He whistled. “Tough lesson for a ten-year-old.”
“I’ve had a few of those.”
“So, you’ve known Keira since you were ten?” Reyes asked. “You kept in touch?”
“No.” Eden wouldn’t meet anyone’s gaze. “I didn’t hear from her again until a few months ago. She contacted me through social media. I didn’t see the message for a while. Not much into posting my life out there for the world to see. I wouldn’t even have a Facebook page if it wasn’t for my friends making me one. She wanted to see me so I met her for dinner. It was clear to see our lives had gone down different paths. She hadn’t had things easy.”
“What did she want?” Zeke asked.
“What makes you think she wanted anything?” Eden asked, looking up at him.
Because it didn’t make much sense for this woman to contact her out of the blue. Because of who Eden was, someone with money and a strong sense of loyalty.
He gave her a knowing look.
She let out a sigh. “Fine. But I don’t want any lectures.”
Zeke ran his hand over his face. “Eden,” he groaned.
“I know what I’m doing, Zeke. I knew she wanted something and I still met with her. I didn’t have to give her anything, but. . .”
“You remembered that little girl with the abusive dad and felt sorry for her.” He knew the way she worked.
“It was just a few grand. I’m guessing she’d done her research so she knew who I was. How much I was worth. She had a black eye. Some loan shark sent his goons after her because her boyfriend owed him money. At least that’s what she told me.
“I told myself it was just a one-off. I felt like I had to help her. She’d helped me through some dark times in the hospital and hell, it’s only money.”
“Did she contact you again? Asking for more?” Zeke snapped. How the fuck had this gotten past him? Despite her attempts to keep him at arm’s length, he’d done his best to keep an eye on her.
“I was expecting her to call asking for more. I was going to tell her that I couldn’t give her any more. Bad as I might feel about that, I’m not a pushover.” She glared at Zeke as though expecting him to argue that.
“I
know you’re not, baby. But you do have a blind spot for some people.”
She shook her head tiredly. “You don’t know everything about me, Zeke.”
“As interesting as this all is,” Reyes voice said it was anything but interesting, “can we get back to Keira?”
“Right. Well, the next time I heard from her, was that night I ended up at the Suck ‘n Blow.”
His hands tightened into fists at the memory. Rage filled him and he had to work hard to keep it contained. She’d been attacked in the parking lot by two assholes. If Abby hadn’t come across her. . . he took in a deep breath, let it out slowly.
“Suck ‘n Blow? Markovich’s bar?” Reyes snapped.
“You know Mr. Markovich?” Eden asked.
“We’ve had dealings with him,” Reyes said carefully. He leaned forward. “What happened at Markovich’s bar?”
Eden blinked at his harsh tone. “Keira asked me to meet her there. Only she never turned up. Then she called me the next day and told me that her boyfriend had an emergency and she’d had to leave before I got there.”
“Eden was attacked and nearly raped by two assholes in the parking lot that night,” Zeke spoke in a furious whisper.
Reyes shot him a look. “Where were you?”
“I didn’t know she’d left the ranch.” It was after that incident that he’d put the trackers on her car and in her handbags.
“Wonder if Markovich has had dealings with her,” Reyes mused.