FIVE

Adeline 

Walking up early like I always do, I roll out of bed rubbing the sleep off my eyes with my fists.

Last night's memories haunt me. The unrealistic short sex and the showering…

Everything about him feels painful. It's gradually becoming a problem for me. I need to find a way to talk to him. Will he be empathetic? Willing to change?

Walking to the bathroom with my eyes still hazy from sleep. I open the door and get hit with warm steam and a delicious spicy scent in my nose. But before I can turn back, my gaze falls on him.

Croix.

Naked.

Wiping both his hands down his face in the shower, his exposed body is all I can see from the partially fogged glass.

His rippling abdomen, toned chest and arms littered with tats glistening with droplets of water clinging to his form.

I see his thick, flaccid dick hanging from between his legs, water dripping from the tip.

I'm frozen for a moment, my mouth open and dry. This is the second time I've seen him in lesser clothes. I turn back quietly and tiptoed out before he sees me.

Hopefully he didn't see me. I don't think he did.

On my way to the kitchen, I cursed at myself under my breath. I then proceed to brew coffee.

The bathroom door opens behind me and I lean against the counter pretending to look at an old receipt.

I hear him walking to the room, shutting the door behind him. I let out a vast sigh and dropped my head, then dropped my head flat against the counter when the door opened.

“Hey lil sis, you okay?” He asked softly with a hint of humour in his tone.

“Fine.” I said quickly, lifting my head from the counter.

I stand with my chin raised, pretending to be fine as I said but my eyes never reach him. He leans against the counter wearing a black sweatpants hanging low on his hips.

“You should knock before you enter when someone's showering.” He said with a hint of amusement.

I swallow, my eyes connect with his. There is this glint and devilish smirk on his face that made me think he enjoyed the fact that I ogled his body.

He ran his finger through his dark locs, pushing his hair off his head and forehead.

“I'm not used to having to knock when the door is open. Sorry.”

Sarcasm is my best friend right now.

“Just be sorry you didn't burst in five minutes earlier.” He said with a serious tone, crossing his inked arms over his chest.

“What?” I almost choke on my breath. I turn to put water in the coffee machine.

“Nevermind. Over your head.” He said with a shrug and a roll of his eyes. He leans back next to me, too close to me.

That's when it hit me. He was masturbating.

I shuddered and the image of him touching himself in all his naked glory flashed through my mind sending chills down my spine.

“Maybe we should set some ground rules.” I turn to face him. 

“By all means, please do. Little mouse.” He cocks a brow and I let out a sigh.

“First while using the bathroom, lock the door. It only makes sense.” I said smugly.

He chuckled, licking his lips, then refolding his arms waiting for more rules. A smirk in his face that made girls swoon on his face.

“Second, if you're going to party all night, at least keep it down. It isn't just you living here.”

I cross my arm over my chest feeling proud of myself, but the narrowed eye maddening look I'm getting from him has my pulse raging out of my neck.

“Yeah I'm not the only one living here. Eli, Josiah and Wesley are… the rest is redundant.” He pushes himself off the counter and lurks towards me. “I've got some ground rules myself.”

If Wesley came out now, this would look threatening.

“First, if you're going to stare while I'm in the shower. At least give me a hand.”

“Ha.” I scoffed at his crudeness, then attempted to breathe normally. Nope. Never. Not ever happening.

“And second, if you're going to have sex in the bedroom next to mine, at least pretend you're enjoying it.”

My face heats immediately and I feel the flush of heat travel and settling on my cheeks. He heard us having sex last night. I thought he wouldn't follow us. It's one thing to deal with the embarrassment of it all but for Croix to know? Ugh. The torture.

“But not to worry, I have a proposal to make.” A knowing smirk pulls up at the corner of his lips. 

But I want to know.