Grayson's doorbell went off. It was almost midnight and he wasn't expecting anyone this late. He walked out to the front door and looked through the peephole. He couldn't see anyone but it sounded like someone was sitting up against the door. He took a deep breath and made sure the door chain was in place before opening the door as much as the chain allowed. He stared down at the top of a head with long, black hair and instantly knew it was his good friend.
"Indi?" He asked.
"Help," she whispered.
"Shit, hold on," he said.
He closed the door again, removed the chain, and opened the door fully. Indi fell backwards into his house and revealed a bloody face. He fell to his knees and examined her injuries.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Baron," she whispered.
"Baron who?" He asked.
"Corbin," he gritted her teeth. "It fucking hurts."
"I got you," he said.
He lifted her up and carried her to the bathroom to clean her up. She had taken a beaten that she didn't deserve. He knew Baron liked to use his fists on women turning him down but he never thought he would see it on anyone he knew.
"Did he do other things to you?" He asked.
"He tried," she answered. "I got one good kick in."
"Atta girl," he sighed in relief. "Should I call the police?"
"They won't care. He's done it many times before. He knows people working there," she said.
"Fuck!" He growled. "Okay, fine, I'll handle it myself. Do you want me to go there and beat him up?"
"No, he'll do it to someone else," she said.
She took his hand and squeezed it as hard as she could.
"He needs to be stopped for good," she said. "Call the hyena."
He snapped for his breath when she mentioned the hyena. The hyena was part of his past. A past he didn't keep contact with since he didn't want to live that sort of life.
"Grayson, please!" She pleaded.
"You know what will happen to him if I do," he said.
"I know. It needs to happen. He won't ever stop. He'll hurt someone else. He might even find me again and hurt me worse," she said.
"Okay, I'll call her. Let me run you a bath first," he said.
He filled the bathtub and left her in the bathroom alone. He walked to his bedroom and sat down on the bed. He still had the hyena's phone number saved just in case he ever needed it. He let out a sigh and hit the call button. It rang three times and then it was picked up.
"You better have a good reason for calling this late," she said.
He had forgotten how late it was. She had every right being angry that someone called at this hour. He could picture the anger in those grass green eyes. He wondered if her hair was still long and black. It had been over a decade since he last saw her. Times could have changed her a lot. He didn't even know if she was still in this line of business.
"Ryo," he said.
"I recognize that voice," she said.
"It's Grayson," he said.
"Grayson? What a blast from the past," she said.
"Yeah, it's been a while," he said.
"I take it this isn't a call to catch up," she said.
"I need your help, Ryo. A friend of mine got hurt bad tonight by a man who thinks he's got the right to put his hands on women for turning him down. She's not the first and she won't be the last unless you can help me," he said.
He waited for a few seconds but she didn't say anything.
"Do you still work with..." He started.
"Shut up," she cut him off. "Yes, I do. I don't come cheap."
"I know. Name your price," he said.
"I'm giving you a discount because I used to like you in the past," she said.
He felt his heart skip a beat. He had stuck around in that world for far too long because he was attracted to her. He never acted on his feelings but she was the reason he had such a hard time walking away. He was placing himself right back into that world and right in front of her. Her voice alone was enough to make his heart beat a little faster again.
"30.000 dollars. And that's fucking cheap, you know," she said.
"Thank you," he said.
"Yeah, well, I always kinda liked you, Grayson," she sounded amused. "Half up front, half after. Meet me tomorrow at 9 AM with the money. You know where. I'm only there for as long as it takes them to make my cappuccino. I won't be waiting around for you."
"I'll be there," he said.
She hung up without a word of goodbye. He stared at his phone and sighed again. He had promised himself never to go back to that world but Indi needed his help, and to do that, he needed Ryo's help. He got up from the bed, walked to the bathroom, and knocked on the door.
"You can come in," Indi said.
He opened the door and stuck his head inside. She was in the tub covered in bubbles.
"I wish I had never told you about the hyena," he said.
"Did she say no?" She asked.
"Worse," he sighed. "She said yes."