Page 40 of Matlock
“Simon,” he said, looking up at the brick building. “Inside.” He paused, taking a deep breath.
“I know Tony. I won’t touch you. I won’t tell anyone what we did this morning.”
He blew out a breath and turned to me with a guilty look. “You can’t call me Tony.”
My eyes widened. I nodded without a word. Knowing what he meant. “Simon.”
“I understand, Matlock.”
Chapter Fourteen
Simon
I walked into the clubhouse behind Tony—no, Matlock. The interior of the building didn’t match what I expected. All the time the Silver Shadows had lived in Diamond Creek, this was the first time I’d been here.
The old ladies had invited me numerous times. Hell, even Goliath had invited me to come to the parties they opened up to the public. But Tony always said no.
He said it was too much of a risk. Someone might notice the way I looked at him. Hell, I looked at them all the same way. Like they were a fucking snack to devour.
What he was really worried about was someone noticing the way he looked at me because Tony couldn’t control his face. He wore every emotion on his sleeve.
Including how much he loved me.
That was what made it hurt so much. That was why I flip-flopped back and forth between staying with him and leaving his ass. I knew he loved me. The logical side of my brain told me I wasn’t the one he was ashamed of. No, he was afraid of how others would react.
Knowing what he went through years ago and having lost his sister, I understood, to a point. But you couldn’t live your life behind a closed door. You couldn’t be happy stuck in a room where no one saw you. We were attention-seeking people.
It was why people dressed the way they did, why they talked the way they did. It was human nature to seek out attention and acceptance. But Tony was afraid to ask for that acceptance.
“Simon! What happened?” Sam came rushing over, handing off her daughter to whoever stood nearby. She caged my facebetween her hands and tilted side to side, looking at my injuries. “What the hell, Matlock? You’re supposed to be taking care of him,” she said, glaring at Tony over her shoulder.
“Sam, I’m fine.” I pulled her hands away and held them tightly. “Just walked into a door.” I tried to laugh it off.
But when her eyes went wide, and she spun on Tony, her hands on her hips, she practically snarled out the words, “Did you do this?”
Tony’s eyes bulged at her accusation, and before he could answer, I came to his defense. “No, Sam. I’m sorry, it was a joke in bad taste. T—” I paused. “Matlock would never hurt me. None of the guys would. I went to the diner last night and had an altercation with someone who didn’t agree with my lifestyle.”
Her gasp was loud as her hands flew up, trying to cover the sound. Again, she spun on Tony. “And did you handle it?”
“Yes, he did, Momma,” Mimic whispered and grabbed Sam’s hand, pulling her away. “I was there; he took care of it.”
“Okay,” she agreed with a sigh.
I looked up at Tony and whispered, “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head, letting me know the interaction was exactly the type of shit he wanted to avoid. It was just one of the many reasons he didn’t want me around the club.
I sighed and walked over to the bar, sitting on a stool next to Johnny. “Hey, handsome, do you know where Grace is?” I avoided Tony’s eyes. I flirted with every guy in the club. If I didn’t, they would look at me with questions in their eyes, and if Tony didn’t want to draw attention to us, then he’d have to get over it.
“Morning, Simon. She should be down shortly. She’s excited about getting her haircut.”
“Someone should have called me sooner; I would have gladly come and cut her hair.”
Johnny sighed. “She’s been trying so hard to work up the courage to come to the salon. She did so great when we were out of state last year. But the stores in town still hit kind ofhard. We’re all hoping that once the baby is born, she’ll feel ready.”
“She’s working with Haizley, right?”
Johnny nodded as the prospect behind the bar asked me if I would like a cup of coffee. When I opened my mouth to answer, an arm came around from behind and dropped the coffee cup in front of me.
