Taming the War

Chapter Ten

A D A M

My eyes remained trained towards the two large wooden doors separating the hallway and Blair’s office. I tried to help it but beads of sweat formed on my forehead accompanied by the sudden lump in my throat as the remnants of yesterday’s elevator incident kept popping up in my mind.

I was never the kind of man to break my composure in front of anyone, especially ladies — figured I need the charm to warm my bed whenever I were having a shitty night, though it was rare considering how my job takes up most of my personal time. But with Blair, hell was ready to break loose the moment she breathed my way.

Shivers creeped beneath my skin and the cold, impassive face I’ve always had broke into tiny shards of panic. Up until now, I’m still trying to grasp how the fuck she managed to bring out such unknown reaction from me no one ever managed before.

I clenched my fists behind my back, my gaze travelling towards Blair who sat on her swivel chair, her right leg crossed over the other, biting her lower lip as she scrolled down her iPad.

I gritted my teeth as I breathed deeply, trying to decipher what her current attitude meant. Since earlier this morning, as I waited for her in the living room of their manor, she only held eye contact with me for no more than a minute. Every now and then, she threw words behind her back knowing full well I was following her quietly. She gave me a quick rundown of the errands she had to do today.

I can’t quite comprehend if her sudden need to avoid me was because of the conversation we had yesterday, or because she was just too busy to spare me a second glance.

Either way, it makes me just as furious.

Blair yawned, her palm reaching up to cover her mouth. For the past two hours, she’d already asked her personal assistant for two cups of black coffee, no sugar, yet, she’s still in the brink of slumber. But she only kept shaking her head and took a quick sip of her coffee as if that did so much to diminish the tiredness she felt.

“Adam?” She suddenly called out, startling me, but not enough to make me flinch — my job description won’t appreciate it if I did.

I cleared my throat, “Yes, ma’am?”

“How long would it take to drive me to Black and Brews?” She asked casually, her eyes never leaving the screen of the device.

The Black and Brews café was the place where she frequents to, as she said so earlier when she shared her schedule with me. The café wasn’t that far from here, but it might still take a couple of minutes or so depending on the flow of traffic.

“Approximately twenty minutes, ma’am.” I answered.

She nodded silently, placing the iPad down on her desk. She ran hand down her face, not afraid of ruining her make-up — or maybe because she was not just wearing make-up at all, and if she were, I’m having a hard time distinguishing it from her bare face. She looks just as mesmerizing either way. Though, I would never admit that out loud. I can sense that she’ll be building her walls higher if that fact ever slipped my lips.

“I’m getting coffee,” she mumbled, her head turning side to side, probably looking for her bag. I looked to my side from where I was sitting behind her, then my eyes landed on her bag which she thrusted towards my hand earlier without looking at me before she made herself comfortable on her chair, as if it was something she unconsciously did.