Drake did not smile. An unbidden, hazy, somewhat furious face flashed in his memory. Red hair, round face, a glare that promised retribution. The Bulldog, he’d called himself. More like dog. “Ah. I seem to recall a man like that.”
Reaper arched a brow. “You do?”
Drake nodded. “Vaguely. He challenged me to a match.”
“I take it he lost?”
“Grandly.” Didn’t he knock him out with a single punch?
Drake glanced back at Rook.
The man shuffled into a sitting position. “He muttered something about wanting your hands.”
His hands, eh? “And you were going to cut them off?”
Rook averted his gaze. “Not me.”
So the man himself, then. Savage. He must have truly humiliated the man. “How did this man find you? You’re not working alone, are you?”
Reaper snorted.
Rook shook his head. “One of his men found me, but the gentleman came with him. Didn’t trust the matter to chance.”
Interesting.
“Then should we set a lure for him?” Drake wondered.
“Are you going to tell the others?” Reaper asked.
“No.”
Reaper scowled. “That’s not wise,frère.”
Drake arched a brow right back. “For a little fish like this? Doyouwant to bother them with this?”
“Ye—”
“Before you finish that sentence, allow me to remind you of our brother’s recent nuptials, Serpent’s recovery from his attack, Knight manning the tavern, and Saint and Dagger chasing leads on our uncle, while you,” Drake paused, “you were supposed to be keeping an eye on Deveraux. Where is that bastard anyway?”
“Manning the tavern with Knight.”
Heh. Leaving this one with too much time on his hands.
“Well then, now you can help me with this. Rook, our newfound little friend here, is going back to London with news of a Brighton knockout match.”
“How much prize money will draw your admirer here, do you think?”
The man shook his head. “None.”
“As I suspected.”
“I don’t see how that’s going to work,” Reaper muttered, rolling a coin over his fingers.
“You don’t box,” Drake said simply. “With a man such as him, if money won’t work, then he definitely wants the prestige of beating the unbeatable. Revenge. I’m willing to give him the chance.”
“So what? You spread word, and any man who wishes to take you on from here to Wales can come?”
“I’ll set up some mock matches.”
