Adele spun around. “I know, I know. Alex doesn’t want me talking to his precious little Olivia,” she spat out vindictively.

Marshall took a few steps toward her. “You have no idea, do you? Do you know how precious she really is?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

Adele exhaled loudly. “I don’t care about that.”

“What if I said I know someone who could make it worth your while to care?”

Adele lowered her voice. “I’m listening.”

“My boss will offer you ten million to do something for him.”

Adele looked at Marshall, questioning her. “Alex wants me to do something for him?”

“No, not Alex. Someone else entirely.”

“Agent Marshall…”

“So, can you help us or not? Ten million could certainly go a long way, Miss Peters.”

Adele stood there and thought about that. She could stop chasing rich guys and finally provide for herself. “What do I have to do?”

“When the time comes, you’ll receive a piece of very important information.” She handed Adele a burner phone. “And your only job is to use that information to drive a wedge between Alexander and his little Olivia. Follow?”

“Well, how do I do that?”

“Oh, Miss Peters. You’re smart enough to figure it out, I’m sure,” she said before narrowing her gaze at her, her voice stern. “You mention a word of this to anyone, and I don’t think I need to spell out what the consequences will be.”

“Agent Marshall…”

“Please. Call me Cheryl. Do we have an agreement?”

Adele paused briefly before sighing. “Yes, Cheryl.”

“Good.” Marshall turned and walked back toward the ladies’ room. “And feel free to get a jump start. I’ll try to give you a wide berth.”

Adele stood there, holding onto the cell phone, thinking about what she just agreed to do. She knew that Alexander was happy with Olivia, and she did care about him. Could she live with herself if she caused their break-up? Well, if it led him back to her, maybe she could.

~~~~~~~~~~

Olivia needed some air after her confrontation with Adele. Quietly opening the door to the ladies’ room and scanning the lobby, she breathed a sigh of relief when she found it to be relatively clear, at least of her security team. She discreetly left the restroom, walking through the large lobby, her heels clicking loudly on the marble floor as she slid out the front door of the hotel.

She leaned against the brick building, thinking about what Adele had said. She knew so much about what Alexander liked intimately. Olivia knew that she wasn’t the only one, either. But then she thought about all the times that Alexander was so gentle with her, almost as if he was telling her something with the way he moved inside her body. Almost as if he…

No, Olivia thought. She pushed that thought far away, scared to even think about it.

CHAPTER FORTY

TOO SOON

IT WAS A CHILLY March night, but Nathan Roberts didn’t care as he sat on a bench on the outskirts of Boston Common Park, his eyes set on the Four Seasons. He was desperate to keep his eyes on Olivia. He knew Alexander was protecting her, but he couldn’t help himself. Nathan needed to keep her alive.

About three hours after he saw her enter the hotel with Alexander, he was shocked to see her walk through the front doors alone. His mind started to race. He kept his eyes trained on her, looking for anything suspicious as she leaned against the large building.

He watched her stand in the cold for several long minutes, shivering. He contemplated going up to her to give her his jacket, but he couldn’t approach her. He would risk her remembering, and he didn’t know what she knew already.

Nearly ten minutes after she exited the hotel, Nathan saw a frenzied motion from within the lobby. Turning his head in that direction, he saw Alexander and one other agent running.

~~~~~~~~~~

Fear covered Alexander’s face as he searched the lobby, frantically shouting something. He headed toward the front doors, yelling orders at his other agent.

“Olivia!” he bellowed, running outside, searching up and down Boylston Street, desperately looking for her. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her standing against the building, her teeth chattering.

“Jesus Christ, Olivia,” he said, running to her and wrapping his arms around her trembling body.

“What is it, Alex? What’s going on?” she asked, staring at him with a confused look on her face.

“I didn’t know where you were, love,” he said softly. “We were all so worried.” He embraced her tighter, pulling her to his body, planting kisses on her head. “You’re shivering.”

She looked up at him, her lips turning blue. “It’s freezing out here.”

Alexander peeled off his tuxedo jacket and draped it around her shoulders, covering her arms and back. As she gazed into his brilliant green eyes, she was immediately reminded of the night that they first met, amazed at how far they had come since then.

He tilted her chin back. “I was so worried that I lost you. Agent Marshall told me that Adele accosted you in the ladies’ room. I want you to understand that you mean so much more to me than she knows, Olivia. I hope you know that.”

She exhaled. “I know, Alexander. I know Adele’s just trying to get me angry with you. We both have a past, but all I care about is the present. You’re my present, Alexander, and I know I’m yours. It’s going to take a lot more than some vindictive words to make me run. I told you. I’m done running.”

He pressed his lips to hers, kissing her with such passion, telling her with his mouth how important she was to him. She reached up and clutched his face in her hands, pressing her body against his as he ran his hands over her.

Pulling out of the kiss, he stared down at her. “I need to stop kissing you or I’m going to take you up to a suite and fuck you until you can’t walk anymore,” he explained, his breathing labored as his eyes burned into her. “Okay?”

She stood on her toes and kissed his neck. “I think I’d enjoy that, Mr. Burnham.”

He moaned, pulling her head to his chest, warming her in the frigid March air. As he stood on the city streets holding her, Alexander scanned the area, an occupational hazard. His eyes landed on someone across the street on the edge of Boston Common Park. He squinted, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him.

“Let’s get you inside,” Alexander said, returning his gaze to Olivia when he felt her shivering in his arms.