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Simon didn’t wait for her reply. He walked across the room with an obvious, at least to those who knew him, fake smile on his face. She stared in confusion. Whoever this man was, he was not one of the usual customers that Simon accepted into Hell.
“Park, good of you to accept my invitation,” Simon said, holding his hand out.
“Curiosity got the best o’me,” he muttered but accepted Simon’s handshake.
“So,” Simon drawled. “I heard you were interested in buying me out.”
Park’s mouth gaped, but the cigar didn’t move. “I ain’t so sure ‘bout that.”
“That’s not what I heard,” Simon continued. “I heard you are trying to expand to St. James and thought my establishment would be yours for the taking after your cheaters wiped me out.”
Emma’s gaze darted between Riley and Hood, wondering if they felt the room thicken with tension. Riley stared at Park while Hood seemed to scan the room for trouble. Why didn’t Simon have more burly men here? She sensed something dreadful would happen at any moment.
Park laughed in a low, gruff manner. “Seems to be working. This place is near empty.”
This time Simon laughed. “Well, Park, that is why you would never be successful in this part of town. You need to know when the Society functions happen. Tonight happens to be Wednesday, which means Hell will be busy after ten for all the men who avoid Almack’s, and then again after one when those forced to attend will be set free.”
“I knew that,” Park said quickly. Glancing around, he seemed to notice the number of men who had taken an interest in their conversation.
“Hell is not for sale,” Simon stated. “And should something happen to me, everyone in this room now knows who to suspect first.”
“Bastard!” Park snarled. “Do you really think that will stop me?”
One of the men behind the hazard table where Park stood reached for his pocket and pulled out a small pistol. Before anyone could move, he gave the gun to Park, who aimed and shot Simon. Emma's eyes widened as Simon crumpled to the floor. Riley and Hood attacked Park. Several other men raced to Simon.
And Emma’s world went black.
Chapter 23
“Come along now, Emma,” a feminine voice called her from a great distance. “You need to wake up.”
Emma struggled to open her eyes, but they seemed glued shut. But she recognized that voice. “Louisa?”
“That’s right. Now open your eyes.”
Emma opened her eyes just a crack to see her sister leaning over her with a damp cloth. Memories flooded her brain. Hell. Ainsley. Stanton. Blakely. Even Harry. Some disgusting man. Simon.
Simon!
She sat upright and stared at her sister. “Where is Simon?”
“Hush now, Emma. You fainted and hit your head on the floor.” Louisa tried to push her back against the pillows.
“Simon was shot!” Emma exclaimed as she attempted to climb off the bed. “Why am I here? Where is he?”
“Shh, Simon is in the next bedroom. Harry thought it best that Simon be taken here.” Louisa helped her sister to stand. “Slowly, Emma. Are you feeling faint again?”
“No,” Emma pushed her sister’s hand away. “Which bedroom?”
“You can’t see him yet. The surgeon is still in with him.” Louisa handed her a glass of dark liquid.
Emma eyed it cautiously. “Laudanum?”
“No, just a brandy to calm your nerves.”
Emma nodded before taking the glass a gulp of the horrible stuff. The liquid warmed her frozen body. “I must see Simon.”
“Once the surgeon finishes. Until that time, come sit by the window and tell me what happened.”
