Chapter 14
Ruby’s hands began to shake as she placed her glass of champagne on the table, fighting the urge to flee.
Jaxon’s presence in the restaurant was unnerving, his calm demeanor belied by the malice in his eyes.
She kept in gulping down for a time as she watched Jaxon take a sit at a table not too far from where she sat with Kevin.
“Are you alright?” Kevin asked, sensing her uneasiness.
“Yes, yes, yes I’m fine..” Ruby stuttered, forcing out a laugh as she put a mouthful of Escargot in her mouth as she chewed quickly and nervously.
What did hell was Jaxon doing in the restaurant?? At least get wasn’t making trouble, she was sure he wouldn’t approach her as he did not want to be seen with her, but she still felt uneasy.
Jaxon sat at his table, his gaze never straying from Ruby. He sipped at his drink, watching her with predatory intent. He knew that she was aware of his presence, and could feel the fear radiating off of her. It pleased him.
Ruby tried her best to maintain her composure, but her every move was fraught with nervous energy.
Kevin gave her a questioning look, but Ruby just smiled weakly and took another sip of her champagne, hoping that the drink would help to steady her nerves.
“Are you okay Ruby?” Kevin asked again in concern as she did not give a reply to his first question.
She was suddenly acting strange all of a sudden.
“Yes, I’m fine..” Ruby replied, trying to keep her voice steady, as she kept on stuffing her mouth with food.
“Are you sure you’re fine? Why are you acting so strange all of a sudden?” He asked, his brows furrowed.
“You’re sweating” he pointed at Ruby’s forehead.
“I am?” Ruby asked in surprise.
“Yes, you are,” Kevin said, his brows still furrowed in concern. He reached out and took a napkin, gently dabbing at the beads of sweat on Ruby’s forehead.
“Are you feeling sick?”
Ruby’s eyes flicked over to Jaxon’s table, where he sat watching their interaction with a twisted smirk.
“I’m fine,” she insisted, mustering a smile. “Just a little nervous, that’s all.”
Kevin looked unconvinced, his expression dubious, but he decided to keep it cool as he returned to his food.
“Um… I think I’ll have to leave now” Ruby suddenly blurted out.
“What? Why? We just got here and I still plan on taking you somewhere else, so why the rush? I thought you were free today?” Kevin asked curiously as Ruby thought of another lie.
“Yes, I was but….” She drew out, as she thought hard on a lie.
“Duty call!” She exclaimed, bringing out her phone from her bag as she showed it to Kevin.
“Duty calls?”
“Yes, duty calls” she confirmed.
“But you didn’t get a call..” he reasoned, trying to recall if Ruby got a call from anybody.
“Umm.. I..” Ruby stammered, she totally forgot that she had switched off her phone.
“Uh-huh,” Kevin said, raising an eyebrow skeptically.
“You’re telling me you need to leave because of ‘duty calls’, but your phone didn’t even ring?”
“Yes, it didn’t..” Ruby inhaled deeply as she placed her phone under the table, switching it back on.
“I got a text from a friend. I’m really sorry that I’m calling this off so abruptly Kevin. But my friend needs me back at work. I’m so sorry..” Ruby sincerely apologized, as she would have wished to say.
But with the devil’s presence in the restaurant, she just couldn’t stay.
Not when Jaxon was staring at her so wickedly and to crown it all, she ignored his calls.
Kevin seemed to be considering her words, his expression softening slightly.
“Is everything alright with your friend?” he asked, concern creeping into his voice.
Ruby nodded, willing herself to hold his gaze. “Yes, it’s just… she’s in a bit of a situation and she needs my help.”
Kevin nodded, though he still looked a bit uncertain.
“Okay, well…I hope everything is okay,” he sighed, signaling for the waiter to come, so he would pay for what they had bought.
Kevin paid the waiter with his card. He stood up from the chair, Ruby doing the same as well.
“Thank you” she muttered to Kevin as they walked towards the door.
“I really had a great dinner thanks to you..” she confessed.
“Me too,” Kevin said, though he was kind of sad that it came to an end too soon.
Just when they were about to step out of the door, Ruby got a text.
She checked the message with shaky hands, it was from Jaxon.
He asked her to wait for him outside.
Ruby could only groan inwardly as she grumbled. Now she had to make up another excuse, so Kevin would leave without her.
“I’ll drop you off..” he offered as they walked to his car but Ruby immediately shook her head.
“No, no Don’t bother..” she uttered quickly.
“But why? You sounded so urgent to leave?” He reasoned as Ruby sucked in a deep breath.
“Yes, but you should leave without me. I’m taking a cab”
“Why take a cab when your friend owns a car, come on. I’ll drop you off”
“No thank you, Kevin. You’ve done enough for me today. You can go now. Please..” Ruby begged, hoping he’d just agree and leave.
“Okay,” he sighed to her relief.
“I’ll leave. Take care. I’ll call you later” he waved at her as Ruby waved back.
She watched as she got into his car and drove away.
Ruby felt relieved as Kevin left, now she had to deal with the real trouble.
Why did Jaxon come? How did he even know of her location?
Her eyes darted amongst the fleet of cars as she tried to find Jaxon’s car.
Soon she found the car, it stood out among other cars, it was the same car he brought that night.
She walked over there and began to wait for jaxom patiently.
Twenty minutes, thirty minutes, he had still not come out of the restaurant.
Ruby soon began to feel like an idiot as she even watched people come and leave, but she was still standing, waiting under the sun.
She grunted in frustration. Why was Jaxon taking so long?
She scoffed and already had enough, so she decided to leave.
If he wanted to talk to her, he knew where to find her.
She was about to leave when she was suddenly grabbed by her wrists.