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“Drew, right?” Like I would forget his name. He’s anything but forgettable.
“Right.” He gives me a quick smile and I practically melt he’s so gorgeous. I peek over and see Kate melting as well. Oh, and what do you know, so is Gavin.
“Are you okay mate?” Dax asks Drew. “You don’t look well.”
“No, I’m fine. I’m just can’t find my girlfriend.” Drew’s voice sounds somewhat shaky.
“Weird, we can’t find our band mate either.” Gavin laughs.
Drew doesn’t find Gavin’s comment funny at all. Judging by the way he cocks his head and the dark look on his face, I’d say he finds it quite disturbing. He turns and enters a nearby room and I watch through the open door to see him darting up the staircase in the back.
“That was weird,” says Hawke.
“No, that was one of the most beautiful men I’ve ever laid eyes on,” Kate announces.
“Agreed,” Gavin says as he fist bumps her.
“Okay, if you two are done ogling the American, can we concentrate on finding Adam?” Dax says in an annoyed voice, glaring at Kate as he makes his way into the room that Drew just ran through.
It turns out we don’t have to look far, because Adam stumbles loudly down the nearby staircase and collides right into Hawke. He’s shirtless and isn’t wearing any shoes, and from the shouting I can hear coming from upstairs, I’d say it’s a good bet that Drew just found his girl.
“You useless fucking bastard,” Dax hisses. He grabs Adam by the back of the neck and shoves him out of the room and down the hall towards the front door.
I follow behind everyone else, not sure what to say or do. It’s clear that Adam is completely and totally legless. It’s also pretty clear that he was just caught getting off with Drew’s missing girl. If the lack of clothing or Drew’s shouting wasn’t enough to spell it out, then the cocky smile on Adam’s face certainly says it all.
Dax maneuvers Adam out the front door and onto the driveway to wait while Hawke gets his car from the valet. I take a good look at Adam for the first time since he left London last year. Except for the fact that he’s rat arsed and half-dressed, he’s still just as stunning as I remember. Which makes it all the more painful to know he was with some other girl not five minutes ago.
“You!”
I startle and see Adam storming over to me, his face a twisted mask of rage. My throat closes up from fear, making it impossible to utter a single sound.
“You fucking bitch,” he slurs, tripping over his own foot as he approaches me. “I was hoping I’d never have to see you again. What are you doing here?”
My mouth drops open and I can feel the hot tears building up behind my eyes. He hates me. I knew it was possible, but I didn’t really believe he could ever feel this way. It hurts more than anything I’ve ever felt before, more than any pain I would wish on anyone.
Hawke makes a grab for Adam’s arm, but Adam shakes him off and pushes his bare chest up against me. “I asked you a question. What. Are. You. Doing. Here?”
His breath smells so strongly of whiskey that I have to turn my head away, even though what I really want to do is bury my nose in his neck and inhale my favorite scent in the world.
Adam grabs my chin and yanks my head back to him, his fingers digging into my skin, holding me still as he stares into my eyes. I meet his drunken glare with tears streaming down my cheeks from the humiliation, from his harsh words, and from the excruciating loss of his love.
When I look closer, I can see something there, behind the anger, deep in those familiar hazel eyes. He’s hurt and drunk and lashing out at me to protect himself, because I am the one person he trusted to never let him down when everyone else in his life did, and I failed him.
“I’m sorry, Adam. So sorry,” I whisper. His eyes flick briefly to my lips and desire momentarily replaces his anger, then he seems to remember that he’s mad at me and he shoves me away brusquely. I stagger back, nearly falling down.
The harsh sneer returns to his face and he leans back into me as if to hurt me again. Before he can inflict anymore verbal injuries on my sliced and tattered heart, Dax steps over, wraps his arms around Adam’s entire torso, and physically carries him to Hawke’s car. He throws him in the backseat and slams the door shut, ignoring Adam’s loud and vulgar protests.
I raise my hand to my face to wipe away the tears only to notice that it’s shaking badly. I stare at my trembling hand, unable to comprehend the scene that just played out, hoping it was just a nightmare and I’ll wake up any second in Adam’s arms in my crap flat in Hackney.
Gavin steps over and takes my hand, kissing my bruised chin before pulling me into a tight embrace as I sob into his chest. “I’m so sorry El. He’s been really upset since you guys broke up and he drank so much tonight that probably won’t even remember this tomorrow. That’s his usual thing these days.”
I wiggle out of Gavin’s arms. “So he does this a lot? Get pissed and black out?”
Gavin’s kind, beautiful face falls and I know I’ve hit the nail right on the head.
“So he’s an alcoholic then?” I ask incredulously. “You do know my dad was killed by a man who drove after getting drunk and almost passing out behind the wheel? And you’re insinuating that because I broke up with him, it’s my fault he’s a drunk!”
“I never said that,” Gavin says sternly. “Don’t put words in my mouth, Ellie.”
