The other two men scuttled off. The way Shelton’s predatory gaze bounced between Rafe and me was unsettling. I didn’t like him. I didn’t like this place. Most of all, I didn’t like the thought of Rafe fighting my brother.

“You’re not going to be happy about this, Mason, but I need you to do something for me.”

“Why ask then?” Rafe said, and I winced at his tone. He wasn’t playing nice at all. Not that I blamed him. But why piss off this guy unless we had a reason to? He said we were taking off as soon as the fight was over…unless he didn’t think that was going to happen.

“Normally, I wouldn’t, but I don’t see a way around it. You want De Luca, and I want him in that cage with you.” Shelton scratched his nose for a second. “Problem is, he’s not budging unless he talks to your girl first.”

Rafe tensed beside me, his body ready to burst into action. I couldn’t see the adrenaline storming him, but I sensed it like an intangible wave in the air.

“I’m sure your guys can convince him.”

“That isn’t how I operate. He’ll fight because he wants to fight.” He gestured at me. “And if he doesn’t talk to her first, he ain’t cooperating.”

“You mean we have a choice?” Rafe let out a bitter laugh. “So you won’t mind if Alex and I take off then.”

“Zach’s a little tied up right now, but you’re standing here free as a bird. Don’t push me, Mason. Let him have five minutes with your girl. My guys will make sure he doesn’t lay a finger on her.”

Rafe was about to put up the fight from hell, I could already tell, but I stepped out of his grasp. “I’ll do it.”

“No!” Rafe’s voice thundered through the warehouse, and the raucous chatter fell silent.

Ignoring him, I kept my gaze on Shelton. “I’ll talk to him, but just the two of us.”

Rafe wrenched me by the arm until we were eye to eye. “This isn’t happening.”

I glared at him. This was my chance to try and talk some sense into Zach. If I could get my brother to back down, maybe this match wouldn’t end in death.

“This isn’t up to you,” I said. “He’s running things.” I threw Shelton a challenging look. “Aren’t you?”

“You got that right.”

“Take me to him then,” I said, stepping to Shelton’s side before Rafe could stop me.

“I’m gonna blister your ass for this,” Rafe warned.