Page 126 of Simon Says

“You’ve got it wrong, Sublime. I want the fight, but I want it as fair and straightforward as it can be. Me and you, matching up in the cage. Period. I don’t want it to be about anything other than the sport.”

“If that’s so, then how did the reporter even know about Dakota?”

“I have no idea. Until he said her name to me, I hadn’t heard of her. In fact, when he first mentioned her, I thought he meant the state, like maybe he thought one of us was taking a damn trip or something.” Harley’s mouth twisted. “He was real quick in explaining things to me.”

Simon didn’t want to admit it, and he definitely didn’t like it, but he believed Harley. He had no reason not to. He didn’t know that much about the man, but what he did know gave him no reason to think he’d lie, or use underhanded tactics to garner press.

“Fine. You told me. Now I need to go.”

Harley grabbed his arm. “Not yet.”

Slowly, Simon met his gaze. He wanted Harley to know how he’d erred by touching him.

And the second Harley looked at Simon, he more than understood. Lifting his hands away, he asked, “Did you know that my uncle Satch is my manager?”

“It’s common knowledge. I know he’s obsessed with you winning a belt, too.” Harley hadn’t had an easy time in the organization. He often came close to taking a title, but three times now, something had happened to knock him off course.

“When I told Uncle Satch about the reporter, he did some digging. And here’s where I can help you if you’ll stop trying to find a reason to slug me.”

Simon’s shirt stuck to his chest and back. The reflection off the blacktop nearly blinded him. “Get on with it.”

Harley drew a deep breath. “The reporter told my uncle that he got Dakota’s name from an anonymous man who contacted him with what he called the ‘whole sordid scandal.’ The reporter said he confirmed that you’re seeing her.”

“How’d he do that?”

Harley gave him a look. “Jesus, man, you can ask just about anyone in the sport and they know. I take it she hangs out at Havoc’s gym? And that she’s a looker?” He lifted one solid shoulder. “Guys talk. You know that.”

Yeah, he did know it. No way could Dakota Dream infiltrate an all-male domain without causing a stir.

“Now this damned reporter wants to paint Dakota as a rebound fill-in for Bonnie, and as a bone of contention between us.”

Simon burned. No way in hell would he let the press sabotage Dakota. He’d talk to Drew. He’d—

“But I wouldn’t have come to you just over that.”

There was more? “I’m roasting out here, Harley. Do you think you can get to the point sometime today?”

Harley chewed his upper lip, looked around the lot, and hedged uncomfortably. “Like I said, my uncle leaves no stone unturned. He used to be military, and after that, he worked as a bodyguard until I took up fighting. He’s a mean cuss with contacts everywhere.”

“Skip the family history.”

After one sharp nod, Harley said, “My uncle is convinced that the man who called the reporter is going to cause more trouble.”

Thoughts churning furiously, Simon narrowed his eyes. “And he thinks this because…?”

“He found out that Dakota just took a spill down some stairs at a local club back where you’re training. Is that true?”

Simon hid his surprise. Very few people knew of that, and he couldn’t see any of them spreading rumors. Old Uncle Satch really did have his sources. “What of it?”

Using his wrist to wipe the sweat from his brow, Harley huffed out a breath and then propped his hands back on his hips. “Maybe my uncle is paranoid, and maybe he sees conspiracies where none exist. I don’t know. But he made me promise I’d tell you, so that’s what I’m doing.”

Simon began to feel ill.

“You might already be aware of this, but Dakota’s mother died a while back.”

“I know.”

Harley nodded. Eyes squinted from the bright sun, he explained, “Ultimately, it was an infection that killed her. But did you know that it was a fall down some stairs that injured her so bad in the first place?”

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