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Simon's lips tightened but he just nodded, waiting for more.
"It was weird the way my father deferred to you. I've never heard my father let anyone order him around."
Simon's grip on my hand tightened. "I'm not sure how much of the conversation you heard, but I needed to tell your father that he wasn't allowed to upset you anymore. I was pretty clear with him that he would regret treating you like crap again. I made sure he understood how serious I was."
I accepted Simon's explanation, because there was no alternative. Maybe I had just made too much of their conversation last night. After all, I had just heard Simon warning my father not to upset me.
"I appreciate it." I glanced at the front of my aunt's house. "Let's go in now."
I opened the car door, but Simon pulled me back before I could get out.
"Do you forgive me?" Simon looked so vulnerable, his eyes imploring me.
"I do. I forgive you." And I realized I did. Forgiving him made me feel so much lighter, one less burden I had to carry.
"Do you love me?" Simon's voice was low, his expression intense.
"I love you." My words were barely audible, but it sounded magnified in the small confines of the car.
Simon tugged me close, his lips capturing mine in a searingly fierce kiss. I was breathless when we parted; gratified that Simon had clearly been affected by the kiss as well. He smiled at me, a real wide smile, and my heart fluttered.
"Now we can go."
The front door was unlocked, as I had left it, and I followed Simon into the house. I had been hesitant to keep it unlocked, but I didn't have a key and now I was relieved I had left it unlocked.
"Let's check to make sure we're alone first," Simon said. I nodded in agreement, and we went through the entire house, checking every room and closet to make sure we didn't have company.
"Now what?" Simon asked when we returned to the living room.
I clutched my hands together nervously. "I'm tired of waiting for something to happen. As much as I'm terrified of Claudia, I need her to come for me. It's the only way I can figure out what's going on."
"That's one of the worst ideas I've ever heard." Simon crossed his arms against his chest, looking at me as if I had lost my mind.
"Simon, I'm running around with no clue what to do. I'm tired of being chased. It's time I did the chasing."
Simon threw up his hands in frustration. "Even if I thought for one second that it was a remotely good idea, which I don't, how do you plan on calling Claudia here?"
"I don't know. Maybe if I think about her, concentrate all my energy on her, she'll pick up on it somehow."
Simon frowned. "This isn't a good idea. It's like we're asking for trouble."
"No need to ask," an amused voice said. I whipped around, my heart hammering when I saw Claudia appear from the kitchen, as if she had been summoned by my thoughts, exactly as I had suggested.
She walked closer, her smile looking more like a sneer. "I'm happy to oblige."
She then flew at me, her eyes glittering with rage.
Chapter Twelve
Simon shoved me behind him before I realized what was happening. Before I could react, I was thrown back against the wall, the impact knocking the breath out of me. I was h
orrified when Simon crumpled to the ground, having taken the brunt of Claudia's blow.
I scrambled over to him, my heart thumping with fear when he didn't respond to my frantic calls.
"Poor Simon, always trying to be the knight in shining armor. This isn't a fairy tale and you won't be getting your happily ever after."
My head snapped up at Claudia's derisive words. My eyes were drawn to the palladium hanging around her neck. I stood up, stepping in front of Simon's prone body. I pushed my fear aside, facing Claudia with a grim smile, showing more bravado than I actually felt.
