“With your fucking sister.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “No one fucked my sister. That’s the problem. Randy still wants payment.”
I didn’t even see Reed raise his fist, but he’d slammed it into Cam’s nose so fast I gasped.
“Fuck!” Cam shouted, bending down and covering his face with his hand. Blood poured around it, dripping down his chin and onto his shirt.
Reed and Grey turned their heads in our direction. Reed’s eyes narrowed seeing me, and Gray didn’t even blink although his eyes narrowed slightly when he glanced at Emory. Cam was too busy dealing with his nose to even notice. Reed grabbed Cam by his shirt and dragged him up the stairs and into the fighting ring, pretty much carrying him when he stumbled. The sides of the ring were metal fencing, the support poles covered with protective padding, just like I’d seen on the TV fights. Grey went up and pulled the access door closed behind them.
“Your sister gave the money to charity,” Reed announced.
Cam stood up straight but kept his hand to his face. His eyes flared wide, not expecting that. “What the fuck?”
“You’re on your own with Randy.”
“What? No! She wouldn’t do that.”
“Yes, Cam. I would,” I called.
Cam’s eyes widened as he walked toward the fencing, curled his fin
gers around the wire. Gray stood at the top of the steps, blocking his exit. Unless he wanted to climb over the ring’s walls, Cam wasn’t getting out.
“You got that money because of me,” he said.
I set my hands on the front desk’s counter, leaned forward. “Hush money for what you did, giving me to Randy, just like you gave me to Brad when I was thirteen.”
I felt Emory’s hand settle on my shoulder, but she said nothing.
Cam smiled. “Brad. Fuck, I’d forgotten about that. As for my money, you wouldn’t have gotten it if not for me,”
He was delusional.
“I’ve never wanted anything from you, Cam. As Reed said, the money’s gone. I’m out. You need to leave me alone.”
He laughed, his teeth bloody. “Leave you alone? You set these fuckers on me.” He stuck an arm out and pointed at Reed.
I shook my head, but at the sound of the exterior door opening, I whipped around. Randy and his two guys came through the door, stopped just inside. For once, I was glad to see them. If anything, I had to give Randy credit for being prompt.
If I’d had even a glimmer of doubt about them taking Cam and doing… whatever to him, it was gone. I had no guilt. No conscience where he was concerned.
“I didn’t set Reed and Gray on you,” I said then pointed to Randy. “I set your goons on you.”
“What?” Cam’s eyes widened, for the first time out of fear. “No! Tell them you’ve got more money. That you’ll give it to them.”
“Get it from Mom and Dad,” I replied. “They’ve bailed you out of everything else.”
He shook his head, blood dripping onto the mat. “They won’t. They can’t. They’re broke.”
That surprised me, and my mind stalled. They had no money? The infamous Lanes, broke? That made no sense, but I was sure Cam was correct. He’d no doubt hit them up first thing he got out of jail. I wondered if my father was a gambler as well. Maybe bad investments. I didn’t really care. I had a trust fund from my grandparents they couldn’t touch. I had my job and didn’t need fancy things like they did. Money didn’t buy happiness, that was for sure.
“We done here?” Randy asked, clearly impatient.
“I’m done,” I told him. I was. Cam was just as worthless as ever. He’d never change. I glanced at Emory and nodded. I didn’t need to see anything else. I didn’t need to watch as Randy took Cam away. I’d gotten what I’d come downstairs for. Closure.
We cut past Randy and went over to the doors to the lobby. I looked over my shoulder at Cam in the ring one last time then to Reed who stood beside him.
Reed’s body was tense, his muscles primed and ready, just like during his past fights I’d watched online. I gave him the smallest of smiles, hoping he understood why I had to go against what he’d asked me to do and stay upstairs.