Page 33 of Finlay

But I’d never seen him this…furious. His face was pale, except for two spots of colour high on his cheekbones. Water and feed solution dripped from his trembling hands, but Reid didn’t seem to notice.

He only had eyes for Evan.

“You,” he hissed, shoving his tiny body between me and the counter. “How fucking dare you come in here?”

“Reid,” I said, trying to edge around him. He stood firm though, refusing to budge. “Evan is a customer. What are youdoing?”

Reid didn’t react. It was though I hadn’t spoken. “Leave, now. I don’t know what you’re doing here, but get out.”

Evan offered my furious assistant a lazy grin. “So you’re fine with Finn, but ye draw the line at me.”

“I don’t have a history with Finn,” Reid shot back.

Evan stiffened, his face showing the same confusion I was feeling. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’ve met before. I would’ve remembered.”

“Clearly your memory is faulty then.” Reid’s knuckles whitened as he gripped the edge of the counter, like he was physically restraining himself from lamping Evan. “Let me remind you.”

Alarm made the hair on the back of my neck prickle. I didn’t know what had happened, but if it upset Reid this much, I didn’t want this man anywhere near him. “Actually, Evan, I think you should leave. Now.”

Reid finally acknowledged me, throwing up a hand. “Nope. He had his chance. Now he’s going to be reminded exactly what kind of scum he is.”

Evan held up both hands placatingly. “I’m telling you, man, I don’t know you.”

“Not this version of me, sure,” Reid said through gritted teeth. “But imagine me as a scrawny ten-year-old. Tattered shirt. A bruise around my wrist and a black eye that I told you I got from falling out of a tree. Ringing any bells now, hotshot?”

He frowned. “That was you?”

Reid glared. “So now you remember me. Do you remember what I asked you?”

Evan paled so fast I thought he was about to faint. “I thought you were joking. Wait, ye really wanted to leave?”

My head was swivelling between the two in confusion. “Can someone fillme in?”

Neither of them answered me. Reid continued like I hadn’t spoken. “You know what I am, where I grew up. You’re telling me you saw a child who was covered in bruises and clearly underfed, and thought me asking you to take me away was ajoke?”

There was so much to unpack in that statement. Fuck, being abused as an adult was one thing, but as a child?

That was a whole new level of fucked up.

It made me realise Evan must be older than I’d thought. I’d pegged him for being around my age, but if Reid had asked him for help as a child…

“I had no idea,” Evan said through bloodless lips. “I’m so fucking sorry. I can’t believe this. I swear, Reid, if I’d known?—”

“It’s too late,” Reid bit out. “What’s done is done. But if you don’t get out of my sight in the next thirty seconds, I won’t be responsible for my actions. I don’t give a shit who or what you are, I have enough rage to make it an equal fight.”

That was fair. Evan was twice the size of Reid, but just look at me and Matt. Size didn’t mean anything if the intent was there.

Evan’s lips thinned. “I’m so sorry, Reid.”

I could sense Reid’s armour cracking as his whole body started to tremble. Putting an arm around his shoulders, I jerked my chin at Evan. “Get out. Now.”

He retreated to the door, watching Reid the whole time. Just before he crossed the threshold, he mouthed another apology.

Then he was gone.

“Fuck,” Reid said, crumpling with a whimper. I caught him, lowering him slowly to the ground. “Fuck, fuck,fuck.Ishould’ve known he’d come sniffing around now Finn knows I’m here.”

“You knew Finn before he came in here?”

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