Page 3 of Simon Says

That reminder fisted Simon’s hand around the photos, crinkling them. Had Bonnie already been with another man that day? His stomach lurched at the thought of playing second in line.

He thought about that, then he recalled that the bed in the photo wasn’t his, thank God. But he’d thought the woman was.

Humiliation overtook the numbness; he felt like a blind ass.

Dean stuck his head into the room and without a lot of emotion or sympathy, or anything else mushy that might have made the situation worse, he asked, “You okay?”

A pretty outrageous question for a man of his capabilities, his fighting record, his size and weight and strength.

So…was he okay? Simon queried himself, his mind and his heart, and actually…yeah, he was A-OK.

Embarrassed, sure. He had the same ego as any other man in the SBC. Pissed, you betcha. But he didn’t have the need to find the unnamed man and pound on him. Far as he was concerned, the guy could have Bonnie.

He also felt determined to get through this new wrinkle without dramatizing things further.

But he didn’t feel heartsick. Maybe that’s why Bonnie had wandered, because he didn’t love her madly and she knew it. It wasn’t a good excuse, but it’d do for now.

Simon looked up at Dean. “You have anywhere you have to be?”

“No.”

Havoc was often a man of few words, and he was always a man straight to the point. As his former trainer, manager, and agent, Simon appreciated that.

“Wanna help me move my shit out of here?”

One big shoulder rolled. “Sure. If that’s what you want.”

Simon nodded. “It is.” He tossed the photos onto the nightstand. Bonnie would find them, and that’d be explanation enough for his departure from her life.

“Hey, Gregor?”

Gregor appeared in the doorway. He looked embarrassed for Simon.

“Knock it off, will you?”

Gregor glanced at Dean and then at Simon again. The sympathetic expression intensified. “Sure thing, Sublime.”

Simon rolled his eyes. Gregor might look like a muscled behemoth, but he had a heart as big as the rest of his physique. The doofus. “You have time to hang around and help me move out of here?”

“Absolutely.” Then with caution, “Where are you moving to?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Simon surveyed the now disheveled bedroom, wondering where to start. “Good thing I never got around to marrying her.”

“Yeah. Good thing.” Hands on his hips, Gregor looked around the room. “You’ve got a lot of stuff.”

“I’m taking all of it.” The finality in that statement made Simon feel better. “Today will be a clean break. Once I walk out the door I don’t plan to make any trips back.”

“Right.” Gregor rubbed at an ear thickened by too many precise punches. “How about I run up to the grocery and see if they have any empty boxes?”

“That’d be great. Thanks.”

Gregor escaped with a stomping stride, but Simon noticed that he already had his cell phone in his hand. Great. He’d tell his new wife, Jacki, and she’d tell her sister Cam, and Cam would tell Dean’s wife, Eve, if Dean hadn’t already.

“Stay with Eve and me.” Dean crossed his arms and stared at Simon. “You know Eve would welcome you.”

Eve was a beautiful person, inside and out. Simon was pleased for Havoc to have found her. “Thanks, but no. I think I’ll go home for a while.”

“Home?”

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