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She gasps when she finds me staring at her once more, her head shaking slightly as if to tell me off before she gazes over my shoulder.

Looking back, I find her staring longingly at the bathroom.

Heat stirs within me as dirty, wicked thoughts I certainly should not be having during her mother’s birthday party fill my mind.

But before she gets a chance to make a break for it, waiters appear and food lands in front of us.

The scent immediately makes my stomach growl, and my mouth waters as I stare down at the ravioli, mushrooms and truffles.

As uncouth as ever, both Nico and Alex dive straight in without waiting for everyone to have their plates. Not that anyone at our table gives a shit. I’m pretty sure Cassandra would have something to say about it, though, if her own table weren’t too busy blowing smoke up her arse.

Silence begins to fall over the room as everyone eats, but my eyes still barely leave my girl as she pokes her own food around her plate.

Both Alex and Jerome notice and check in on her, and it fucking kills me that I can’t do the same.

No sooner have the starters been cleared than the mains are landing in front of us, once again halting Calli’s escape.

The food is mouth-watering. The venison is tender and perfect, but I don’t enjoy it as much as I know I would if I were sitting next to her, finding out what was really causing those shadows in her eyes that she’s playing off as her lingering hangover.

The more I watch her, the more I call bullshit on that story.

It’s probably my presence that has her on edge, but fuck. I hate it.

Finally, she sits back after once again pushing her food around her plate, places her napkin on the table, and excuses herself.

I force my eyes to the table, not wanting anyone to catch me watching her walk away.

“What the fuck are you waiting for?” Isla whispers in my ear.

“I can’t, I. What if Nico notices?”

“Seriously?” she asks, shooting a glance at him. I follow her line of sight to see him throw his head back on a booming laugh at something Toby and Jodie are telling him. “He won’t bat an eyelid.”

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I slide it out, finding a message from the arsehole on the other side of the table.

Alex: I’ve got your back. Just go and get your girl.

Fuck it.

I follow her move, push my chair back and head for the bathroom as if nothing unusual is happening.

Thankfully, no other women are heading in the same direction, and I just have to hope that none are already in the bathroom, because that could get awkward fast.

The door to the ladies’ is just falling closed as I rush down the hallway and catch it, slipping inside and flipping the lock I thankfully find on the inside.

Calli is just about to slip into one of the cubicles before my voice rips through the air.

“Stop.”

She immediately does as she’s told, her spine straightening and her shoulders tensing, but she doesn’t turn around. She doesn’t do anything, and it makes a wave of fear wash through me.

“Calli, please. I just need—”

“You shouldn’t be in here,” she says in a weak, broken voice.

My feet carry me across the room without any instruction from my brain until I’m standing right behind her. Her scent fills my nose and my muscles ache with the need to wrap her in my arms and never let her go.

“I’m sorry,” I blurt. “I’m sorry for everything I said from the moment I woke you up that morning. It was all bullshit. You were right. I was scared. I’m nothing but a coward and I don’t deserve a second chance with you, but—”