Chapter 11

Claire's POV "Move, you bitch! This is my seat." I looked up from my wine glass, the harsh command cutting through the restaurant's gentle murmur. Nicole Montgomery stood a few feet away, her perfect features twisted into a sneer. Behind her, three equally polished women hovered like well-dressed satellites, their expressions mirroring her disdain. Nicole's blood-red lips curved into a cruel smile when she spotted me. "Well, if it isn't Adrian's little castoff." Her gaze flickered dismissively over Jennifer. "And her pet guard dog." Jennifer tensed beside me, her fingers tightening around her knife. "This isn't your table," she replied evenly. "There are plenty of other seats available." Nicole's laugh was like shattered glass. "I wasn't speaking to you." She gestured imperiously. "Get out of our way. This is our regular spot, and I'm not in the mood to look at Adrian's leftovers while I eat." My chest tightened. We'd chosen this restaurant specifically because it was far from the usua