Page 32 of The Biker and the Baker

“Hmm. That’s not what you were saying two weeks ago.”

“Itoldyou, it was to—’”

“‘Save me from the vultures’,” he finishes for me. “Oh, I heard you. Such a kind gesture. Appreciate it. Really. Guess I’ve no choice now but to return the favor.”

“Return the—what?” I narrow my eyes at him. “What do you mean?”

Ignoring me, he plugs two fingers between his lips and whistles, stealing everyone’s attention. “Yo. Just want you all to know that this woman here, Pia Saxena, is my girlfriend. No need to start asking questions, though. She hates that.”

Oh. My. God. What the— “Fake news, everyone. Fake news. I’mnothis girl,” I declare, matching his volume.

But it’s as if I never spoke, seeing as one of the men asks him, “No shit? Since when?”

“About two weeks now,” the sonuvabitch lies.

“We arenottogether,” I repeat a little louder this time. “We haveneverbeen together.”

“Damn, Nyx, I can’t believe you’re claiming a woman,” someone else says. “Last time you did that was…when?”

“Never,” another one answers for him, and everyone erupts into laughter. “Swear it’s like the dude’s allergic to commitment or something.”

“Yeah,” Onyx agrees, eying me as he takes a swig of beer. “Sweet P’s my first. Wish me luck. She’s a handful.”

“Oh jeez,” I groan, burying my face into my palms.

Tell me this isn’t happening. And in front of my boss.

When I chance a peek across the table through my fingers, Cookie is smirking around a bottle of beer at her nephew.

And it makes me wonder…did sheplanthis?

Nah, it can’t be. It doesn’t make sense that she would encourage fraternizing, because, well, what if it doesn’t work out? Things would go to shit at work, and I’m sure the person to get nixed after such a fallout wouldnotbe her nephew. He’s blood. I’m replaceable.

Dropping my hands from my face, I lean over to Onyx and hiss through gritted teeth, “I really,reallyhate you.”

“What?” His self-satisfied grin swallows up his entire face. “I was just helping you out like you did for me, is all.”

“Yeah, and now your aunt—myboss—thinks we’re dating!”

“Aren’t we?”

“What iswrongwith you?”

“Hey”—he holds his hands up—“you started it.”

“I didn’t—”

He talks over me, “And now I like the idea so much that I wanna explore it.”

“What idea?”

“You and me.”

“For Pete’s sake.” I rub my forehead. “This is nuts.”

“Why’s it nuts?”

“Because we hate each other.”