Page 33 of Bruiser's Reckoning

“We’re watching the game, Princess.” I grin, liking the fact I found a woman who likes baseball. Between baseball and football, those are the two sports I enjoy watching. Mostly college rather than professional.

Rounding the loveseat, I scoop Gwyneth up and turn, getting comfortable with her in my arms, eyes on the TV screen and the game just starting. Here’s to a day at the beach, relaxing and watching baseball.

I’ll wait until later to fill her in. Let her have this time to enjoy a day of peace.

CHAPTER TWENTY

BRUISER

The vibration of my phone on the nightstand wakes me. Not wanting it to wake Gwyneth, I reach out, snatch it up, and crack an eye open in order to see who the hell’s calling.

Seeing Hammer’s name on the screen, I answer and put the phone to my ear.

“Yeah, Prez?”

“Get Gwyneth back here ASAP,” he orders.

“Why? What’s happened?” I ask, jolting out of the bed.

“Someone found Simon. Don’t know how, but he’s dead.”

“Fuck,” I snarl, waking Gwyneth up.

“Bruiser?” Her voice sleep-filled, and her expression is one of concern.

“Hang on, baby,” I tell her, focusing on the conversation with Hammer. “How’d it happen?”

“Decapitation.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“You need to get her back here where we can lock her down. If they found him, who wasn’t supposed to be able to be found, they can get to her,” Hammer states, sounding pissed. Far more than I’ve heard him sound in a while. Even when we went up against Avery’s siblings, who wanted him out of the way to get to her. “And Bruiser . . .”

“Yeah?”

“They left a message behind. Saying the men protecting her were next.”

“I’ll let the others know and break it to her,” I tell him and disconnect, my mind racing with this news. It seems Johnathan has gone and lost it. I drop my phone to the floor, grab my jeans from the floor, and yank them on. “Get up, Princess. I need you dressed and ready to go in the next few minutes.”

“What’s happening?” she asks, a slight tremble in her voice.

Slowly taking a breath, I release it and move to her side of the bed. Sitting down, I pull her into my arms. “I’ve got something to share with you, Princess, and it’s not good. I want to be able to give you time to process it when I do, but I can’t. We’ve got to get on the road. Okay?”

“Okay.” She nods, her voice no more than a breath. “Just tell me.”

Giving her a squeeze, I press a kiss to her forehead. “That was Hammer on the phone. He called to let me know . . .” Sucking in a harsh breath, I lay the news on her. “Gwyneth, someone found Simon. He’s dead, baby.”

Gwyneth draws in a sharp breath, eyes filling with tears. “How?”

“Princess, you don’t want to know,” I murmur, palming the side of her face and stroking her cheek with my thumb. “Trust me, it’s not something you want to know. Now, I really need for you to get ready, we’re heading out. Taking bikes out of here, and I’ve got to tell the others.”

Gwyneth allows a single tear to fall, and she nods. I wish I could give her time to grieve, but it’ll have to come later.

I kiss her forehead and finish dressing quickly, while she also gets her stuff together. We’re on the back of my bike, but she didn’t overpack. I’ll be able to put the small duffel in one of the saddle bags.

Needing reassurance she’s gonna be okay, I pull her in my arms, wrapping them tightly around her, and press a kiss to her forehead. “You gonna be okay?”

Gwyneth nods in answer, her breath hitching.

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