Chapter 4
In the end, Olivia had no choice but to come along.
Sitting in the backseat, she watched as Emily–clearly familiar with the routine–slipped into the passenger seat without hesitation. And in that moment, Olivia understood why Emily had insisted on dragging her here.
She wanted her to see it. To see everything Jack did just for her.
When the engine started, Emily “accidentally” brushed her fingers against Jack’s hand as he shifted gears.
He didn’t pull away.
The light contact sent a sharp sting through Olivia’s chest. She remembered last month, during a training session, when she’d accidentally grazed the back of his hand–he’d pulled out a disinfecting wipe and scrubbed himself three times.
“Jack, try this,” Emily said sweetly, breaking apart a piece of honey lavender scones and holding it up to his lips. Her sugar–dusted fingers accidentally smeared a bit on the brass button of his uniform.
With Jack’s usual clean–freak nature, anyone else would’ve gotten a thirty–minute lecture.
But this time, when Emily gasped and reached out to wipe it off, Jack merely looked down–and let her.
It was a level of indulgence Olivia had never seen from him.
When they laid out the picnic blanket by the lake, Emily suddenly gasped, “Oh no! I forgot my canteen!”
Without a word, Jack handed her his.
Olivia stared at him. She remembered the last time she’d accidentally picked up that exact canteen–he had snatched it back and snapped, “I’m particular about hygiene.”
Now? Emily took a sip and deliberately left half a mouthful behind. “Here,” she said, smiling. “I saved you some.”
Jack took it and drank.
For the rest of the day, his eyes never left Emily. Not once.
Olivia trailed behind them like a ghost, silent and invisible, watching
1
Until Emily suddenly lifted her camera. “Jack, let’s take a picture
intimate little exchange.
gether!”
Jack didn’t do photos.
11
冬冬
Ever.
But this time, he didn’t say no.
With no one else around, he turned to Olivia and handed her the camera.
“You take it.”
Olivia took it slowly, raised the lens–and there they were. Jack standing behind Emily, one hand hovering protectively near her waist, as if ready to shield her from the world.
She clicked the shutter.
When she handed the camera back, Jack gave her a quick glance. There was a flicker of something in his eyes–confusion, maybe even surprise.
It wasn’t like her to stay quiet. If it had been before, she would’ve made a fuss. Insisted on being in the shot, or deliberately blurred the focus just to get under his skin.
But today, she’d done nothing,nor even stepped within arm’s reach of him.
He stared at her, like he wanted to say something.
But Emily jumped in with a bright smile. “Let me get one of you two, huh? Olivia’s had a crush on you forever. She deserves a little keepsake.”
Jack’s expression went cold. Instantly.
“No need,” he said curtly.
Then he turned to Olivia. “I’ll never feel that way about you.”
Chapter 4
Olivia gave a bitter little smile. What a coincidence. She didn’t like him anymore either.
Just then, dark clouds rolled in, and fat drops of rain began to fall.
Jack immediately shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over Emily’s head. “Stay here,” he said briskly. “I’ll get the car.”
As soon as he disappeared into the trees, Emily dropped the act and sneered, “You see that? No matter how hard you try to worm your way in, he only has eyes for me.”
Olivia didn’t bother responding. She turned to leave.
Then a piercing scream–Emily.
A snake shot out from the underbrush and sank its inter Panicking, she flailed–and in the chaos, flung the
snake straight
fangs into Emily’s
Pain shot through Olivia’s calf like fire. Her vision swam, and then
everything
When she came to, she was on a stretcher. Voices buzzed around her, sharp.
“Both ladies were bitten,” a nurse was saying. “But the bites are in different locations. Hart’s is worse the venom’s already spreading!”
“We’re out of antivenom!” someone shouted.
Then Jack’s voice, calm and clipped. “I have some. It’s on route.”
Moments later, one of his men came running, drenched in sweat, clutching a small case. He cracked it open.
“There’s only one dose left, sir. Who gets it first?”
Chapter 4
