Betrayed By Husband, Stolen By Brother In Law

Melanie woke up to the sudden sound of footsteps entering her room. She froze, her body stiff against the sheets. Sleep had already been uneasy, broken every now and then because of the new presence in the house, and now this. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. Could it be that Cadence had gone back on his promise and entered her room after all?

Her eyes snapped open. She tried to stay still, her gaze slowly scanning the shadows, careful not to startle whoever was there. She tensed when she saw the figure stepping in from the balcony door. He was much closer than she thought.

She needed to move, to act before he reached her. But then she heard her name.

"Melanie."

The sound of his voice made her almost cry out in relief. It was not Cadence. It was him. Quickly, she pushed herself up on the bed, her eyes wide as she whispered, "Adam."

Before she could ask him why he was here or remind him how dangerous it was, he closed the distance in one stride. In the next second she was pushed back onto the bed, her lips sealed under his.

The kiss was hard, rough, nothing like before. His mouth crushed against hers, forcing her back onto the bed. She gasped, but he didn't let go. His weight pressed her down, his hands gripping her wrists and pinning them to the mattress.

She struggled for breath, but he only deepened the kiss, his tongue pushing past her lips, taking control. Even as she kissed him back, she could not help but wonder what was up with him today. He was almost like a wild beast...

But then, she did not have much time for thought because in the next moment, his mouth moved away from her, kissing down the line of her jaw and neck and moving lower... Melanie moaned softly, arching into his touch, even as she ached to wrap her hands around him and pull him even closer...

Just as Adam's lips brushed lower, the sudden sound of knocking echoed through the room.

Melanie stiffened instantly, her breath caught in her throat. Her fingers froze where they had been clutching his shirt. Adam, however, didn't move. His mouth lingered against her skin, trailing softer kisses as if he hadn't heard anything at all.

"Adam—" she whispered urgently, pushing at his shoulder.

He resisted at first, his body still pressing her down. Then, slowly, he stilled, burying his face in the curve of her neck. His breath was hot, his lips brushing over her pulse, but his grip didn't loosen.

The knock came again. This time softer, more hesitant.

"Mel?"

The voice made her blood run cold. Cadence.

She felt Adam stiffen against her, his entire body tensing above hers. Her eyes widened as she turned her head slightly toward the door, panic rushing through her.

"Are you awake?" Cadence's voice came again, quiet but clear through the silence of the night.

Melanie's throat went dry. She opened her mouth to answer, but Adam's hand suddenly covered it, muffling any sound. His other arm pressed firmly into the mattress beside her head, keeping her caged beneath him. His jaw clenched against her neck, his breath uneven.

Melanie's breath hitched. Adam's grip tightened around her waist, his lips brushing her ear. "Ignore him," he muttered, low and fierce. "Stay with me. Let him knock until he leaves. He doesn't matter."

She turned her head, her lips brushing against his cheek as she whispered back, "No. If I don't answer, he'll come in. You know he will."

"He won't dare." Adam's jaw flexed as his hand slid to her chin, tilting her face back toward his. "Don't think about him. Think about me. About us."

Her palms pressed flat against his chest, halting him before his mouth could capture hers again. "Adam, listen to me. He will not stop. He'll find a way inside, and then—" she cut herself off, swallowing hard. "We can't risk it."

His nostrils flared. He wanted to argue, she could see it in his eyes, but she shook her head firmly. "Hide. Please. Just for now."

For a moment he didn't move, his gaze locked on hers, blazing with jealousy and unwillingness. But then she pushed at his shoulder again, harder this time, and whispered urgently, "Go."

Adam's teeth clenched, but finally he pulled back, slipping off the bed. The frustration in his movements was sharp, but he obeyed, disappearing quickly into the shadows of the balcony.

Melanie sat up at once, her hands flying to smooth down her hair and straighten her clothes. Her heart was still pounding, her lips swollen from his kiss, but she forced herself to steady her breathing.

"What were you doing?" he asked sharply. "Why didn't you answer the first time I called? And why did it take you so long to open the door?"

Melanie tightened her grip on the doorframe, forcing her voice to stay steady. She took in another breath and replied directly, "What else do you think someone does in the middle of the night? I was sleeping, Cadence." She gave a short, pointed sigh, letting irritation edge into her tone. "How was I supposed to answer you instantly? You startled me awake. I woke up in such a rush I nearly had a fright—and all thanks to you knocking at this hour."

As Melanie would have continued to berate him, he suddenly stepped forward, his hand raised, causing Melanie to step back to avoid his touch. "Why are your lips and neck wet?"

Melanie almost cursed. Dam* it! But without overthinking things, she simply wiped her face with her sleeves and snapped back," Because I was sleeping and when people are in a deep sleep, they sometimes drool!"

But Cadence seemed unconvinced as he looked at her and then at the dark room behind her," Are you sure you were sleeping or did you have someone in the room with you?"

Melanie stiffened.