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As one, they said, “Taken.”

“Taken as well,” Tamson said softly, face bright red. I couldn’t tell if it was embarrassment or anger, but either emotion pissed me off.

Who did this bitch think she was flashing her sagging tits like a fucking flag on a pole?

Ryder and Ronan snorted, hinting I might’ve spoken out loud, and even Fallon hid his laughter behind a well-placed cough.

Abigail’s face went beet red as she sputtered.

“Now listen here, slut, I don’t know-”

She broke off when Asher was suddenly in front of her face, eyes cold but smile oddly sardonic on his handsome face. Damn if the combination didn’t turn me on.

“Don’t speak to her like that ever again. Do you understand me? And don’t waste your time. Our answers will always be no, do you get that?”

Her face was turning redder as the seconds dragged on.

“Not always,” she protested, but Asher cut her off with a glare that could blast ice to smithereens.

“Leave, Abigail,” Fallon said darkly.

I thought she was going to protest again, but she was smarter than I’d initially given credit for. After one more fondle over her breast, thumb flicking over her nipple, she retreated with an angry grunt.

Tommy, from behind me, whispered, “If that’s a girl’s boob, I think I’m gay.”

The poor kid sounded traumatized. All I could do was pat his back sympathetically and awkwardly promise that not all the boobs in the world were like that.

Parenting for the win.

* * *

Less than an hour later,I found myself on one of the barstools, a bottle of Coke in my hands.

Tonya’s group had retired for the night along with Tommy and Nik. Kai and Doc had snuck away to do...whatever it was they did. Probably not Scrabble.

My men were spread out on the floor, each talking with a different group. Fallon wore a large, albeit fake, smile as he talked to a group of middle-aged men. Asher was nodding earnestly a few tables down to whatever an older woman was saying. Tam sat only a few seats away but was engaged in conversation with a smartly dressed man and his significantly younger wife. A younger wife who kept giving Tam “fuck me” eyes much to my displeasure. Ryder and Ronan were together, and their group included, unfortunately, others like Abigail. More than one scantily-clad female tried to touch them. One even went so far as to sit on Ryder’s lap before he unceremoniously dumped her on the ground.

Of course, he apologized and helped her back up, but the message was clear: off limits. The working girls steered clear of my men after that.

Declan sat a few stools down, reading the lips of the animated bartender. He couldn’t reply, so he settled on making dramatic hand gestures that had the older man in hysterics.

All six of them would glance at little old me periodically, and whenever a man would get too close - or worse, proposition me - one or all would jump to their feet.

I prepared for another repeat of the “possessive and protective” show as a warm body slithered up beside mine. And yes, I meant slithered. Most of these men were snakes - offering me food in exchange for sex or entering the outpost with another girl and still asking for my room number.

Disgusting.

Heaving out a sigh, I prepared myself for a minute of senseless flirting followed by “bitch” or “slut” when I rejected him.

The next words, however, caused my breath to leave my lungs.

“Hello, Adelaide.”

Spinning, heart in my throat, I met the dark eyes staring down at me, penetrating my skin. It took me a moment to recognize where I knew him from. When it came to me, goosebumps exploded on my arm and my tiny hairs stood on end.

Enzo.

I had first met him months ago, before the whole world went to hell. He had been the son of one of my father’s business partners and a masochistic dick. With olive-toned skin and a shock of dark hair, Enzo might’ve been traditionally handsome, but I knew about the beast that lurked under the surface.