Neither one of them puts up a fight, and I can't look them in the eye as they pass through. If these two idiots want to beat each other up for me, fine. They can do it. But I made absolutely no part of that bargain, and I won't promise to be around when it's over.

Chapter Nineteen

Rafe

On Friday, I stop by the shop to check on Mateo before heading to the gym. He and his aunt were a little shaken up by the raid, but they seem fine now. It does little to settle the guilt in my chest. I’ve been neglecting work lately, and to be honest, I forgot I put in the paperwork for that warrant. I gave the chief hell the next day for sending someone else to serve a warrant I requested, but he was quick to point out that I’ve been less than focused lately.

So it’s a good thing this shit ends tonight.

I’m going to knock Ezra down a peg, and then Shelby, and I can move on without the drama. She hasn’t spoken to me since the fight, but I know she’ll come around. I’d rather ask for forgiveness than permission at this point.

As I make my way through the crowd, I spot her first. She's looking pissed, standing next to Ezra who looks ready to rage. I'm headed straight for them to call this whole thing off when Vic snaps me up by the arm.

"I have a very bad feeling about tonight," he says without any other greeting. "And I trust my gut, Rafe. When I have a bad feeling it's because something bad is about to happen." Although I know very confidently that Vic doesn't do drugs, he's showing the paranoia of an addict.

"It's fine. This is about to be an easy win. I won’t hurt him too bad."

“Then why is everyone betting against you?” His words stop me dead in my tracks.

“What are you talking about?”

“Everyone’s talking about this guy. I mean, look at this crowd,” he says with panic in his eyes. And that’s when I notice that the gathering is about three times as strong as it normally is. What the hell is going on?

Turning my back on Vic, I stalk through the crowd toward Ezra who is looking a little too smug for my taste.

Stepping up to his face, I don’t hesitate. “What the fuck is going on?”

He smiles. “You’re not nervous, are you?”

“Who are all these people?”

“Oh you didn’t think you were the only one training, did you?” That’s when the wheels start turning. These people aren’t like Vic’s crowd. They’re younger, rowdier, and a new buzz on energy runs through the crowd.

“What are you talking about?” Shelby chimes in. The way she’s clutching her fingers in front of her tells me that she’s as clueless as I am.

“I wanted to surprise you. I’ve been fighting every week over at Chief’s. I just wanted to make sure I’d be a fair opponent for Rafe.”