Page 41 of Before the Night Falls
There were exactly ten roses.
Shakes overtook her.
Was Tyson the one doing this to her? Was this some kind of scheme to boost his ratings? Or was he truly evil?
She had no idea.
But her blood turned to ice at the thought.
* * *
Olivia sprinted from the office, ignoring Sheri’s questions as she hurried past.
She had to get away. She had to process what she’d found. Decide what to do next.
Reaching the elevator, she pressed the down button over and over again as if that would make it come faster.
She couldn’t wait any longer. Instead, she rushed to the stairs and pushed open the door.
She’d only taken two steps before she ran into an immovable, living and breathing brick wall.
“Olivia?” Tyson grasped her arms. “Where’s the fire?”
She snapped her gaze up to him. “It was you?”
“What was me?” His forehead scrunched.
“How could you?” she snapped. “I trusted you. Was offering a listening ear just to cover up the fact that you were the one?”
Tyson’s gaze fluttered behind her. Olivia was sure an audience of his employees were listening, but she didn’t care.
Apparently, Tyson did care. He pulled her into the stairwell, and the door snapped closed behind them.
At once, her lungs tightened.
She should have waited for the elevator.
She hadn’t been thinking. Only reacting.
But shehatedconfined spaces.
Of course, she hadn’t expected to run into Tyson in the stairwell.
But she had. What were the odds?
Fear coursed through her, and she tried to control her breathing.
Tyson stared at her, concern showing in his gaze, in his wrinkled forehead. “What are you talking about, Olivia? What do you mean about me being the one?”
“I found the roses under your desk.” Her voice sounded hoarse. “I might have dismissed them if there had been twelve or eighteen or any other number. But ten? How could you?”
Tyson squinted as if confused. “Olivia, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He sounded convincing, but she’d seen the evidence.
“The roses.” Tears threatened to stream down her face. “There are ten roses under your desk.”
“I haven’t bought any roses since . . .” He looked into space. “Since I saw my mother six months ago. I wasn’t aware there were any roses in my office.”
