Chapter 17

Adam leaned in close, his gaze locked onto hers as he lifted the spoon to his mouth, licking off the remaining cream. Melanie turned her head away, blushing at the intimacy. It was not that big a deal but to her, it almost felt like an indirect kiss…
But just then, Adam stiffened.
Then his voice dropped, turning into a low, dangerous growl.
“Who hit you?”
Melanie blinked, momentarily caught off guard. It took her a second to realize what had happened—Adam had only just noticed her swollen cheek. When he first walked in, the dim lighting and Spencer’s presence had kept it hidden. But now, when she turned her head away, there was no disguising the ugly bruise blooming across her skin.
Heat crept up her neck as a wave of self-consciousness hit her. She knew exactly how bad it looked. After all, she’d had to work hard to cover it up in the past.
Before she could find the words to respond, Adam cursed under his breath. His hands clenched at his sides as he placed the plate and spoon aside, slowly, his entire frame taut with barely restrained fury.
“I’m going to teach him a lesson,” he said, his voice dangerously quiet as he turned toward the door, already set on a path of vengeance.
Adam halted instantly, his head snapping back to her. His eyes darkened with suspicion. “Are you seriously lying to protect him?” His voice was sharp, edged with frustration. “After everything he’s done to you? After he laid his hands on you—”
“No,” she interrupted, shaking her head vehemently. “It wasn’t Spencer.”
His jaw tightened. “Then who?”
She swallowed hard, lowering her voice. “It was your mother.”
Silence crashed between them even as Melanie felt a slight warmth in her heart.
Adam didn’t move. He just stood there, breathing heavily, his expression unreadable. But the shift in his energy was unmistakable—tension coiled tight in his muscles, barely contained fury radiating off him in waves. She realized that she was still holding onto his wrist and she hurriedly let go.
He looked down at his hand that she had let go of and then, without a word, he turned sharply on his heel and strode toward the cabinets.
A few seconds later, he returned, and placed the small jar on the table.
Melanie reached for the ointment, but before her fingers could close around it, Adam pulled out a barstool from near the island and sat down. In one swift motion, he grabbed her wrist and tugged her forward, guiding her until she stood between his spread thighs.
She tensed at the sudden proximity, her heart thudding a little faster as she looked down at their position
Wordlessly, Adam unscrewed the jar, dipping his fingers into the cool salve. The sharp, medicinal scent filled the space between them as he lifted his hand, his gaze locked onto hers for a brief moment before he gently spread the ointment against her swollen cheek.
Melanie winced at the sudden chill, instinctively jerking her face away. “It’s cold!” she tried to protest.
Adam scoffed, unimpressed. “Good,” he said dryly. “Hopefully, it’ll wake you up from your stupidity.”
The soft tension between them shattered in an instant.
Melanie’s eyes snapped up, her earlier self-consciousness replaced by a sharp glare. “Excuse me?” she hissed.
Adam didn’t flinch. His fingers pressed a little more insistently against her cheek as he continued applying the ointment with measured precision. “You heard me. Already, you know everything, but still you are using your heart instead of your brain, instead of taking me up on the offer.”
Melanie jerked her head away, thinking back to what he had offered in the private room.
“I told you I need some time to think this through! I cannot take your word for it only! Does that make me an stupid? I don’t think so…”
Adam exhaled sharply through his nose, his fingers stilling for just a second before he caught her chin with his other hand to stop her from jerking away and then resumed his task. “It does make you stupid if you’re just going to stand there and take the slaps. What, were you planning on pretending nothing happened? And continue with the so called thinking? You are wasting your time and mine.”
With that Adam slid the stool away from her and stood up at these words while Melanie paled. ” You said you were willing to give me time to think things through.”
Adam’s mouth lifted in a smirk then,”Hmm. You have a week to agree. The same amount of time Spencer needs to woo you…”
He walked back to her then,” Don’t take losses for liabilities, Melon. Hmm?”