Page 39 of From Ice to Grace
“I’m leaving,” I say, my throat suddenly tight.
I spin on my heel and collide with another body. Champagne spills all over my dress, cold and sticky.
My gaze lifts and I find Melissa standing there with an angry look on her face.
“Watch where you’re going,” she hisses, right as a flash goes off, near blinding.
Declan steps closer, his date tailing along. He reaches for me and I rip away from him.
“Don’t touch me,” I grind out, my gaze daggers of anger and shame. If it wasn’t for him, blonde Barbie wouldn’t even be here. I look between Melissa and Lynn, realization dawning.
“You brought two dates?” I ask, unable to help myself. “Classy.”
Declan’s jaw tightens. “I didn’t?—”
“He’s here with me,” Melissa cuts in, sliding her arm possessively into Declan’s who looks down at it, a small frown forming between his eyes. Lynn is just standing there with her eyes wide open, probably wondering why she’s stepped into this death trap.
Another flash goes off.
Looking at her stuck to his side, I can’t stop myself.
“Oh don’t pretend like you care. Last night you were more preoccupied with your instagram account than with him.”
The words hang between us, regret already burning through me. The problem is obviously not me trying to keep these words in…it’s that they shouldn’t even have been there in the first place.
I spin away, desperate to escape, but my heel slips on the puddle of champagne on the floor. My feet slip out from under me, and I brace for impact?—
A pair of strong arms catch me before I hit the floor. Another flash goes off.
“Easy there,” Declan murmurs, his breath warm against my ear. His dark eyes meet mine, his gaze not filled with sarcasm but something that looks dangerously like concern.
Another hand clamps down on his shoulder and pulls him away from me.
“Why don’t you back off, Murphy?” EJ’s voice is a growl, low and filled with anger. He moves in front of me, immediately shrugging off his jacket and reaching to settle it around my shoulders like some kind of shield.
Something inside me snaps.
“Stop EJ. Just stop it.” My voice cracks, my eyes burning with tears. “I can take care of myself.”
I toss off his jacket, turn and leave the room, the whispers, the flashing cameras.
“Avah!” EJ’s voice calls from behind.
Another voice cuts through, rough and sharp. Declan.
But I don’t look back. I can’t.
9
DECLAN
“Avah!” I call after the woman who just landed herself in the middle of my messy life.
The night air is cool and refreshing after the circus that just went down inside.
At least for a second until the reporters stick their cameras in my face, their questions in tow. They’re all taking a picture of me, while the woman who’s been on my mind a lot lately is driving away in a cab.
I take a step forward, but Jenn’s voice slices through the crowd. “Declan.”
