Chapter 3 – The Room Goes Quiet

Elise shoved at the man’s chest again. His friends stayed close, blocking the path between the tables. The hand on her ass pressed harder for a second before he finally let go.

“I said no,” she told them. Her voice came out tighter than she wanted. “Move.”

The one who had grabbed her tilted his head. “We’re offering to help you. Don’t act like you’re too good for it.”

“I don’t need that kind of help.”

She tried to step sideways. One of them shifted and cut her off. The tray in her hands felt useless. Her pulse hammered in her throat. Heat still lingered low in her body from the unwanted touch, and she hated that it was there at all.

Then the front door opened.

Three men in dark suits walked in first. They scanned the room once. Behind them came a taller man. He wore a black coat and thin rectangular glasses. The second he stepped inside, the music seemed quieter. Conversations stopped mid-sentence. People turned to look and then looked away just as fast.

The three men around Elise froze. One of them muttered something under his breath and stepped back. The others followed. In a few seconds the space around her opened up. They moved toward the far wall like they wanted to disappear.

Elise didn’t wait. She turned and walked straight toward the side door that led to the back. Her hands shook around the tray. She only needed to get out of sight long enough to breathe.

The bartender’s voice stopped her.

“Hart. Get over here.”

She turned. He stood behind the counter with a new bottle in his hand and a hard look on his face.

“I need a minute,” she said.

“No. Private booth in the back just filled. VVIP. You’re on it. Take this tray, keep your mouth shut, and don’t drop anything.”

Elise’s stomach dropped. “Someone else can do it.”

“You’re the one working off a tab. Move.”

He set two glasses and a bottle on a clean tray and pushed it toward her. Elise stared at it for a second, then picked it up. The weight settled in her arms. She walked toward the rear of the bar where a half-wall and heavy curtain marked the private section.

One of the men in suits stood outside the curtain. He looked her over once and nodded for her to go in.

Elise stepped through.

The booth was larger than she expected. Dark leather seats. Low light. The tall man with the glasses sat alone on the far side. He held a short glass in one hand and studied the liquid inside it. He didn’t look up when she entered.

Elise kept her eyes on the table. She set the tray down carefully and began placing the glasses.

“Do you need anything else?” she asked, voice low.

He didn’t answer right away. She finished arranging the bottle and took a half step back, ready to leave.

“Elizabeth,” he said.

The name hit her like a slap. She stopped moving. Her fingers tightened on the edge of the tray.

He still hadn’t lifted his head. He turned the glass slowly between his fingers.

“How do you know my name?” she asked.

Only then did those cold eyes lift and lock onto the rise of her breasts.