“And this is Matlock.”
Simon looked at me. A smile spread across his lips, and when he opened his mouth, I shook my head. His smile faltered for a second before he caught it and said, “Like the show?”
I didn’t answer; Gunner did. “Yeah, Matlock’s the club’s lawyer. He’s old as fuck, like the show.”
I flipped him off.
I was only eight years older than the son of a bitch.
“Well, everyone needs a daddy, right?” Simon purred as he took a step forward. I felt my dick twitch and vowed he’d pay for that shit at the club.
Stepping back away from the man I wanted to pull into my arms, I quickly said, “I need to get to the office.”So I can jerk off. “Nice to meet you, Simon.”
I didn’t wait for his response. I nodded, then walked over to my bike and climbed on, turning the ignition and letting her roar. She was the only girl I’d ever have between my legs.
I looked back over at the group. No one paid me any mind except Simon. I saw the hurt in his eyes. We hadn’t talked much about our private lives. I didn’t know he lived in town. If I had, I would have cut things off already.
Now, I was fucking addicted to him.
“Sorry, Tony, I don’t. I haven’t heard anything about her, butI’ve been gone almost a year. Happy to make some calls if you want?”
“Nah, I’ve got Nav looking into her. Just figured I’d see if you remembered anything.”
“Think about what I said, Tony. You deserve to be happy. Fuck anyone else.”
“Thanks, Chris. I’ve gotta go.” I hung up the phone and thought about what he said. It was all I thought about every damn day since I saw Simon that first night at the club when he gave himself to me without question.
I’d known I was gay by the time I was fifteen years old. But back then, especially among the wealthy, it wasn’t something you admitted.
To anyone.
I’d taken a chance with Chris. He didn’t judge me. He didn’t walk away and tell me I was disgusting, like my parents had. He was the only person in my life who knew the truth… until now.
I never thought I would meet someone who would make me consider building a life. Not until Simon.
And I was still too chickenshit to try.
Chapter Six
Simon
I huddled in the corner of the cell on a cot that was too damn hard to lie down on. I hadn’t slept all night, plagued by thoughts of what would happen to me if I were convicted of murder.
Tony was right; I would never survive prison.
“Simon.”
I looked up into the eyes of the man who held my future in his hands. Both inside and outside the courtroom. We stared at each other, and I waited for him to say something—anything that would explain why this was happening.
“I brought you some clothes. The sheriff said there’s a shower you can use in the locker room.”
I listened to his words, looking for an inflection that changed the tone of his voice from the serious lawyer to the man I knew cared about me. But it wasn’t there. This was business, not personal. I was so fucking stupid.
I nodded and stood. Deputy Wyatt unlocked the cell, and Tony and I followed him to the locker room, where Tony hung my suit on a hook.
“Thank you, Deputy.”
Tony’s voice was cold. It wasn’t the same as the man who whispered in my ear at the club. It wasn’t warm, making me melt like butter.