Page 65 of Coty

I shake my head. “And the blanket I keep on the couch was on the recliner. A few days ago, I went to the market. Dobbs went with me. Later, I found aMountain Dewcan on the floor on the passenger side. I figured it was Dobbs’ and threw it away. Oh, and my gun was stolen from my nightstand. I know I put it back before I left.”

“Okay. Some of that might be a coincidence, but I’m not buying it.” Lily crosses her arms. She’s definitely ticked off. “Either you call Coty and tell him, or I’m calling Jack.”

“She’s right. You need to tell Coty. I think you’re being stalked.” Emily’s words hit me hard.

“Hey, Emily.” Ava sticks her head in the door. “It’s slowed down. Can Melody and I go to lunch now?”

“Yep. I’ll take over. You girls go.” Emily points at me. “Call Rodeo and keep icing cupcakes. Lily can help me out front if I need her.”

“I need to run to the restroom. You good here for a few minutes?” Lily takes off her apron. I nod. “Take a little break and call Rodeo.” She disappears down the short hallway.

“Sir, will you please stay on that side of the counter. It’ll only take a few minutes to box your order up.” Great. When it’s just us three, Emily gets a rude customer. She goes quiet for a few minutes. “Sir, you can’t come back here. Lily!”

Emily’s scream is cut off just before there’s a thud. The door flies open before I can move. Oh no.

“Got you.” Trent rushes toward me.

How did he find me? Well, I guess it was no secret. He knew my hometown.

I scream and run toward the back door. It’s a bad move. There’s no way out of Emily’s garden. Lily runs out of the restroom. Trent raises his arm with a gun in his hand. Lily freezes, and her eyes widen.

“No!” I scream and slam into him. The bullet goes into the ceiling. “Back inside.” I shove Lily into the restroom. She can’t get shot again.

Trent scrambles to his feet. Before he can lunge at me, Coty runs through the door and tackles him to the floor.

“Run, Lala!” Coty yells.

He needs help. I can’t leave him. The restroom door opens, and Lily pulls me inside.

“My phone’s on the counter. Please tell me you have yours in your pocket,” Lily chokes back sobs.

From all the crashing sounds, Coty and Trent are destroying the kitchen.

“I told you this was a bad idea!” I deep voice, I don’t recognize yells.

“Let’s get out of here,” another man says.

“There are three of them.” I frantically pull my phone from my pocket. Sirens pierce the air. I still make the call.

He answers on the first ring. “Kayla, tell me these cops aren’t coming to the bakery.”

“They are, Jack. Hurry.” I end the call.

Sounds no longer come from the other side of the door. Whether they’re gone or not, I have to know Coty’s okay. I jerk the door open. Lily trembles, but follows close behind me. I spot his still body on the floor and lose it.

“Coty!” I fall to my knees next to him. He’s too still. Blood runs from underneath his body.

“Emily,” I cry to Lily. “Check on Emily.”

Lily screams the moment she’s through the door. Oh, please let Emily be okay.

The next few minutes are a blur. Cops rush in. Vikings pour through the doors against the cops’ orders. Ambulances arrive and rush the four of us to the hospital. I try to talk and ask questions. The nurses won’t tell me anything about Coty.

Minutes feel like hours as we wait. Lily and I are fine physically. Emily was knocked unconscious and has a concussion. She’s being kept overnight for observation. Lily visited her. I stayed in the waiting room until Coty was brought to a room. I refuse to leave him.

Coty just got out of surgery. He was badly beaten. Some of his wounds were from objects around the kitchen. A few pierced his skin. He might as well have been stabbed. He wasn’t shot, and the gun Trent had wasn’t found. Coty has stitches in several places. The doctor told us how many and where they were. His parents listened to everything. It’s all just a jumbled mess in my head. I can’t process any of it.

I sit by his bed, lift his hand to my lips, and cry. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper.

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