Page 34 of Hero Unbound

Theo couldn’t believe he’d let Tucker talk him into this.

Hell, that was a lie. As soon as Theo had found out Eva was coming to the Eagle’s Nest with the girls tonight, he’d known he was going to be there too.

Tucker took a sip of his beer, eyes comically wide. “I feel like we should take a picture to memorialize the occasion in which both the infamous loner Theo Lindstrom and the notorious reclusive billionaire Lincoln Bollinger are both gracing us with their company for ladies’ night.”

Bear Bollinger, Lincoln’s cousin and one of Theo’s best friends, was sitting next to Tucker. He held out his beer mug for Tucker to clink. “When I heard the news, I did, in fact, go and check to see if this was a sign of the apocalypse.”

Lincoln ignored his cousin the way he pretty much ignored everyone. Theo had forced him to come, figuring if he was going to be miserable sitting in this bar tonight, he might as well make his friend miserable too.

After all, what were friends for?

Lincoln lived alone a few miles outside of town in what most townsfolk called the Bruce Wayne Manor. Hecould’ve easily dispelled rumors about himself years ago by having a single barbecue and inviting everyone, but he liked keeping himself wrapped in mystery.Hell, Linc reveled in pissing people off.

There’d already been a lot of pointing and whispering in their direction tonight. More than one lady would try to win the trophy oftakingLincoln Bollinger home, or the even more esteemed prize of getting him to take her back tohishome.

Knowing Linc and his giant brain andintolerancefor bullshit, none of them wouldsucceed. He’d rather go home alone than waste his time.

But he was here. For the sole reason that Theo had called and said he needed backup. Lincoln had merely let out a sigh and asked what time he should get to the bar.

Bear and Tucker, on the other hand, wouldn’t have missed tonight—or any ladies’ night—for anything.

“Maybe Theo and Linc finally realized what we’ve known all along,” Bear said to Tucker. “That these ladies need a friend. Need someone to dance with. Need someone to grab them drinks.”

Tucker cracked a grin. “Need someone to make them breakfast in the morning.”

Theo shook his head and took a sip of his beer. “I thought this was the night girls got together and girl-powered or whatever. No boys allowed in the inner circle. There’re a lot of guys here if that’s the case.”

A shit-ton of men. A lot of locals whom Theo knew, but also a bunch of tourists and guys from other nearby towns.

Women too, of course, mostly in packs. More and more were entering the bar.

“Too many fucking men,” Theo muttered under his breath.

Both Bear and Tucker leaned back in the booth, looking over at each other as if to ask which one needed to explain how things worked to the new guys.

“Yeah, but most of these guys areamateurs,” Bear finally said. “They have no idea how things work, and they don’t stand a chance.”

Lincoln raised an eyebrow. “But you two clowns do?”

Bear folded his arms over his chest. “You may be the tech mogul genius, dear cousin, but when it comes to the workings of ladies’ night, Tucker and I are the experts.”

Tucker nodded solemnly. “You have to gauge what level ofmen are scumeach group of ladies is at. If they’re helping a friend get over a recent breakup, then you stay far from that pack. No male is welcome there.”

They both pointed to a group in the far corner at the same time, then laughed and tapped knuckles.

“If you’re looking for entertainment, keep an eye on that group. The first male idiot stupid enough to go over there and try to barge through those barriers is going to get his ass handed to him,” Bear said. “They might as well haveLeave us alonewritten on a neon sign. Men need to learn to respect that.”

Theo shrugged at Lincoln when he looked over. It definitely sounded like Bear and Tucker knew what they were talking about.

“The other extreme is the group that’s here on the prowl,” Tucker continued.“Sometimes for one specific friend in the group, sometimes for everyone.”

“How do you tell the difference?”

Bear took a sip of his beer. “You learn the signs. Their body language, occasional glances versus completely ignoring all men, how tight the circle is when they’re dancing.”

“What they’re drinking,” Tucker added.

Bear nodded. “Generally, the brighter the drink, the more approachable the group.”

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