Page 67 of Simon Says

“All I know is that she fell down some stairs.”

Dean wound back through the crowd with Simon and Mallet right behind him. They went downstairs, and then into a storage room.

Dakota sat in a chair, shoeless, her dress and hose torn, her face turned away. Beside her, Haggerty fretted with a large cup of ice and some hand towels clutched in his hands.

“I found her,” Haggerty blurted, and for the first time since Simon had known him, he sounded frazzled as he rattled off explanations. “She was all crumpled up against the door at the bottom of the stairs. She screamed, that’s how I found her.” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. “Thought she was dead at first. I really did.”

Because Simon was watching her so closely, he saw Dakota stiffen.

“I was outside there, takin’ a smoke,” Haggerty continued. “Then she screamed. Real loud. I heard her even through the storage room and the outside door and I came running in, and I found her there. Lookin’ dead.”

“Thanks, Haggerty.” Simon went to his knees in front of Dakota. “What happened?”

Dakota shrugged. When she spoke, she didn’t sound shaken or scared, or upset.

She sounded pissed.

“You heard Haggerty. He certainly tells it with flair.”

Gently, Simon touched her jaw to bring her face around so he could see her. He knew it wouldn’t be good, and still his stomach cramped. “Ah, shit.”

A large bruise colored her forehead. A cut on her cheekbone oozed blood. The corner of her mouth was swollen and she had the beginnings of a shiner. “Dakota, honey, are you all right?”

“I’d be better if I hadn’t landed on my face.” Her attempt at a sarcastic smile only made her look more injured.

Simon looked up at Haggerty. “Did you call an ambulance?”

“You try,” Haggerty charged him. “She threatened my manhood if I did it.”

“I don’t need an ambulance.” Gingerly, Dakota prodded her lip, then licked it. “Other than suffering from embarrassment, I’m fine.”

“Embarrassment?”

“The girly scream?” She looked up at Haggerty. “I asked you not to repeat that part, remember?”

Simon couldn’t believe she was worried about that.

Haggerty looked ready to jump out of his skin. “I had to tell them what happened!”

“Well, then, thanks for nothing.”

Mallet and Dean stood in appalled silence. All of them had seen men battered and bruised. Broken wrists, dislocated elbows, torn ligaments. Knockouts and choke-outs and blood galore. They’d seen it all—on fighters.

Not on women.

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” Simon lifted her arm, but she pulled away.

“I said I’m fine.”

So defensive. Dakota didn’t like it that she was hurt, and she absolutely hated showing any signs of weakness. Funny that although he hadn’t known her for long, Simon knew that much without a single doubt.

“How about letting me check for myself?”

Her gaze fried him. “How about you don’t treat me like a damn baby?”

“Dakota…”

Disgusted, she said, “Look, my knees are a little sore, and I banged up my thigh. That’s it. No biggie.”

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