Page 16 of Simon Says

Dakota stared up at him. It took her a second to find her voice, and then all she said was, “Chicken.”

“Yeah, you scare me all right. And that’s a real shame.” He smiled and turned away, already busy talking to Gregor and Dean.

Dakota chewed over what he said, but only because he sounded so serious, as if his words had double meaning. Did she alarm him? Did he maybe have deranged groupies who threw themselves at him? Stalker women who wouldn’t let him be? Or did he just consider her nuts, and therefore dangerous?

And why was it a shame? Had he thought to ask her out? Maybe ask her over? For sex?

The jerk.

Determined to prove him misguided on all counts, Dakota bolted right back into the ring. When Dean looked her way in amazement, Simon jerked around to face her, too.

“Un-fucking-believable.”

She held up her hands. “Don’t jump the gun.”

Dean laughed. “Is she for real, Simon?”

“Hell if I know.”

Dakota suffered through their arrogance with impatience. “Look, I don’t want to spar with you. I just want to show you what I’m talking about.”

Dean propped his hands on his hips. “Lady, not to be rude, but anything Simon needs to know, he can hear from me.”

Gregor rubbed at his ear, saying nothing.

“Well, you haven’t told him, now, have you? You’re too busy watching Gregor so you can teach him, but Simon plans to reenter the ring, andmister, not to be rude to you, but you’re not giving him the feedback he needs.”

All three males blinked over her audacity at chastising the well-known and sometimes revered Havoc.

Oh, for the love of…“If you guys could just tuck away the testosterone for a minute, you might find that I actually know what I’m talking about. I trained in Muay Thai for three years, and I’ve studied grappling and kickboxing. I’m not saying I’m a competitor, because I know what it takes to compete.”

Dryly, Simon said to Dean, “She’s not a competitor.”

“Thank God for small favors.”

Obnoxious asses. Dakota glared at them. “What I’m saying is that I know enough to recognize the difference between a little knowledge and enough experience and talent to get in the ring. You have to admit that’s more than some of the guys who try to compete.”

There’d been several instances where a hard-ass bozo stupidly wanted to compete in the ring, but a barroom brawler never stood a chance.

“And that’s exactly why Simon should hear me out, because I don’t have any delusions, just good practical advice.”

Again, Simon strode toward her. “Tell you what? Why don’t you hightail it out of here now and let us get back to work, and we’ll just forget all about this.”

“I had no idea that SBC fighters had such pigheaded arrogance.”

Simon reached for her arm—and Dakota reacted on instinct. Well…instinct and short temper; after all, he had insulted her with his macho baloney.

Moving fast, she knocked his arm aside and in Muay Thai fashion, kicked out—stopping just sort of hitting Simon in the temple.

Simon stiffened in shock.

Dean and Gregor gaped at her.

Standing there like that, balanced on one leg with the other extended straight in the air, her foot inches from Simon’s head, Dakota said, “Be glad I can control myself. Otherwise, that kick would have knocked you out.”

His eyes narrowed.

Smiling, Dakota tapped her toes against his temple so he’d know the exact spot she’d pinpointed, and then she dropped her leg and turned her back on him in one smooth motion.

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