Chapter 3
__________
Kayla
“Five!”
“Four!”
“Three!”
“Two!”
“One!”
“Happy New Year!”
The bar explodes into an uproar of shouts and whistles. And kissing. Lots of kissing. Well, everyone with dates is kissing. The single customers shout, bounce around, or take a sip of their drinks.
My eyes dart up to the TV screen. He’s there, again. Who knows, maybe he never walked away. All I know is every time I looked up, Coty was there. And like every time before, it feels like he’s looking right at me. Everyone at JB’s spent hours hoping Nick could get the system working before midnight. The moment it blinked to life set off a tidal wave of emotions for me. I hate this feeling. I hate him. Well, no, I don’t. And that’s the problem. I can’t handle him watching me any longer.
I slap Parker on the back and lean in close so he can hear me over the crowd. “I’ll be back in a bit.”
He nods as he continues to bounce to the music. The band Bankz hired tonight are local guys and well-liked in town. They’ve kept the crowd happy all evening. I need a break from the noise for a moment. Slipping around the lower end of the bar, I weave through the crowd to the ladies' room. I’ve told Bankz a million times we need an employee restroom in the back. I could get back to work faster if I didn’t have to wait in line with customers just to use the restroom. I’m in no hurry tonight, though. The ten-minute wait to get inside isn’t long enough.
After washing my hands, I splash some cold water on my face and pat it dry with a paper towel. Thank goodness Bankz stocks the soft towels, not those rough, brown, scratchy ones. It takes off most of my makeup, but I need to cool down.
“You okay?” The lady at the sink next to me grabs a couple of towels and steps out of the way. She’s been sitting at the bar for a couple of hours. We’ve only talked when she needed to order a drink.
“Yeah. It’s just a wild night.” I follow her over to the side so the lady behind me can get to the sink.
“What’s a normal night like?” She tosses her towel into the trash can.
“What?” I’m a little out of sorts tonight.
“I’m new in town. Just trying to get my bearings. It’s New Year's Eve. I’m sure it’s not always this crowded.”
“Right.” I lead the way to the door. “Weekends are steady. Weeknights are a hit or miss.”
Her shoulders drop. “Sounds like most small towns.”
“You must be a city girl.”
“Yeah. Chicago.” She lifts her eyebrows and presses her lips together.
My heart kinda hurts for her. She’s going to die of boredom here. She’d fare better in Nashville than Willow Creek. Shoot, Jackson would probably be better for her. We step into the hallway as a couple of giggling college girls rush into the restroom. It must be nice to be so carefree. It’s something I’ll never experience again.
“If you’re looking for a job, I can talk to Bankz.”
JB’s is shorthanded right now, even on regular days. Emily’s doing great, but it’s just for tonight. The way Jerrard talked earlier, he’s not likely to let her wait tables again.
“Thanks, but I have a job.” She stumbles a little as a guy pushes past us.
A hand wraps tightly around my upper right arm before we can get through the crowd to the main room. Fingernails dig into my skin as I’m pulled backwards down the hallway past the men’s restroom door. A yelp escapes when my back hits the wall.
He leans in close, using his body to press mine against the wall. “Women like you are a disgrace.”
I don’t recognize his voice. How’s that comforting? He’s a new danger, not the one I know. My brain and senses finally snap into action.
“Let go!” I try to shove him away.
The little distance made between us is enough for his face to come into view. He probably allowed it. He’s a lot stronger than I ever will be. I do know him. Well, not his name. He’s one of Blake’s friends. A college jock, more than likely football, from the looks of him.
“Get away from me!” I shove harder and raise my knee.
He’s prepared for the move and shifts enough to block the blow. “You’re trash. Can’t give a good man a chance. Have to crawl in bed with dirty bikers,” he snarls, actually showing his teeth.
My eyes bore into his. I hate men like this. A little rich kid looking down on everyone else. His grip on my arm tightens. My left hand slowly slides into the front pocket of my jeans. Hendrix Weapons and Range carries more than guns. This knife is specially made. It fits perfectly in my hand.
“You’re the only dirty piece of trash here.” The knife clears my pocket, and I easily snap the blade open.
In the blink of an eye, the jerk’s face is replaced by the Viking Warriors emblem. I snap the knife closed and slide it back into my pocket. Another second or two and I would have stabbed my boss in the back. Emily and the woman who walked out of the restroom with me rush to either side of me.
“We don’t treat women like this!” Bankz slams Blake’s friend face-first into the opposite wall.
“Ah,” he cries out.
I don’t look. I’m sure there’s blood somewhere.
“Oh, this one is mine.” Hendrix forcefully twists the guy’s arm behind his back and roughly ushers him out of the hallway.
“You okay?” Bankz carefully lifts my chin and gently turns my head side to side.
“I’m good.” I take a deep breath and nod. “He didn’t hit me.
“He shouldn’t have touched you.” Whoa. It’s not often Emily Powell gets mad. This version of her is scary.
“When Hendrix is through with him, he’ll think twice before touching another woman.” Bankz’s voice is full of anger and hate. Hurting women is the worst thing a man can do in the eyes of a Viking. “Let’s get you to the bar and get a drink.”
Emily and my new friend wrap their arms around me and walk me to a stool at the lower end of the bar. Parker sets a shot of whiskey in front of me. Trust me. I’m not turning this down.
“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 is hot . 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.
“You were saying?” Emily smiles and walks away.