Chapter 31
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Kayla
Helping out at the Cupcake Cottage was never on my to-do list. I love Emily and Lily, but getting covered in flour and cake icing isn’t my thing. Oddly enough, it’s been fun. Weird, huh?
“So, do you and Rodeo have plans for Valentine’s Day?” Lily wiggles her eyebrows at me like a crazy person.
She has hounded me endlessly for details about Coty and me. I’ve given her the highlights. Some of our moments, well, most of them, are just for me. All I can say is I’ve never felt so loved, and we’ve only been officially together for a week.
“Well, I have to work, but I’m sure we’ll find something to do after.” I duck my head and grin. I have lots of ideas we can do.
“Have you had any more problems at your apartment?” Emily asks.
“No.” I fill another bag with icing. I have the easy job of using a large decorating tip to apply a quick swirl of icing on the cupcakes.
Coty’s stayed with me every night this week. He has a prospect or a club brother watching the apartment. He still gets up every couple of hours to check the doors. Only one security camera caught something that night. Around four twenty-three, a man dressed in black runs across their backyard toward the main highway. Coty figures his car was hidden there, or someone was waiting for him.
I pause and look out the back window, not really focusing on anything. No one can get into Emily’s back garden oasis here. It’s completely fenced in and can only be accessed through the bakery. There’s a prospect in the parking lot when Coty’s not here.
Lily covers one of my hands with hers. “What is it?”
“There’s been some things happening, even before the man showed up at my back door.”
“Oh, my gosh, Lala.” Emily places a hand over her heart. “That’s scary. Have you told Coty?”
“Not outright.” I shrug.
“What does that mean? And what’s been happening?” Lily demands.
“One day this week, a postcard showed up. The only writing on it was my address, not even my name. It was stamped here in town. The front had a picture of the town on it, and the words, Have a nice day . I shrugged and threw it in the trash.
Lily locks eyes with Emily. “That is odd.” Emily nods.
“It’s not like the flower deliveries you got.” I’m a little quick to defend the matter. “My situation isn’t like yours.”
“But what if it is?” Emily’s question sends an eerie chill down my back.
“What else happened?” Lily lays her icing bag down and focuses on me.
“Well, the night before I left for Knoxville, when I got into my car after work, I couldn’t reach the gas pedal. I had to slide my seat forward.”
“Keep going,” Lily knows there’s more.
“Well, when I got back home, my college coffee cup was in the sink. I don’t remember using it. My favorite towel was hanging over the shower rod. I don’t remember doing that. Maybe I really did just forget.”
Lily lifts one eyebrow. Those things aren’t too alarming, except for my seat being moved.
I keep going. “There was a new pack of beer in the fridge and six empty bottles in the trash.”
“Let me guess. You don’t remember that either?” Lily’s mad or being sarcastic. I’m not sure which.
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 a Mountain Dew can 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.
“Kayla,” Jack says softly. I look up and meet his eyes. He’s a strong man, but his eyes glisten. “Do you know who did this?”
“It was Trent. I didn’t see the other two.” I squeeze my eyes shut and cry harder. I’ve never wished harm on anyone. This changes things. I look back up at Coty’s best friend. “Find him, Jack. Find him, and make him pay.”
Jack doesn’t say a word. He straightens, gives a firm nod, and storms from the room in a rage I never want coming for me. Jack McLeod is going for Trent Colby tonight, and he’ll take an army of Vikings with him.