Page 7 of Coty

“I’m Eliza, by the way,” my new friend introduces herself.

“Kayla, and this is Emily.” I nudge my baker friend with my left shoulder.

“Nice to officially meet you,” Emily says. “Thanks for coming to get us.”

Eliza’s smile fades when she lifts my right arm. “He may not have hit you, but he still hurt you.” She gently slides my shirt sleeve up, revealing the bruise and fingernail cuts in my skin.

Bankz growls and storms out the front door. I glance at Blake’s table. Three couples are there now. Blake and his friends are nowhere to be seen. Fine by me. I never want to see them again.

“I’ll grab the first aid kit.” Emily hurries to the employee lounge next to Bankz’s office and comes back with the kit. She sets it on the bar and hurries to a nearby table to take an order. The women were literally waving at her.

“So, which one is yours?” Eliza wipes the fingernail cuts with an alcohol wipe, causing me to hiss.

“What?”

“Which of the two bikers is yours? Both are very protective of you.” She opens the tube of antibacterial cream and gently applies it to the cuts.

“Neither. Bankz and Hendrix are like brothers to me. I would never date either of them.”

Eliza looks around the bar as she continues to doctor my arm. “So, where’s your guy?”

I drop my head. “I don’t have one.”

“You should pick one,” she suggests.

“No, thank you.” I quickly down the second shot Parker poured.

“You can’t tell me you don’t want one of them.” She applies the largest band-aid in the box to my arm.

“You’re insane. I don’t want a biker or any man.” I wouldn’t admit it if I did.

“Girl, you’re the insane one. All I’m saying is, nearly every man I’ve seen tonight with those wings on his back ishot. You could at least have some fun with them. You don’t have to marry them.” Eliza closes the first aid kit.

My eyes betray me and flick to the TV monitor for the Viking Den. My heart drops a little. Coty’s not there. He’s been there every time I’ve looked up. Now, nothing.

“Ah.” Eliza smiles slyly and wiggles her eyebrows. “He’s not here. So, what’s his name?”

“You’ll see soon enough.” Emily hands Parker the drink order.

“What?” I narrow my eyes and snap my head back to the monitor. He’s still not there.

“Really?” Eliza’s extremely intrigued.

“Absolutely.” Emily nods. “Vikings are very protective.” She shrugs like it’s nothing. “And more than half of them are out of control, especially when it comes to their women.”

“I’m nobody’s woman,” I remind her.

Emily looks at me like I’m crazy. She turns back to Eliza. “Just watch. Any minute now.”

Eliza wiggles and rubs her hands together. “I can’t wait.”

They’re both crazy. “You’ll be waiting a long time,” I inform her.

Emily and Parker laugh. My friends and coworkers are jerks.

“I belong to no one,” I say each word hard and with emphasis.

Of course, the universe grabs every word and throws them like confetti. The front door bursts open with force, filling the bar with a burst of cold air. A very pissed off Coty Michaels comes to an abrupt halt when his eyes lock with mine. For a moment, his softens.

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