Page 58 of Say I Do

We moved to the side of the restaurant, shielded between two buildings.

“Stop crying about it.” I traded shirts with him. He stared at the bra I sported.

“You planning on more than talking?” Quincy’s voice dipped as rage simmered in his eyes. “I ain’t letting you do this, Har.”

“Don’t worry.” I held out my jeans for him. “I’m only talking.”

Quincy stared long and hard at me before he nodded. “Fine.”

We finished switching clothes quickly. “I’m going in. Let me know when he gets here.”

“Har, you sure about this? You’ve stayed away from here for a reason.” Quincy was a good friend. I might even go as far as to consider him a brother. He was more of one to me than the ones I had.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” I tied my hair up in a high ponytail. I made sure every strand was collected to keep it out of my face. Benito needed some intel, and I said I’d help. I stepped toward the front but stopped short.

“I need you to look into someone for me.”

“Yeah, anything.”

“Darla Shamers. I want everything: blood type, if she has kids, married, or divorced. Siblings, parents, the whole nine yards.”

Quincy’s eyebrows kissed his hairline. “Hate to be her. She must have pissed you off.”

I shrugged. “Something like that.” If this didn’t work out, I had a backup plan.

“Don’t react without thinking,” Quincy warned.

All I could muster was a grunt as I stepped through the doors. The normal sounds of a restaurant filled my ears. It was midday, and the place was packed with people.

“Do you have a reservation?” the hostess asked. She smiled sweetly up at me, ready to check for my name.

She wouldn’t find it, but I didn’t need her to.

“Yeah, table for red leaf dragon.”

She stood up straighter, and her smile faltered at my words. She audibly swallowed as she stammered to gather herself. “Right this way, sir.” She led me past round tables with families and businessmen alike sitting at them. The smell of food filled the restaurant making my stomach growl.

I hadn’t eaten a heavy breakfast. I’d made sure it was light because there was no telling how I’d react upon seeing someone I wished was dead with every ounce of my soul. We slipped through the kitchen, the cooks paying us no attention. It was like we were flies on the wall as we moved. We stopped at a red door, and my stomach tightened more. I cracked my neck as the hostess opened the door.

“Enjoy your time.”

“I’m sure I will.” I stepped through into a different atmosphere. There were card tables set up everywhere. Smoke filled the air, and the lights were dimmed. This was more my element than the sweet family restaurant.

I didn’t need to be told which room. Memories that were forever engraved in my brain gave me the answer I needed. I opened the third door and stepped through. Five men stood up, all preparing for their boss’s arrival. They got me instead.

“Thank fuck,” I groaned. “I need this.”

A fist whizzed by my face as I turned. The rule to let me out of the house was no knives. Benito had literally stripped me bare before letting me out of the damn penthouse. But lucky for me, the guy in front of me had brass knuckles.

I took one hit to the gut and nearly doubled over. I took the pain for what it was and twisted around. My fingers jammed into his eye sockets. He bellowed as he reeled back. I slipped the set of brass knuckles off his thick fingers.

They were warm as I shoved my fingers through the four holes. I swung and brought the hard metal down on his temple and then chin. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he crumbled to the ground.

There wasn’t nearly enough blood. A knife would have been better, but I couldn’t be picky. The others attacked at once, not giving me room to think about anything but fighting. My blood pumped, and sweat poured as I gave into the chaos. For every hit I took, I gave back twice as good.

My smaller frame made it easier to dodge certain blows that would have me laid out on the ground. I swung my arm, and it cut through the air with an audible whoosh. Vibrations rang up my arm as the brass knuckles connected with one of the guys’ cheekbones. Blood flew and splattered over my face as his lip busted.

Not enough.

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