CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
*Lace*
By the time Kio, Chaz, Brodi, and I are done with our joyride and we all get back to the saloon, two HFL bikes are gone. Bay asked for help with Vee, and I missed them. My mind races, trying to figure out what I should do.
Kio seems equally as anxious about something as he rushes past me, not even bothering to hold open the door, which is very unlike any of these guys. Not that I need a personal doorman, but it just seems to come natural for them.
The reason for his haste becomes immediately evident once I have a clear view of the room. Jess is behind the bar, playing the unusual role of bartender. Relief washes through me, nearly knocking me over. Abrupt movement near the stage captures my attention, though, and my focus whips that direction. Kal is standing in front of Kio, chest puffed. Kio tries to sidestep him but is met with a firm palm to the chest. I walk forward toward the bar. Kio’s dark eyes strike toward mine. I tilt my head at him, questioningly, as my hand hits the first stool and I use each back as a guide to walk the length of the bar without looking away.
He steps back from Kal and shoves his hands into his pockets, a fleeting smile twitching at the corner of his lips in response to my silent question. The hammer took its first whack. But… how? My attention turns to Jess.
“Hey.” Jess chuckles nervously. “Can I get you a drink?” She grimaces.
I burst into laughter. Tears well in my eyes from the mixture of humor and intense relief. “Water will do.” I sigh through the fluttery remnants of giggles. “Why are you here?” The question is strange. Technically, she was on late shift anyway before they kicked everyone out. “Girl” — I drop my voice and lean closer to her, my forearms on the bar top — “You scared me.”
She angles to grab a glass from the back counter, and I notice a faint purple shadow peeking through several layers of makeup under her eye. My teeth clash together and jaw ticks around a suppressed yell. Jess ducks her head, giving me enough time to come to terms with the fact she has no intention of broaching that topic. “Got a call from Foster. He said I was needed here again tonight, so here I am.”
Right. Never turn down a request from a Stoner. “K.O. know about that?” My eyes flick to her bruise, but I refrain from spelling it out. She knows what my question refers to.
Jess shakes her head. “Kal stopped him from walking over to me as soon as he stepped in the door.”
Sometimes, Kal makes good decisions. Sometimes. My gaze strays over my shoulder to them. Both men are astutely watching us. Kio must have contacted Kal to pull some strings. In turn, Kal went through the proper channels. From there, getting her here and giving her something neutral to do is where Kal drew the line. Kio is required to keep his distance.
“Rumor has it you’re gonna win the Miss Gulf Coast Pageant this year,” Jess states, changing the subject.
“Not a chance. But if the guys want me to play, fine,” I chortle, focus returning to her as she places my water on top of a fresh napkin. “Hey… maybe you should join, too!”
Her smile drops, and she shakes her head emphatically. “Oh, nope. Not me. Besides, pretty sure registration is closed. Darn.” She snaps her fingers and gives me a fake frown. “Imma be there to cheer you on, though!”
Incredibly parched, the glass of water lasts all of about three seconds once I get a hold of it. Jess pours a refill right away, big green eyes looking up at me as the crisp liquid streams out of the pitcher. “Bay was taking out a bag of broken down pizza boxes when I got here. Did ya end up trying one with pineapple?”
I pick up the glass again and take a smaller sip this time, biding time to consider my answer. It goes without saying that this new arrangement with HFL will be kept on the down low for now. That need-to-know circle usually excludes Jess. For her safety. No physical harm befell me, though. Just a decent dose of emotional duress. “Nah, you can never go wrong sticking with what you know tastes good.”
“Right, and pineapple is not on that list.” Jess fake gags.
Bubbly laughter consumes me again. “Nope.” We fall quiet, but I decide to joke around with it a bit more. “You know, next time, maybe we should order them, just to say we did, then simply pluck them off one by one. The flavor will still be there, but none of the texture.”
Jess takes her turn laughing. “Strippers turned Charlie’s Angels.”
“Hey, now that is a damn good idea for a themed routine — girls with guns!” I hop off the stool, pat the bar top, and turn to leave. “Weren’t we talking about pizzas, though?” I add with a wink over my shoulder.
“Ninja Turtles themed, then?” she hollers toward my back, guffawing.
Still smiling, I take a seat next to Coty, who is the only one available. No complaints here. Even Zane is busy, now chatting with Kio, no doubt finally ready to discuss a couple things about their partnership earlier. Kal had, of course, disappeared back into the office. Brodi is manning the DJ booth again; Chaz is beside him tinkering with the equipment.
Coty tucks me under his arm but otherwise continues probing his brothers with accusatory glares. Phone feeling like a lead brick in my pocket, I lean over and pull it out, fingernail tapping on the side of my case. I bite the bullet and open my contacts. Worried that calling Vincent might interrupt something, I decide to go with a text instead.
:Me: Thinking about you.
Groaning, I throw my head back and hit the send button. I do so much better with in-person dealings thanks to expressions and body language. Texting sucks. My eyes flutter up to Coty, and he looks down his nose at me, eyebrow raised. I give him a nervous chuckle, and he kisses me on the forehead. “Vee likes all that romantic shit.”
I gasp and cover my chest with my palm. “I was absolutely not being romantic. If I wanted to be romantic I would have sent him something about milking his cock with the back of my throat or something.”
His eyebrows flatten, and my pussy throbs. Coty lifts a finger and points it at me. “Watch your damn mouth, woman.” I lick my bottom lip and watch his instead. His chest rumbles with the mix between a groan and a growl.
The vibration of my phone on my lap jolts my attention back to the text thread.
:Vincent: Bella… don’t tease me.