Of course, the moment he put on the prospect cut, he was someone to be tested, tried, and fuck it, he loved it. Even as he was forced to clean toilets or run errands on that first day. He was alive.
By the end of the day, he was ready to call it a night. He hadn’t talked to Tabby, but he’d called Lexie and asked her to get Tabby from work. He got the call from his mom that his wife and kid were back at the apartment.
Judi, his older stepsister, sat at the bar. She had a soda and was waiting for Ripper. They weren’t close, like friends. Devil and Lexie had taken her under their wing. She’d been a forced child prostitute. Devil had saved her, and together, his parents had adopted her.
“You okay?” he asked.
Judi looked up. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just tired. It’s been a long couple of days. Lexie’s planning this big Thanksgiving feast in your honor.”
“You hate that?”
“Not at all. It hasn’t been the same without you and everyone has been so worried.” Judi sipped at her drink. “How are you?”
“Me, I’m good.”
“Really, I mean? I know that it takes something out of you, doing what you did.”
Simon pressed his lips together, blowing out a breath. “I … I’m fine. I was fine. I thought I’d feel guilt over what I’d done.” He laughed. “I didn’t feel anything and that scared the shit out of me.”
“Nothing at all?”
“The prick hurt my woman. I can’t justify keeping him alive. Do I wish I had done it differently? Fuck yeah. I made a big, messed-up mistake, but it was my mess to make. Can’t change it now.” He rubbed the back of his head. “Now, I’ve got to make it right with Tabby.”
“Tabby,” Judi said with a smile. “Damn, that is so cute but it did stick, didn’t it?”
“She’s mine and I’m hers. It’s the way it will always be.”
“I heard she wants to have a divorce.”
He tensed up.
“What will you do if she does, Simon?”
“I’m not going to think about that. I know I’m good for Tabby. I’ve got to hope she sees it as well.”
Judi nodded as the doors to Devil’s office opened. She finished her soda. “That’s my cue to leave. It’s good to have you back, Simon, and between us, I’m rooting for you.”
He winked at her, waved at Ripper, and got back to work, wiping down the counters.
Dean came and perched on a barstool. He puffed out his chest, showing off his patched member badge.
“I can still kick your ass.”
“I don’t blame you. Went by to see Tabby today.”
“Don’t call her that.”
“Funny, she said the same thing.”
Simon finished wiping a glass and turned his full attention to his friend. “Now tell me why you would go to my woman at her place of work.”
“Because I’m a good friend and I like to interfere.”
“Don’t.”
“I haven’t seen Eddie.”
“Believe me, you don’t want to.”
Eddie was always the one to follow his parents’ orders. He’d been too scared of being cut off not to be. The kid had grown up with money and hated the thought of going without.
“Have you seen your parents?” Simon asked.
Dean shook his head. “It makes me want to go to the country club and stir shit up. That would be fun.”