She hesitates, then she slides around to my side of the booth, and I wrap my arm around her shoulders.Pull her close.Not sexual.Not demanding.Just protective.Safe.
She doesn't pull away, just leans into me, face pressed against my chest, shaking silently.
I hold her, one hand on her back, the other still holding hers, letting her take what she needs.
"What's his name?"I ask quietly."His full name."
She's quiet for a moment.Then, "Declan Fahy."
Declan Fahy.
I repeat it in my head, over and over.Burning it into memory.
Because Declan Fahy is a dead man.He just doesn't know it yet.
"He's not coming near you again," I murmur against her hair."I promise."
"You can't promise that."
"Watch me."
She pulls back slightly and looks up at me.Her eyes are red, face blotchy from crying, but there's something else there now.Not quite hope, but maybe the beginning of it.
"I should get back to work," she says quietly.
"Yeah.Okay."
But when I move to let her go, she stops me.Her hand grabs my wrist.Light touch, barely there, but it's enough.
"Don't...leave yet," she whispers."Please."
My chest tightens."I'm not going anywhere."
She nods and wipes her face, slides out of the booth, then heads back behind the bar where Ciara's covering for her.
I stay in the booth for a minute, just breathing.Processing.
Then I move back to my usual seat at the bar.Where she can see me.Where I can watch the door.
Where I can make sure Declan Fahy doesn't get within a hundred feet of her without going through me first.
* * *
The rest of the afternoon passes quietly.I nurse a pint.Watch Enya work.She's still tense, still exhausted, but there's something different now.
She glances at me occasionally.Not with fear or frustration, just...checking.Making sure I'm still there.
And I am.I will be.For as long as she needs.
Because she gave me his name.Told me what he's like.Let me hold her while she cried.
That's trust.Maybe not complete trust.Not yet.But it's a start.
And it's enough to start a war.
Declan Fahy wants to play games?Wants to watch and wait and terrorize the woman I?—
I stop that thought before it finishes.
