Page 94 of Havoc

Kenna: Understood. If you can just let him know I’m thinking of him.

Simon

Ihated this place. Always had. It was well-known as a spot for dirty deals to go down, and the fact that I sat across from this man with his little weasel eyes made me swallow hard and hate it even more. I felt slimy and was glad there was a table between us.

There was just something about him that didn’t sit right inside me whenever he was near, which I was glad wasn’t often.

“What do you say? Join us. We’re all family here.” I felt like he was trying to sell me on joining a cult. Maybe the bar was just a front. My imagination began to go wild at the thought. I glanced around nervously.

“Why me?” I desperately tried to focus on anything but those cold eyes.

“Why not?”

“Seriously, I’m a nobody. I haven’t even held a gun before.” Sure, that wasn’t entirely true, but I was the last person who would ever put on a leather cut and take orders to kill someone. After all, my nickname growing up was Harry Potter. I always had my nose in a book; my imagination always ran high as I lived through each one. I was totally out of my comfort level in a urine-soaked bar, and one I would probably have to clean.

“You’re smart. You can learn.”

“No.” I cut him off. “Sorry, but no. I’m not interested at all. I’m not sure where this is coming from, but it’s a hard pass. It will never happen.”

“Simon,” my name shot off his tongue like venom, and a quick flash of his real self poked through, “I don’t need to explain myself, nor do people say no to me.” His dark eyes glittered, but what sent a shiver through me was his tone. I didn’t know why, but it gave me the much-needed push to find my backbone. I had a voice and a choice.

“I know people don’t say no to you, Allen, but there’s a first time for everything.” I stood and held up my hands when two of his men pointed their weapons at me.

“You’ve been warned, boy.” Allen licked his bottom lip, clearly trying to hold his temper down. “What comes next is on you.”

“Understood.”

I blinked a few times to get rid of that memory. That one conversation had changed my entire life, and I had to live with the consequences. I shuddered and forced my body to relax as I spotted Kenna. She looked lovely as she greeted someone who had come into the restaurant.

“There you are.” Kurt sat down next to me. “I lost you after you spoke to Kenna in the lobby.” I shrugged as he reached out and snagged my beer and downed more than half of it in one deep swallow. He didn’t often show his face, but lately he’d become more comfortable. I didn’t mind so much. I didn’t have too many friends, and Kurt was easy to sit with.

“Did you get me anything to take to Brick?” I needed something to show I had looked into his brother’s whereabouts. I’d promised Trigger, and I got the feeling he was only a step behind me in that situation. The last thing I needed was him or Brick breathing down my neck, pissed I hadn’t given them anything.

“I’m working on it.” He bumped some ketchup on my plate, and I frowned at the sudden red invasion down the side of my baked potato.

“I take it by your calm demeanor you haven’t heard yet.” He spoke in such a precise way that it caught my attention even as I watched Kenna across the way fiddle with her necklace. She often did that when she wasn’t comfortable with a situation.

“Hear what?”

“Rumor has it Leo Gates was murdered during their trip to New Orleans.”

“What?” I turned my head so fast that my neck popped. “I haven’t heard a thing. Cameron hasn’t reached out.”

“My guess, Cameron doesn’t know.”

“Are you sure?

“Of course, I’m sure.” He sounded annoyed.

“Do you have proof? I can’t believe it.”

“I’m working on it.”

“Shit. Who else knows?”

“No clue, but I’ve got my contacts.” He puffed up. “Not many know, because you clearly haven’t gotten wind of it yet.” He looked so pleased he knew before me I wanted to smack him.

“Damn.” I covered my face. I’d been so preoccupied with other stuff I hadn’t paid enough attention to what was going on at the hotel. “I need to tell Cameron. What, exactly, do you know?”

---