Reed was interrupted by a guy who slid into the booth across from us. I pegged him in his fifties with graying hair and a weathered face. He was tall. Fit although a bulky guy. He wasn’t lean like Reed, but I had no doubt he could hold his own in a fight. He wore a black waffle knit t-shirt and jeans.
He set his hands on the table and nodded at Reed.
Reed made introductions. “Quake, this is Harper Lane.”
Quake eyed me, as if sizing me up. “Heard you got a family issue.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that then shut it down. “Sorry. Yeah, right, a family issue.”
He leaned in, his dark eyes pinned on mine. “Reed told me all about it.”
My mouth fell open, and I glanced up at Reed. “You did?”
“When you were in the shower. Figured you didn’t want to give him the recap.”
Yeah, that wasn’t something I wanted to do, to share my messed-up life with a stranger, even one who was probably even more rough around the edges than me.
“I don’t stand for that shit,” Quake said. “Sorry about the language, but you got dealt a bad hand.”
I nodded. “Yes.” What else was I to say?
“I’ve got connections. Got a hit off that plate number. The guy who your brother owes? Name’s Kevin Randolph. A big-time bookie. Deals with all kinds of gambling. Cards, sports, you name it. The guys who came to your place are his.” He cocked a brow, leaned forward, so his shoulders were up by his ears. So we wouldn’t be overheard although there wasn’t anyone at the table behind us. “He goes by Randy. I know him.”
Setting my mug down with a thunk, the hot liquid sloshed over the top. Oh shit. I pushed against Reed to get out of the booth. “Let me up.”
He set his arms on my shoulders, gave a gentle squeeze. “Whoa, what’s the matter?”
I tipped my head toward Quake. “He knows the guy. This… Randy guy who sent men to collect me for him. Tried to rape me. Slashed my tires. Showed up at my apartment. He knows him.”
“Hold up, doll,” Quake said, raising a hand. “I know a lot of people. We’re not BFFs or anything. Far from it. I’m not here to hand you off to him. I’m here to help.”
Reed kissed my head. “Shh. He’s going to help,” he repeated. “You think I’d put you in danger, princess?”
I took a deep breath, let it out. With shaky hands, I lifted my mug, took a sip of coffee. No, Reed would never put me in harm’s way. “Sorry,” I whispered, trying to calm my racing heart.
“Your problems, princess, are mine to take care of.” He’d said that before, but this time it was different.
I swiveled in my seat to face Reed head on. “Wait, that’s not what that means. I don’t want you going after them!”
He looked at me evenly. “I can take care of myself. And you.”
“This isn’t the ring. This isn’t the same kind of fight.”
“I’m better in a fight out of the ring. No rules.”
I blinked. He was serious. Ruthlessly so. “You walked away from that.”
“I did, but this guy and Cam? They need to be taken down.”
He was willing to fight dirty for me. To risk everything he’d built for me. I glanced down, then back at him. “Yeah, but they’re… they’re… bad, and you’re not.”
Reed winked. “Yeah, princess. I am bad. Just not with you.”
“And so am I,” Quake added, ending this line of talk. “I’ll set up the meeting, make it happen. We’ll get you in front of Randy, tell him you’re out and redirect his focus where it belongs. On your brother.”
He made it sound so simple.
Reed stilled, leaned in. “Hold the fuck up.” He tipped his head toward me. “She’s not getting anywhere near the asshole. His men tried to rape her.”