***
We are waiting for dessert, Stevie filling me in on an art piece she is working on, when she halts her sentence midway, eyes widening like a deer in headlights.
She immediately whips her head away from me, ducking, her long ponytail almost smacking me in the face.
“Stevie?”
“Shhhh,” she hisses, one hand coming up to shield the side of her face.
I go to turn my head, but she grips my thigh. “Don’t you even think about looking, Aleksander. Just lean forward and block me, okay?”
I pitch forward, folding my arms across the table, effectively sheltering Stevie with my chest.
“You want to give me a clue here, babe?”
“Decker and my ex just walked in.”
Well, now I really want to turn around. Neither of them should recognize me. I’ve never met Decker as Aleksander, but I also don’t want to risk it. The dude has a vendetta against me, and if Stevie was able to clock Parker after a few meetings, there is a chance Decker could do the same. I might hate the guy, but I don’t underestimate him—Decker is smart, sly, a Grade-A manipulator. I might be able to beat him most of the time, but that’s only because I know not to undervalue his abilities.
Chase, on the other hand, I would love to see. I want him to witness what he gave up, what he lost. How stupid he was for it, but how grateful I am because now she is mine.
I see our waitress exit the kitchen with our melopita and curse.
“Shit, the dessert’s coming. Want me to get it to go? Grab the check?”
“Ugh. Why couldn’t the assholes have waited until after dessert.”
The waitress gets closer.
“Stevie,” I warn her.
“Yes, yes, to go. Dammit.” Her voice is laced with bitterness.
I shoot off a quick text to Francis letting him know we need to be picked up. Now.
I angle my body even farther away from the main entrance, facing the waitress. I’m quick to put out my hand to stop her. “Sorry, we are going to need this to go. Can we have the check? ASAP.” My attempt at a casual smile doesn’t stop the tension from holding in my eyes.
“Oh, sure, not a problem. I’ll be right back.”
The waitress twists around and almost bumps into none other than Daniel-fucking-Decker, who is deep in conversation with the blond man behind him. She pulls back, offering her sincerest apologies. Decker’s mask is nothing other than perfection as he smiles at her, touching her shoulder to steady her, telling her it’s fine. She apologizes again before stepping around him and back to the kitchen.
“Face me,” I whisper to Stevie. In one swift movement, she dips her body, leaning her opposite elbow on the table to face me. She angles her head away by resting it on the tips of her fingers, making it look lazy even though she is tense as fuck.
Decker rolls his eyes once the waitress disappears. Then his eyes slip to me, giving me a pointed once over before continuing on. Chase passes behind him, only sparing me a quick glance. I see the second his eyes slip to Stevie, gaze a little more assessing as he scans her body like the slime he is. My heart rate is a million beats per minute. His eyebrows raise in appreciation before he takes a step away. I let out a breath but suck it back when Chase suddenly halts. He flips around, bending his body low to the table.
“Steffy?”
Fuck.
I look down at her, and she holds my gaze. I watch as the anxiety switches to steel, her eyes narrowing to catlike, a mask of unaffected seduction slipping on. I match her stroke for stroke, making the switch from Aleksander to Blade. I roll my shoulders back, leaning lazily against the back of my chair, legs spread farther apart.
Stevie slowly swivels her tilted head on her fingertips, looking him up and down before letting a saccharine smile spill onto her face. She pushes off her fingertips and moves her left hand off my thigh and rests her chin in it, crooking her elbow on the table.
“Chasey,” she drips, “fancy seeing you here.” Her voice registers a few octaves higher than usual.
Chase gives me a better look this time. No dismissive glance. He completely judges me, his eyes flicking around my face and body, cataloging every inch. I watch his lip curl as he records my tattoos.
“Yes, well, you know I have a soft spot for Greek food.”
“Then I hope you enjoy your meal—” Stevie points to an empty table in the corner of the room. “—all the way over there.”
She gives him a quick, fake smile before casting him off with her hand. Chase’s jaw ticks at the movement.
“If it isn’t Lady Andwell!” Decker slings his arm around Chase, feline grin on his face.
His eyes flick to me. Decker doesn’t take as long as Chase did to stare me down, but he doesn’t have to. Decker’s a gamer; his mind works more quickly, catalogs details with speed. Not as fast as me, never as fast as me, but better than your average guy.
“Well, this doesn’t look like Lord Covington. Making the rounds are we, Stephanie?”
The taunt lies between us, and my anger bubbles at the tainted comment. Unfortunately, it spurs the flames within Chase again.
“A bit of a downgrade, Steffy. Really, hanging with the riff raff? At least Parker had decorum. This guy is,” Chase pauses, “unruly. What would your mother think?”
I’m right fucking here, but alright.
“Well, my mother loved you, so I don’t exactly trust her taste in my boyfriends.”
I see the shock slap Chase in the face and smirk. It doesn’t escape me that she just claimed me as her boyfriend. It’s not a conversation we’ve officially had, but it feels unspoken after the day we’ve experienced. And fuck if I don’t want her to be my girlfriend.
I place my hand on Stevie’s thigh, gripping it and pulling her chair toward me. We sit side by side now, her skin flush against mine. She brings that same thigh up, hooking it over my own, connecting us as one unit.
Chase watches the motion, my tattooed hand tracing the bare skin of his ex’s thigh.
“Daniel Decker.” Decker reaches his hand out to me.
“Aleks.” I’m careful to keep my voice neutral; if there’s one thing Decker will recognize, it’ll be that.
I don’t bother leaning forward, just hold my hand out and make Decker shift his stance to grip it. “Just Aleks?” He squeezes my hand.
“Just Aleks.” I don’t squeeze back harder, just apply pressure with my thumb onto the soft skin between his thumb and forefinger. Decker grits his jaw, pulling his hand back with a small shake.
Chase steps forward. “Stephanie, I told you. I’m not that serious about Fel. If this is all some ploy to—”
“Chase, stop.” She sits up straight now. “I told you last night, I’m done. I would’ve thought not responding to your texts or calls or stupid flowers would’ve confirmed that. I don’t want to have to block you, but I will. Hell, I’ll get a restraining order if I must. I’m not someone’s toy they can keep in a drawer to play with when they feel like it. I’m the first choice, the only choice.” She levels him with her stare. “I’m done, Chauncy Broadshire.” Her tone carries finality.
“What could he possibly offer you that I can’t?” Chase snarls.