Page 297 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

“I’m not worked up.”

“Okay. You’re just losing it. I was sitting there talking for a while when I realized you weren’t listening.”

Fuck. How had I not heard Godfrey speak?

The waiter came, asked if we needed anything else, and blocked my view of her. The next thing I heard was, “Stop him!”

Eva ran past me, chasing after some guy in a baseball cap with a purse that obviously didn’t belong to him. The older man stopped on the sidewalk, just feet from me, while catching her breath. He met my gaze, and I knew what he needed. Instincts kicked in.

“Check on the old timer,” I told Godfrey and rushed after Eva.

With my long legs and hours spent working out at my gym, I caught up to Eva quickly. She stopped on the sidewalk, huffing and puffing. I passed her and reached the crook. He turned and threw a fist at me. I ducked, punched him in the face twice, and something cracked. He fell back against a trash can on the sidewalk, dropping the purse. The contents scattered on the sidewalk.

“You want more?” I hissed and prepared for battle. I boxed as a hobby, and right now my muscles flexed to beat the shit out of him.

The criminal held a hand to his face as blood dripped from his nose. There was a glaze over his eyes that told me he was on drugs.

“You broke my nose,” he spat.

A police cruiser pulled up to the curb, and I recognized my friend, Detective Sean McNally, from the Brookline Police Department. Sean knew about my past, and he also had a membership at my gym. He exited his car, offered me a nod, and went over to the thief, who now leaned against a tree.

“He fucking broke my nose!” the criminal repeated.

“Next time I’ll fucking break your damn fingers,” I retorted. “Don’t take what doesn’t belong to you. Got that?” I grabbed the scattered belongings from the ground and placed them back into the purse.

“I don’t want to hear another word from you.” Sean cuffed him. “I’ve got a bunch of calls from witnesses describing what you did. Ballsy of you to steal in the middle of the day with all these people around.” He shoved the asshole into the police cruiser.

“You okay.” Godfrey walked over with the older man.

“I’m fine.”

“I’ve got a meeting to attend. You good?”

“Go. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Looking terrified, the older man rushed up to Eva. “Did he hurt you?’

“No. I’m okay.” She placed a hand on his back, rubbing slowly. “Are you okay, Grandpa? Do you need to sit down?”

“Don’t worry about me,” said her grandfather, who turned to me. “Thank you for helping my granddaughter. You saved the day.”

I gave Eva her purse back. “You should check to see if everything’s there.”

She looked at me. “Thanks for your help. Are you all right” She glanced at my clenched fist that still wanted to pound the asshole.

Relaxing my hands, I said, “I’m okay. Are you?” I gave her a onceover, and she appeared fine.

“Yes, I’m fine.” She stared at me. Did she recognize me as the guy she had rejected?

“Thank you for getting Eva’s purse back.” Her grandfather extended a hand to me. “I’m Mark Collins, but you can call me Grandpa Collins. This is my granddaughter, Eva.”

I matched his firm grip and shook his hand. “You’re welcome.”

Sean waved Eva over for some questions while the thief sat inside the cruiser. She probably had to give her statement.

“What’s your name?” Grandpa Collins asked, looking up at me with curious eyes that stared at the tattoos covering both of my arms.

The question surprised me, and I looked down at the man, who was about five inches shorter than me. “Kain Kessler. It’s nice to meet you.”

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