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“Uh-huh.” She takes a drink. “I like to call him that. Well, I call them all that.” She comes back around to sit by me.

“All?”

“Yeah, well, I have three mates.” She watches me carefully.

“You are with three men? At the same time?” I ask, astonished. Lucky men.

“I do. I’m with all of them. They’re brothers.”

“I couldn’t handle one. How can you handle three?” How is that possible? I know it happens, but meeting someone in that kind of situation is interesting.

“I handle them just fine. Sometimes I let them think they're in charge.” She grins.

“Wow.” I look at her in wonder.

“Does that freak you out?” Her head tilts.

“I think it’s awesome.” Maybe.

“Really?”

“Yeah, to think, you have that much control over three men. They love you?”

“Yes, very much.” Her smile is soft.

“Good. I would hate for you to be in a bad place with three men. Or that they mistreated you.” I cross my arms over the bar.

“They would never. We belong together,” she says simply.

“That’s a nice dream,” I say wistfully. Tom ruined me. Took a special thing and made it an obligation. I was his girlfriend, so in return for him blessing me with his attention, I should be grateful. He broke that part of me. He ripped away my desire to be loved.

“It doesn’t have to be.”

“I couldn’t be with three men.” I shake my head briskly.

“How about starting with one?” She looks at me and takes another drink.

“I need to take a break from men.” More than the pain from the physical abuse Tom forced me to endure, it was the sex. In the beginning, it was loving, soft, and satisfying. Then it changed. He only thought about his needs, forgetting I had any. I was just a place to put his dick to get off. He lost it when I brought it up, hoping to have an honest conversation. I was an ungrateful cold fish. I just thought we could spice it up.

“Bad break-up?” she asks. She’s so open and easy to talk to. She and Ava would get along great.

“You could say that.” I scowl, not sure how much to tell her. The only person that knows it all is Ava—well, most of it. “He wasn’t a good boyfriend.”

“That sucks. Was he mean to you?” She touches my arm.

“Very.” I clear my throat and look around. “Are they opening soon?”

“Should be. They should be down shortly.” She squeezes my arm, bringing my gaze back to her. “If you need anything or just need to talk, I’m here for you.”

“You’re very nice. Why would you offer that to a stranger?”

“I have a good feeling about you. Hasn’t a stranger ever been kind to you?” She pulls out her phone.

“More than my own family, actually,” I mutter.

She hands me her phone. “Put your number in.” I hesitate, but I enter my number when I see how sincere she is. “Awesome. I’ll text you, so you have mine. Call anytime.”

“Thanks.” I put her in my contacts before I forget which number is hers.