Page 31 of Zeke

Kira

Ihear the rumble of a motorcycle engine coming closer. I look up from the counter, where I’m icing cupcakes, and see two members of the Ruthless Kings riding by. It isn’t unusual to see them in town since they live on the outskirts, but whatisunusual is how often they’re here, and how none of them ever is alone anymore. Not even Zeke or Eli, both of whom used to come in individually. Now they have another member of the Kings with them. Occasionally, they show up with each other, though that’s been rare ever since my first trip to the farmhouse.

I assume that’s when they started to fight over me, since things seemed to heat up with their flirting and their tension with each other. They’re in at least once a day when they’re out making their rounds. I have no idea what they’re looking for or what they think they’ll find, but whatever it is, it makes me nervous.

Today, when the bikes go by, I feel disappointed no one stops in at the bakery, and Julia notices.

“Looking for someone?” she asks in a snarky tone, but her smile is friendly, so I know she’s teasing me.

“No,” I lie quickly, but I see her disbelieving look, so I give in. “Okay, yes. I thought maybe… someone… would come by this morning, but I haven’t seen them.”

“And which someone would that be?” she asks, wiping her hands on her apron before crossing her arms and leaning against the till. I don’t answer at first, so she continues. “Come on. I promise to keep it a secret.”

“I don’t know,” I confess, and this time, I’m not lying. I really don’t know who I was hoping to see.

“Well, whichever someone it is,” she says, “I doubt you’ll see either of them until later, if at all. Eli was up late with his sister working on something, and Zeke was on guard duty with Country until dawn. I’m sure they’ll be down until afternoon at least.”

Disappointment creeps in. Not only have I been feeling a lot safer knowing I have them and Julia looking out for me, but I’ve also been enjoying their company and the way they flirt with me. They take turns to shower me with affection and compliments, and it’s so foreign that I can’t help but let it go on more than I probably should. I rarely have one man fighting for my attention, let alone two of them fighting each other for it. It’s a little intoxicating.

I mean it, however, when I say I’m not sure which one I’m hoping to see—which one I prefer—until later that day when Eli comes in with another member of the Kings I know as Rebel.

I feel slightly disappointed. Not enough to not flirt with him when he says, “Good afternoon, gorgeous.”

I feel myself blush, but I keep my voice even as I say, “Good afternoon to you, too. Can I get you boys anything?”

“Double chocolate muffin?” Rebel says, peeking into the case to make sure we have them in stock.

We do, so I grab one with a piece of parchment paper and hand it to him. “And for you?” I ask Eli.

“You mean besides something that isn’t in the case?”

I blush harder as he smiles at me. He’s very smooth—no denying that.

“How about… one of those chicken salad croissants you have?”

They were a new addition to the bakery. Julia said she likes to cook sometimes, so we started giving her some tasks in the kitchen. One day, she brought in some chicken salad she’d made herself for lunch. After Dad and I tried it, we knew we had to add it to the menu.

Julia looks up at the mention of her contribution and rolls her eyes before walking into the back. She definitely has more of an issue with Eli and Zeke than anyone else, except maybe Eden. I guess it makes sense since they’re triplets, but it makes things uncomfortable for me at times. Even without the flirting, I was friends with Eli and Zeke first and wasn’t willing to jeopardize those relationships for my new friend.

Especially when one of them looks like it will turn into something more.

While I get things wrapped up for them and ring their orders into the till, Eli walks along with me, only the pastry case and counter separating us.

“Everything been okay here?” he asks in a much more serious voice.

“Same as it ever is,” I say. “The only difference is the much more frequent visits we’re getting from the Ruthless Kings.”

“It’s probably nothing,” he says, but I can see the lie dancing in his eyes. “Just some precautions.”

I look at him, and for a moment, the memory of how he looked the day Eden got hitched swam into view. He had been beaten to within an inch of his life, with bandages and stitches everywhere. The thought of him looking like that again, of Julia…

Of Zeke…

I shake away the thoughts and hand Eli his change and his sandwich with a serious look. “Please take care of yourself. Okay?” Regardless of which one of them—if either—that I’ll choose, they’re both important to me. I don’t want to see either of them hurt, or worse.

“Always do,” he says with some puffed-up bravado, and I glare at him. He seems to wither beneath the stare and nervously chuckles. “Okay, okay. Yes, ma’am. I’ll take care of myself.”

“And your brother.”

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