Mom rushed toward me instantly, panic seen across her face as she grabbed a glass of water beside Joey and pushed it into my hands.

“Slowly, dear slowly....” I continue to cough, my eyes watering as I took more drink, my chest burning while I tried to breathe properly again.

Mr. Blackwood had risen slightly from his chair, concern written across his face. “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice in fear.

“I....I’m fine,” I croaked, nodding quickly even as another cough escaped my mouth.

Mom rubbed my back gently pressing more water into my mouth. “Careful....”

“Yes..." I muttered, avoiding looking anywhere near the doorway again where Adrien still stood.

Mr. Blackwood turned toward the entrance again. “Come in, Son. Don’t just stand there.”

I heard his footsteps followed shortly after and my grip tightened around the glass as he moved closer to the table.

I kept my eyes down, staring very hard at my plate while he got to the seat opposite me and pulled out the chair.

Mom stepped back, satisfied that I was okay and turned to Adrien.

"I just made fresh pancakes.”

He sat coldly not saying a word and despite every effort not to look at him my eyes lifted and met his.

His gaze was on me looking coldly and angry, though he hid it.

Rolly beamed beside me, completely oblivious. “I'd hope you'll join us today."

Mr. Blackwood, relieved the tension had passed returned to his seat.

I forced a weak smile at Rolly, but my attention stayed painfully aware of the man sitting across from me.

He reached for the coffee jug, and poured himself a cup.

My stomach flipped violently, and I suddenly, wasn’t hungry anymore.

I mean, there was no version where I could be after realizing the man I’d given myself to last night wasn’t a stranger at all, but my soon-to-be stepbrother who’d completely ruined my ability to think straight..

My cheeks heated up from embarrassment and the glass of water loosen mistakely from my grasp, falling forward as cold water splashed across my blouse and lap.

“Oh!” I gasped raising to my feet immediately. “I...I’m so sorry,” I said quickly disoriented, wiping at my fabric. “I think I should go change.”

“It’s alright, dear,” Mom said, reaching for napkins.

“I’ll be right back,” I added hurriedly, and without waiting for another word, I turned and escaped out of the dining room toward my room, desperate for distance and air.

Closing the door quickly, I rested my back against the door while holding my hands to my beating heart.

Squeezing my eyes closed, I try to ignore the memories rushing to my mind and the sensation of our sinful night together, but it didn't help.

‎This can't be happening. Ooh June this can't be happening. I try to calm myself but failed.

Now I knew why the brief touch on the stairs had felt so familiar. And why he'd look so much like the younger version of Mr Blackwood.

Ofcause it had to be because they were the same person. The same devastatingly handsome, cold man who’d taken my virginity.

“Oh June…” I slid down the door, burying my face in my hands. “I’m so fucked."

“June!” I heard Mom’s voice called from downstairs. “Are you okay?”

I froze, quickly straightening. “Yes!” I called back, forcing my voice to sound normal. “I’ll be right down!”

I quickly pushed myself up from the floor and hurried toward my closet, grabbing the first clean outfit I could find and changed quickly, tossing the damp clothes aside.

I stared at my reflection for a second, pressing my palms against my cheeks.

Get it together June. Nothing happened.

Yes nothing happened. I tried to assure myself before opening my room door and stepping outside.

I started toward the stairs but I'd barely made it two steps past the corridor when a hand suddenly grabbed my wrist.

And before I could react, I was pulled sharply into a nearby room.