Ahela, nodding, said, “I’ll get some more for Mr. Adam.”
Olivia laughed as Adam groaned. When Ahela said, she offered the plate of biscuits for Adam. He reluctantly took one of the squared pieces.
Olivia sensed that Adam wasn’t himself. His infectious grin wasn’t anywhere on his face. In fact, he looked as if he hadn’t slept in ages.
“Is all well with you, Adam?”
He nodded, but she didn’t believe him. He turned the biscuit in between his fingers. Olivia’s throat as she swallowed thickly.
Finally, he lifted his head, and she didn’t like the dullness she saw in the depths of his gray eyes.
“Olivia, I came here to tell you not to leave the orphanage in the coming days.”
Her eyes widened as her jaw dropped. Had somebody witnessed her attack the other day and told him about it?
Dashing her tongue across her dry lips, she asked, “What do you mean?”
“I’m worried about your safety.”
A frown settled on her face. “Why?”
Adam leaned back against his chair and let out a heavy breath. “Things have taken another turn with Gabe Winters.”
Olivia tried to busy her hands by picking up the glass of blackberry juice, but her hand shook so much she instead placed it on her lap.
“What happened?” Her voice came out as a croak.
Adam rose and paced the floor. His long, lean fingers went into his dark hair.
“Olivia, gunmen came after me yesterday when I was returning home from my investigations.”
Involuntarily, Olivia shot to her feet. “My God!” Her eyes became frantic as she searched his body for any sign of an injury. “Were you hurt?”
Adam had paused in his pacing to stare at her with an expression she didn’t understand.
Acknowledging that she had her dress held taut in her hands while her face lost all its color, Olivia instantly pushed herself down on the chair.
“I’m fine, Olivia.” He frowned. “I’m sorry for startling you. I didn’t want to tell you, but I want you to know that Gabe Winters would do anything to make sure he doesn’t go to jail. So, I need you to stay safe here.”
Olivia wrapped her arms around herself, wondering whether it would be wise to tell him about her own attack.
Adam, she could sense, was struggling to keep his anger under control. She watched him as he paced like a lion waiting to pounce on anyone who came near him. He held his body in such a tight coil, he simmered like a boiling cauldron.
If she told him what happened, she was afraid that he might explode and act irrationally, which might get him killed.
Her heart squeezed with pain at the thought of anything happening to him. She didn’t know what she would do if anything happened to him. She had lost so many people in her life, she didn’t want to lose him, too.
Her breath caught sharply in her throat at that moment when she came to a realization.
I’m in love with Adam.
The realization completely robbed her of words. Her face flushed as she stood there staring at him.
His eyes narrowed, and he tilted his head to the side. “Are you all right, Olivia?”
“I… I… I’m… I’m… fine.”
Olivia turned away as she stammered, her face becoming a deeper shade of red.
