Operation Revenge (31 page)

"It will be worth it if he finds something we can use," she stated. "Sandra dropped by a little while ago to see Haley."

"What did you tell her?"

"The truth."

Simon sighed heavily. "I take it she wants my head on a silver platter."

"She wants to talk to you," Marian informed him. "She gave me her number to give to you. Grab something to write with and some paper."

Simon opened his laptop again and quickly brought up the notepad. "All right." He typed the phone number as she recited it to him. "Got it. I'm going to call her now."

"Then I will talk to you later."

"Bye, Gran."

"Goodbye, dear."

Simon ended the call and then dialed Sandra's number. He held his breath as he waited for her to answer.

"Hello?" she said, coming on the line, several seconds later.

"Hello, Sandra," he said. "It's Simon. I understand you want to talk to me."

"I do," she said quietly. "Your grandmother told me everything and I have something to say to you."

Simon braced himself. "I'm listening."

"Thank you."

Stunned, he tried to speak. "Y-you - w-what did you s-say?"

Sandra laughed softly. "Shocked you, did I? I said thank you."

"For what?" he asked, frowning.

"For standing up to my sister and not backing down," she answered. "Haley's concern for your safety blocks out everything else. Either she doesn't see or she doesn't care that with you out of her life she would be vulnerable and easy prey. Who knows what Chad had in store for her once you were no longer in the picture. Haley needs you now more than ever. I feel better knowing that she's with you. Although I'm not thrilled with the way you handled things, I know you love her and that you would never hurt her. I bet she's making your life miserable right now."

"She is," Simon mumbled.

"Hang in there," Sandra said. "What ever she says or does don't bring her back until she promises to stay with you." She was quiet for a few moments. "Haley and I talked yesterday. She told me about Chad's demands and how she didn't want to leave you. She asked me what I would do if I were in her shoes. I told her that I would leave and that your safety would be the most important thing. I laid awake most of the night, thinking about our conversation. The more I replayed what I said to her over in my head the more I wished I could take back my words."

"Why?"

"It's like I told you a minute ago. With you out of her life she would be vulnerable and easy prey. Don't get me wrong, Simon. I don't want to see anything happen to you, but Haley's safety is more important than yours."

"I agree with you," Simon said.

"I'm a hypocrite though." He heard her sigh. "I don't want Haley to leave you, but if I was in the same situation I would leave Jeffrey in a heart beat."

"There's nothing wrong with how you feel," he assured her. "You love your sister. You want her to be safe."

"Is it possible for me to talk to her?"

"I think so." Simon left the library and headed up the hallway. He paused outside Haley's door and knocked. When she didn't answer him, he grasped the doorknob and turned it. It was locked. He knocked again. "Haley," he said loud enough for her to hear him. "Sandra's on the phone. She wants to talk to you."

A minute later, the door opened. Without so much as a word, Haley took the phone from him and slammed the door in his face. Gritting his teeth, he went back to the library.

Chapter 33

Blood trickled down Simon's chin and dropped onto his shirt. His tongue darted out and swiped across his split and swollen bottom lip. The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. Slowly, carefully, he turned his throbbing head and surveyed his surroundings. The concrete and steel revealed to him that he was in a warehouse. How he had gotten there, he didn't know. Simon shifted on the cold concrete. A groan escaped him as his bruised and battered body protested the sudden movement.

"
Are you in pain?" Chad asked, stepping out of the shadows.

Simon glared up at him. "You used me for a punching bag. What do you think?"

"
I think you're weak," Chad said, smirking.

"
Remove the handcuffs and I'll show you how weak I am," Simon snarled.

"
I'd like nothing more than to beat you again, but I have something else in mind." He left the room and came back, a few minutes later, with Haley. "Remember her?"

Simon's heart leapt into his throat. "Let her go. Keep this between you and me."

"
I can't do that, but I will let you have a minute with her before I reveal what I have planned." He shoved Haley toward Simon. "Make the most of your time."

Haley hurried to Simon and sank to her knees beside him. "Oh, love," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She used the sleeve of her shirt to wipe the blood from his chin. "What did he do to you?"

"
I'm fine." His gaze swept over her. "What about you?"

"
I'm okay." She kissed him gently on the mouth. "He hasn't touched me."

"
In case something happens I want you to know that I don't regret a single minute we've shared." He looked into her eyes. "I love you."

"
I love you too," she croaked. "You are-"

"
That's enough." Chad grabbed Haley and hauled her to her feet.

"
Damn it!" Simon struggled to his feet, ignoring the pain that shot through him. "Don't you hurt her."

Chad chuckled. "I'll try to be gentle." He stared at Haley with lust in his eyes. "Take your clothes off."

"
No," she gasped, her eyes growing wide. "Please, not that. I-"

"
Take your clothes off." He pulled a gun out of the waistband of his jeans. "If you don't do what I tell you I will kill lover boy over there."

"
Haley." Simon tried to get loose and found it was futile. He was handcuffed to a steel pole. "Don't sweetheart."

Chad pointed the gun at Simon. "Do it, sweetheart."

With tears streaming down her cheeks, she began to unbutton her blouse.

Simon jerked awake and found Haley hovering over him. "What-"

"You were calling out my name," she said quietly. She touched his t-shirt clad chest. "You're shaking."

"I'm all right." He passed a hand across his face. "Just a bad dream."

"It must have been a horrible one for you to be shaking."

"It was." Simon reached up and tucked several strands of hair behind her ear. "I'm glad it was only a dream. If it had been real-" He sighed softly. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"You didn't," she assured him. "I was all ready awake. You weren't the only one who had a nightmare."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Only if you tell me about yours," she said.

"All right," Simon agreed, after a moment of hesitation.

Haley walked around to the other side of the bed, lifted the covers, and slid in beside him. She turned onto her side, facing him. "You first."

"I had a feeling you would say that." Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly and began to speak.

"Thank goodness you woke up when you did," she muttered once he came to the end of his dream.

"I know. I believe it's your turn."

Haley cleared her throat. "I've been having this dream on and off for a while. It always starts the same way. We're strolling arm in arm through the park. It's a beautiful day. We're laughing and having a nice time. Then suddenly I hear what sounds like a firecracker going off. I glance over at you and you have this look of horror on your face. Before I can ask you what's wrong you fall.
I try to catch you, but you're too heavy. We sink to the ground and that's when I see the blood on your shirt. As I cradle you in my arms, I'm yelling for someone to help us. That's when Chad shows up. He has a gun in his hand. He grins at me and tells me that no one is going to help us and that your death is all my fault. Then he vanishes and we're alone again. I look down at you and find that you're looking at me. You tell me that you love me and then you die. I always wake up after you die."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Simon rubbed her arm soothingly. "If something ever did happen to me it wouldn't be your fault. Surely you know that."

"In my heart I know it wouldn't be my fault, but my head is a different matter." She smiled weakly. "I have a hard time convincing my head of a lot of things."

"Such as staying with me." He laid his hand over her heart. "What does your heart tell you?"

"Many things." Haley placed her hand over his. "It's telling me to run away as fast as I can, but then it's also telling me to hold you tight and never let go. I'm torn and confused. I don't know what to do."

"You don't have to have the answers right now," he said. "You have time to come to a decision. Just make sure that decision involves staying with me."

"You are a very stubborn man, Wilcox."

"And you are a very stubborn woman." Simon pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. "I think we should stay together because let's face it, no one else can handle us." He brushed his lips across hers. "You're in my arms and my bed. Does that mean you forgive me for what I did?"

"Yes."

He arched an eyebrow. "Why the sudden change of heart? Just yesterday you wanted to kill me."

"I did not want to kill you," Haley stated. "Maim you yes, but not kill you." She pressed her cheek against his chest and closed her eyes. "Sandra said something to me yesterday that stayed with me. She said anger is a waste of time and time is something we don't have a lot of." She raised her head and looked at him. "I don't want to waste time being angry with you. Simon, I know you love me and I know it must have been difficult for you to do what you did."

"It was difficult." He ran his hand up and down her back. "I was having second thoughts about the sleeping pill. We've always had an honest relationship and here I was deceiving you. I had to keep telling myself I was doing it for you . . . for us."

"Is that-" Haley yawned. "I'm sorry."

"We should try to go back to sleep." Simon kissed her on the mouth. "Don't think about moving from this bed."

"The thought never crossed my mind." She yawned again. "I'm quite comfortable where I am."

"Good." He squeezed her gently. "I love you."

"Love you too," Haley murmured in a sleepy voice.