Chapter 2 - The Man in the Booth
For one suspended second, Nora forgot how to breathe.
The stranger did not ask who she was or why she had landed on him like a person escaping a storm.
He simply shifted one arm around her waist and turned his attention toward Caleb.
The movement was controlled rather than possessive.
It created a boundary without turning Nora into another object in the room.
Caleb reached the table and stopped.
"Nora, get up."
Nora felt the stranger's hand remain steady at her side.
"Do you want to go with him?" he asked.
The question was so simple that it almost broke her composure.
Caleb answered before she could.
"This is private."
The stranger did not look at him.
He kept his eyes on Nora.
"I asked her."
Nora swallowed.
"No."
The stranger finally looked up.
His face became still in a way that made the entire booth seem quieter.
"Then she stays."
Caleb's eyes moved to the five bodyguards standing behind the booth.
None of them moved.
They did not need to.
"You have no idea what she has done," Caleb said.
"Maybe not."
The stranger reached for the crystal glass on the table and set it farther away from Nora's shaking hand.
"But I know what she just said."
Caleb leaned forward.
"Nora, stop embarrassing yourself."
Heat rushed into her face.
That sentence had controlled her for years.
Do not embarrass me.
Do not make a scene.
Do not tell people what happened behind closed doors.
She had confused silence with maturity because Caleb always praised her when she stayed quiet.
The stranger noticed the change in her expression.
"Name?" he asked softly.
"Nora."
"Nora, look at me."
She did.
"Do you have your own ride home?"
"My bag is upstairs."
"Phone?"
She held it up.
Caleb stared at the screen.
"That phone contains company information."
Nora's fear shifted into disbelief.
"It is my phone."
"With photographs of confidential documents."
The stranger's eyebrow lifted slightly.
"That sounds like something lawyers can discuss in daylight."
Caleb gave him a thin smile.
"Adrian, this does not concern you."
Nora turned toward the man holding her steady.
Adrian.
Caleb knew him.
More importantly, Caleb was cautious around him.
Adrian Vale leaned back against the booth.
"You walked into my club, followed a frightened woman through my private floor, and started issuing commands at my table."
His tone never rose.
"You made it concern me."
Caleb straightened.
"She stole financial records."
"I photographed documents with my name on them," Nora said.
"Because you were told not to."
Adrian looked at Nora again.
"Is your name on the records?"
"Yes."
"Did you sign them?"
"No."
Caleb's expression hardened.
"She is confused about what she authorized."
Adrian glanced toward one of his men.
"Marcus."
The largest bodyguard stepped forward.
"Sir."
"Have someone bring Ms. Bennett's bag from the private dining room."
Caleb immediately objected.
"No one touches anything upstairs."
Adrian looked almost amused.
"You are giving a lot of instructions in a building you do not own."
Caleb's face lost color for half a second.
Nora noticed.
Adrian noticed that she noticed.
Marcus walked away.
Caleb lowered his voice.
"You are making a mistake, Nora."
She gripped Adrian's jacket to stop her hand from shaking.
"Maybe."
Then she forced herself to meet Caleb's eyes.
"But for once, it will be my mistake."
Caleb stared at her for a long moment.
Then his phone buzzed.
He read the message and looked toward the staircase.
Something in his expression changed from anger to alarm.
Adrian saw it too.
"Problem?"
Caleb slipped the phone into his pocket.
"Not anymore."
He turned and walked away.
Nora watched him disappear into the crowd.
Only after he was gone did Adrian release his hold around her waist.
"You can sit beside me now."
Nora moved onto the booth cushion, embarrassed and still trembling.
"Thank you."
Adrian studied the staircase Caleb had used.
"Do not thank me yet."
May you like
His gaze sharpened.
"He did not leave because he gave up."
