Page 44 of Declan
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Elise pressed her back against the vinyl upholstery of the booth and stole another glance at Stephen across the dimly lit room. His gaze bore into her like a sharpened blade, and she felt a jolt of nerves skitter through her. She slid farther alongthe bench, dragging her plate with her so his eyes could no longer find her.
“What’s wrong?” Declan’s voice cut through her anxiety as he reached for the saltshaker. “Elise?” His brow creased in concern.
“Stephen keeps staring at me,” she whispered, her fingers tracing the rim of her wine glass. “So, I moved where he can’t see me.”
Declan’s jaw clenched, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the saltshaker. “Want me to have a word with him?”
“Please don’t,” she begged softly, leaning forward. “He’s trying to intimidate me, and I refuse to let him. He can’t see me now.”
Declan sighed. “I need to use the restroom. Will you be alright?”
“Yes, don’t worry about me.”
Declan nodded. “I’ll be right back.” He folded his cloth napkin, slid from the booth, and strode toward the back corridor.
Elise hoped Declan wasn’t too long as she sat there alone, but her solace shattered when she spotted Stephen rising from his seat, gliding toward her booth like a dark shadow at dusk. Her stomach knotted as she watched him draw nearer.
She kept her eyes fixed on her plate, summoning courage like a shield. When Stephen loomed over her, she finally dared to look up.
“Go away, Stephen,” she hissed, her voice trembling just enough for him to hear. “Declan will be back in a minute, and he won’t like seeing you here.”
A cruel smirk curled the corner of Stephen’s mouth. Elise’s pulse thundered, and she almost wished she could wipe that smug expression from his face.
“Do you think I’m afraid of him?” he taunted, leaning in soclose she could smell whiskey on his breath.
Elise forced a laugh, brittle as dry leaves. “Yes, I do.”
Stephen’s eyes narrowed. “Well, I’m not. You dropped me so you could go out with him.”
Her chest tightened. “I didn’t…dropyou. I stopped seeing you for several reasons. It had nothing to do with Declan. I want nothing to do with you. Just keep dropping Jenny off like you have been. Someone will watch for her.”
“If I want to take my daughter inside, I will,” he spat, voice low and dangerous.
“As long as you don’t cause any problems, we’ll be happy to have her. She’s a sweet child and loves to dance,” Elise said softly.
Before Stephen could reply, Declan’s deep voice rumbled. “What are you doing here, Johnston?” He stood, folding his arms and leaning against the booth’s high back, his broad frame blocking the dim overhead light.
Stephen glanced between them, his jaw ticking as he weighed his next move. “Just saying hello to Elise. Isn’t that right, Elise?”
“No, it’s not,” she said firmly. “Please leave.”
Declan’s tone dropped to a sharp edge. “You heard her. Leave.”
Stephen’s eyes flicked back to Declan. For a moment, the air sizzled with tension. Then Stephen straightened, voice cold as ice. “One day, Cavanaugh—”
“One day… what?” Declan took a step forward, and Stephen recoiled.
His gaze shifted once more, at Elise, at Declan, and with a final glare, he turned and drifted back to his table. Elise exhaled, the breath coming in a rush of relief.
Declan slid back into the booth, easing into his seat. He picked up his knife and fork, the metal glinting under the warmglow of the hanging lamp.
“You weren’t gone very long,” she said with suspicion in her voice.
Declan grinned. “I just wanted to disappear for a minute to see if he made a move.” He shrugged. “He did.”
Elise let out a shaky sigh. “He scares me.”
