From Ashes of Scandal to His Embrace (Laurinda) novel Chapter 173

Sam could feel Adolphus watching him, which made him realize he’d definitely overreacted. He offered up a sheepish grin, hoping to smooth things over.

He plopped back down on the sofa and started scrolling through his phone, trying to find any updates about Jasper. Nothing. Not a single piece of news. Sam’s face went blank and he couldn’t help but wish he knew the genius who’d managed the online cleanup.

Adolphus wrapped up his video call, took a sip from his water, then reached for his coat hanging over the chair. He was clearly getting ready to head out.

“Adolphus, are you going to see Laurinda?” Sam asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

Adolphus paused, caught by the tone in Sam’s voice. He glanced back, one eyebrow raised. “What’s up?”

“It’s nothing big. I just wanted to ask... Laurinda’s really good with computers, isn’t she?”

“She’s amazing. Last time you went missing, she was the one who tracked you down. If you have something to say, just say it.”

Adolphus leaned back against his desk, eyeing Sam. It was obvious Sam was holding something back.

“Come on, out with it. If you don’t, I’m leaving.”

Sam hesitated, then finally said, “I was hoping Laurinda could help crack a code. My dad’s company has been stuck with it for ages. They’ve hired all kinds of experts, but no one’s figured it out. Do you think Laurinda might be willing to take a look?”

Adolphus slipped on his coat, pulled out his phone, and called Laurinda.

When she picked up, her voice sounded sleepy and muffled. “Are you about to go to bed?”

“No, I’m reading. Are you coming back tonight?” Laurinda asked, her voice soft.

Hearing her, Adolphus remembered what York had told him. He’d gone all the way to Northland for Laurinda, quietly protecting her without her knowing.

“I’ll be home soon. Sam needs help with a code. Do you have time?”

She heard the worry in his voice and buried her face in his shoulder, letting out a soft laugh. “No, nothing happened. I just missed you a little, that’s all. Haven’t seen you all day.”

Her voice was gentle, with just a hint of playfulness. It made Adolphus’s chest feel warm and soft, and for a second, he wanted to just blurt out everything he felt for her.

“Laurinda.”

“Yeah?” She answered, her voice lazy and sweet, sending a little shiver down his spine. He swallowed, hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

“What’s got into you?” Laurinda looked up, noticing how red his ears were.

That’s when she realized how close they were, how intimate this was. He was a normal guy, she was an adult. She understood what she was doing.

“Um… do you want a late-night snack? We had barbecue earlier and the butler saved you some. I can go heat it up if you’re hungry.”