Reid Becker was nothing like his brother. Shayla made that assessment in about ten seconds--the length of time it took for the man to settle on a couch between a pretty brunette and a busty redhead.
Reid was attractive in a scruffy, sexy, take-no-prisoners, don't-get-attached kind of way. Just the kind of man she would have expected to see in a bar called the Cadillac Lounge. His jeans were faded. His t-shirt had a guitar on the front, and he didn't look like he'd shaved in a day or two. He had penetrating eyes, green, she thought, and his thick, wavy, tousled brown hair looked as if someone had run their hands through it--maybe the redhead who was stroking his thigh while whispering something in his ear.
Reid laughed and gave the woman a quick kiss before calling the waitress over for another shot.
Shayla frowned. This was the man who was supposed to save Robert? He was either drunk or on his way to it. She really wished Robert had agreed to let her call Max. Emma's husband was a detective. Max could do more for Robert than this guy. But Robert had been insistent that she trust no one but Reid. Right now he seemed like the last man she should trust.
Someone bumped into her from behind, and she stumbled forward.
Reid suddenly looked up, his gaze meeting hers. Then he gave a beckoning wave.
She started at the gesture and turned around to see if he was talking to someone behind her, but there was no one there. When she turned back to face him, she saw amusement in his eyes.
"You," he said, motioning her to come forward. "I could use a blonde over here."
She frowned at his suggestive and rude comment. As much as she wanted to blow him off, she couldn't. She'd promised Robert. So she stepped forward and gave him what she hoped was a serious and sharp look. "Are you Reid Becker?"
"Who wants to know, babe?"
"My name is Shayla Callaway." She looked for some sort of recognition, but there was nothing more than casual curiosity in his gaze. Apparently, Robert had never mentioned her to his brother. "I need to talk to you."
He patted his thigh. "I got a spot right here for you, sweetheart."
"It's about your brother."
His jaw tightened, and anger flashed through his eyes. "What about him?"
"Could we speak in private?"
"I'm not interested in anything Robert has to say."
"Robert isn't the one talking; I am. It will take just a few minutes," she added, feeling a little desperate. She'd expected Robert's brother to want to help her, but this man had gone cold at the mention of his brother's name. "It's important. A matter of life and death."
He stared at her for a long moment, his gaze searching her face as if to judge the sincerity of her words. Finally, he disengaged himself from the women and stood up. He was taller than Robert--taller, broader, stronger, sexier...
Her stomach tightened as he walked over to her.
"So, talk," he ordered.
"Outside," she said, not letting him intimidate her. She was used to strong men. She had five brothers and a father and a grandfather who were leaders among men. Not only that, she was a female doctor who'd taken a lot of crap over the years. She could handle this guy. At least she thought she could. She just needed to get past the unexpected nervous tingle running down her spine. She turned away from Reid and walked toward the front door, hoping he would follow. After a moment's hesitation he did exactly that.
When they neared the door, Reid put a hand on her shoulder and said,"This is far enough."
She glanced around, wanting to make sure there was no one close enough to hear what she was about to say. Then she looked back at Reid. While she could smell the liquor on his breath, the gleam in his eyes told her he was paying attention.
"I was working for your brother at a clinic in Colombia until a week ago. There was trouble. Some people were hurt--killed--and your brother went missing." She licked her dry lips. "This morning Robert called me. He said he was in danger and that only you could help him."
"Is this a joke?" Reid asked, disbelief in his eyes, eyes that were definitely green, a beautiful green, she thought, distracted by his gaze. "Well?" he prodded.
"No, it's not a joke," she said, forcing herself to focus.
"Why would you ask that?"
"Because there's no way Robert could possibly think that I would want to help him."
She remembered what Robert had said on the phone--that he didn't know how long it would take her to convince his brother to meet him. "Look, it's not a joke. I don't know what's between you and your brother, but Robert said you are the only one who can save his life." She saw lingering doubt in Reid's expression and searched for another way to convince him. "It was on the news--the attack on the clinic--you can look it up online. I'm not lying about what happened. Your brother is in serious trouble."
Reid ran a hand through his hair, his jaw stiff with tension, his eyes glittering with emotions she couldn't begin to decipher.
"This doesn't make any sense," he muttered.
"Maybe it will make sense if we keep talking. Can we get some coffee?" She could see the indecision in his eyes, but she couldn't take no for an answer. "What do you have to lose by having a cup of coffee with me?" she asked. "Just give me fifteen minutes."
"Maybe tomorrow."
"It can't wait until then. Please." She was close to begging, but she didn't care. She'd been on edge for a week, and she wouldn't be able to stop the nightmares until Robert was back in San Francisco, living his life, and doing his job. "You have to help me. I don't know what else to do."
Her pending hysteria worked in her favor. Reid put his hand on her shoulder again. "Okay, calm down. We'll talk." He glanced at his watch. "There's a coffee house around the corner. It should be open for at least another hour."
"Perfect," she said with relief, following him outside.
The bar was in an industrial area that was fine by day but seedy at night, and while it was only a little after eight o'clock, she was happy to have Reid by her side.
They crossed the street at the corner and were only a few feet into the intersection when a car came speeding down the block.