Page 89 of Simon Says

Bonnie got tossed to the side.

The battle lasted no more than two minutes, but in that time, Barber took and gave his fair share of blows, and still came out ahead. The difference was his training. He knew how to strike with more power, to cripple with a blow, to fend off two against one.

In the end, the three men scrambled off together, disappearing into the darkness.

Barber watched them go, knowing it was the sound of sirens that had chased them away.

He turned to Bonnie. She huddled on the ground near the front tire of her car, covering her head with her arms and sobbing uncontrollably. Damn.

Dropping to his knees, Barber asked softly, “Are you hurt, little honey?”

She launched herself against him, nearly knocking him over again. He winced at the added discomfort to his battered body, and held her close.

Two police officers showed up.

Standing with Bonnie held to his chest, Barber explained what had happened. The officers called it in, took a report, promised to look around, and said they’d let Barber know if they found anyone.

He knew they wouldn’t.

Tipping up Bonnie’s chin, he said, “Shhh. You okay now?”

“Nooooo.”

No? Huh. He wasn’t quite expecting that now that the excitement had ended. He didn’t see any marks on her, and other than her hair falling loose, she looked okay.

“Yeah, well…” Feeling a bitch of a headache coming on, Barber rubbed the back of his neck. “So, what’s hurt, exactly?”

She slugged him, stumbled away, then shot right back into his arms. Barber could feel her shaking all over, and accepted that attacks in darkened parking lots weren’t exactly Bonnie’s speed.

“It’s okay now, sugar. Just take a few deep breaths.”

“Get me oudda here.” She hiccuped on a sob. “Please.”

Sounded like a hell of plan. “Sure thing.” Barber levered her away to see her pale face. “You need to visit a doc for anything?”

She shook her head and crowded back in close to press her face to his shoulder. Given the sound of her sniffling, Barber was afraid that she might be using his shoulder for a hanky.

Not an appealing thought.

Easing her away again, he got her in the car and in her seat with her seat belt latched. As he rounded the hood to the driver’s door, he glanced at his shirt. Phew. Only damp from tears.

He seated himself, started the car, and pulled out of the lot. “Where to, baby?”

She gave him mushy directions while she continued to shake and lament the fates.

Barber glanced at her. Not exactly the charitable sort, he couldn’t wait to unload her. Even for a one-night stand, he wasn’t used to weak women.

Hell, he was used to Dakota.

In all the years that he’d known her, with everything she’d been through, he’d never once seen Dakota drunk or heard her wail. For certain she didn’t sit around sniffling and looking pathetic.

Following Bonnie’s directions, Barber drove about twenty minutes while she kept her nose pressed to the window as if unsure of their exact destination. Finally, in inebriated excitement, she said, “Tha’s it! Right there. Pull in to tha’ driveway.”

Barber parked in front of the darkened house, turned off the motor, and came around to open Bonnie’s car door. “Once I’ve got you settled, I’ll need to use your phone to call a cab.”

Given her earlier display of lust, he expected an argument, but she only clamped on to him to steady herself and nodded agreement.

When they reached the shadowy porch, Barber let her lean on him so he could hunt on her key ring for her door key. Before he could find it, she lurched away, fell against the door, and banged both of her fists repeatedly against it.

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