Hello Lovelies and Happy Easter!

I hope you're all doing well and staying safe.

Here's the morning after the night before...

I hope you enjoy it and you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Much Love,

Chelsea x


By late morning, I felt a darn sight better than I had earlier. My insides were still delicate, as if at any moment I could start puking again, but I hadn't thrown up since four a.m. I considered that an achievement, the intense waves of nausea finally subsiding. I was even able to risk eating and drinking. I started with a piece of dry toast, testing the waters one bite at a time.

Christian and I were the first down to breakfast, despite the late hour, back in our private dining room. Still pissed off at the turn of events, Christian had called in a team of chefs to prepare the meals for the remainder of our weekend. I had heard snippets of his conversation with the hotel managers and it wasn't pretty. He well and truly ripped them a new one.

Kate and Elliot joined us next, taking up the chairs opposite us. Elliot smiled but his eyes were red and tired. His hair was standing up in every direction, crease lines etched into his cheeks. Similarly, Kate looked exhausted. She was pale and sweaty, absolutely no colour in her face, and her hair hung limply around her shoulders.

"Morning," she muttered, her lips barely moving.

"You look like shit," I said, slowly shaking my head. I glanced at Christian. "Do I look that bad?"

He didn't answer.

His silence was telling.

"I feel like shit," Kate admitted, huffing. She slouched forward, elbows on the table, chin in her hands. She grimaced at me. "Seriously, how the fuck are you eating? I can't… Ew, no, I can't…"

"I can't stomach anything more than this at the moment," I explained, gesturing to my plate of toast and fruit. "Were you sick all night too?"

She nodded and Elliot grunted, eyes widening.

"She was retching every five minutes," he moaned. He ran a hand down his face. "She passed out twice but woke up being sick. I spent all night keeping an eye on her, making sure she didn't choke on her own puke."

Kate pursed her lips.

"Sorry," she mumbled to him. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault," he shook his head. He reached over and rubbed his hand up and down her back. "I could've swung for the chef who fucked you guys up last night. Bro, have you spoken to them yet?"

"I have," Christian replied. "They gave me all the apologies and bullshit, but I won't let them get away with it. They'll pay for this."

Kate rolled her eyes and I wondered if Elliot had been as bad as Christian over the issue.

"Did you check on Mia before coming down?" I asked Elliot, glancing at the empty seat next to me. "Security was with her all night, weren't they? She wasn't alone after you left?"

"Security was with her," he confirmed, nodding. "I texted her before we left our suite and she said she'd be down soon. She told us not to bother waiting."

Christian shifted on his seat, drawing up the napkin from his lap and setting it on the table. He had been in contact with Mia – and her security detail – himself, but not seeing his sister since dinner last night was clearly playing on his mind.

"I'll go check on her," he announced. "See if she's –"

He didn't get to finish his sentence, the door to the room swinging open and silencing him. I looked around his body and saw Mia filling the doorway, wearing a long, floaty dress in sunflower yellow, a bright pink grin stretching across her face.

She waltzed into the room and –

Oh.

She wasn't alone.

A tall, slim gentleman followed behind her. He appeared to be African American, his hair closely cropped to his head, and his eyes framed with square glasses. He walked with a slouch and seemed wary, his dark eyes darting around the dining room. He wore a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans, his hands fisted in his pockets.

I looked at Christian and saw his jaw clenching.

"Good morning," Mia sang, reaching the end of the table, remaining on her feet. "Sorry I'm late."

"Two guesses why," Elliot mumbled under his breath. He stared at Mia's companion. "Mia, you okay?"

"Absolutely fine," she grinned. She spun to face her follower, who was lingering near the door. She beckoned him forward with a smile. "This is Leo… Leo, these are my siblings."

Leo stepped forward and smiled awkwardly at each of us.

"Christian and Elliot are my brothers," Mia clarified. "Kate, over there, is Elliot's girlfriend. And that's Ana, Christian's fiancé."

"Nice to meet you," Leo nodding, pulling a hand out of his pocket and waving.

I was the only one to vocally greet the man.

He gulped hard, his throat bobbing, and he snapped his chin towards Mia.

"I, um, think I'll give breakfast a miss," he said.

"What?" Mia pouted. "But –"

"I should check on my group," he quickly added. "Make sure they're all still in one piece. I'll catch you later."

He forced a laugh, but the noise shook with his obvious nerves. He leaned forward and pecked Mia's cheek before excusing himself, exiting the room as quickly as possible.

Mia stared after him and then pulled herself upright, standing to attention. She hummed a small, disappointed sound and then found her seat, silently fussing over her napkin as she laid it across her lap.

"Leo, huh?" Elliot said, the first to break the tension. I glanced across at him and saw his brows high on his forehead. "Do you know him from back home?"

"No," Mia replied, shaking her head once. "I met him last night."

"And again this morning?"

"When I woke up next to him, yes," she said, fixing him with a cold stare. Her pink lips pressed into a hard line. "We spent the night together."

I felt Christian stiffen beside me.

"You spent the night with a man you just met?" he grunted, turning to face his sister. He pressed his fist into the table. "A man you've known for less than what, twelve hours?"

"Seriously?" Mia laughed, screwing up her face. "How long did you know Ana before you jumped into bed together?"

"A damn sight longer than twelve hours!"

Mia folded her arms, relaxing into her seat, as if bracing herself for the third degree. Something told me she had experienced this kind of grilling before.

"Why does it matter?" she sighed. "We're consenting adults."

"She has a point," I spoke up in her defence, earning myself two hard stares from the Grey brothers. "She can do whatever the hell she likes. She's a grown woman."

"She's my baby sister," Elliot screeched.

"Suck it up," Kate shook her head. "Don't be a misogynist."

"But it's weird and –"

Christian sucked in a sharp breath and shot his brother a look that silenced him in an instant.

"My concerns aren't about you having sex," he said, addressing Mia. "I don't like the idea of you taking a stranger to your bed. Do you know anything about him, besides his name?"

"His full name is Leo Fredrick Jonah George, born in Baltimore but now residing in Vancouver, Washington," she reeled off, her voice steady and calm. "His mother is originally from Nigeria and his father was born in Jamaica, both relocated to the States when they were children. He has three older sisters, seven nieces and one nephew."

I cracked a wry smile.

"He is twenty-six, his birthday is April 21st," she continued. "He's a second-grade teacher and wanted to be a teacher all his life. His favourite colour is green – lime green, not khaki or olive. He rents an apartment but is saving up to buy a house, preferably with a big garden because he has a two-year-old cockapoo called Poppy."

She finally took a breath and reached for her glass of water, taking a slow sip.

"Is that enough for you?" she retorted. "Or would you like me to continue?"

Christian gulped. "And you found all that out in one night?"

"I doubt you spent the night talking," Elliot shot back, shaking his head.

"Of course not," Mia snorted. "Bloody hell. What do you take me for? I'm Christian's sister, after all. You don't think I can employ the same tactics he does to find out information on someone?"

I couldn't hold back my laughter. Even Kate managed a small giggle.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he fibbed, clearing his throat.

"Get real!" I snorted, swatting him on the arm. He stole a stern look at me. "You're full of shit. You are the worst for snooping on people. You stake out everyone you meet."

"That is not true!" he squeaked, on the defensive.

"It is!" I shot back. "I caught you looking up the new concierge in our apartment building the other day. I bet you know his social security number by now."

He pursed his lips.

"And don't even get me started on the actual file I found in your desk at home that is full of information about me," I added. I shook my head. "How long into meeting me did you create that?"

His eyes twitched and I arched my brow.

"Answer me this," I said. "What's my blood group?"

He sucked in a deep breath and exhaled it loudly.

"AB Positive," he huffed under his breath. "Okay, fine, you've made your point."

Mia set down her glass and placed both her hands on the table.

"Look," she said, drawing the focus back to her. "What I'm saying is, I'm more like you, Christian, than you seem to realise. I know you don't want to hear it, but I don't take guys to bed unless I know a little about them. I do my research. I have connections too."

"Were you careful?" he asked, quietly.

"Yes," she replied, no hesitation. "And I'm not the kind of girl who normally does quick hook-ups, but Leo is nice. We really hit it off and if you hadn't scared him off, you might have seen exactly why I'm attracted to him."

"Can't be his fashion sense," Elliot chirped.

"Oh shut up," Mia shook her head. "Eat your continental and pull up your big boy pants. So your little sister has a sex life, get over it."

Elliot sulked into his chair, folding his arms and looking like a petulant child.

"For the record – and to solidify my position as your favourite brother," Christian spoke, leaning forward to look at Mia again. "I don't begrudge the fact you have a sex life. I don't believe it should be one rule for men and another for women. Yes, I find it weird because you are my baby sister, but as long as you are being careful, safe and responsible, then I will support you. I'm not going to criticise you for having a life."

"You don't need to worry," she said.

"I will never not worry about you," he shook his head. "Ask Ana, it's just part of who I am. I'm a worrier."

"And paranoid," Elliot added.

"And grumpy," Kate contributed.

"Obsessive –"

"Fuck all of you!" Christian grumbled, slumping back in his seat. "Why has this suddenly turned into an attack Christian's personality party?"

"Aw, baby," I pouted. I leaned into him and rested my chin on his arm. "Don't listen to them. You might be those things but you're my paranoid, grumpy, obsessive man. And I love you in spite of it."

"That only partially fills me with relief," he huffed. He turned his chin down and frowned. "I'm not grumpy, am I?"

"You are," I nodded. "You are a real grumpy bastard at times. A complete nightmare to live with."

"Why are you marrying me?"

"Because you're hot," I shrugged, managing to keep a straight face. "And you're rich."

"Thank god for small mercies."

"Indeed," I nodded. "Now, can we all get through the rest of breakfast without fighting? I want to hit the spa again. I need a massage after last night. My back is killing me!"

"Mine too," Kate grimaced. "I've pulled every muscle in my back and stomach."

"And while you're hitting the spa, I'm going to be hitting the fucker that poisoned you both," Christian declared. "I'll rip off his balls and shove them down his throat."

"Have fun," I smirked.

"Oh, I intend to."