The tree had a modest number of gifts below it. A few small packages, something large tucked in the back, and a stocking for each child hung above the fireplace. Justus had dropped a few pieces of candy into them… along with an orange.
Adam was asleep on the sofa facing the fireplace, and every so often a snore settled in the back of his throat. It was after midnight, and Simon had been listening to him sawing logs for the past four hours.
He stretched his legs, relieved he was out of the leathers. Long johns, wine, and a toothbrush were the only things he’d brought over. He glanced down and admired his body, which measured a hair over six one. “Not bad, if I do say so myself,” he murmured. While he kept his abs toned, Simon didn’t bother bulking up his muscles as a means of intimidation. He liked the flexibility his physique gave him during knife fights. The ladies certainly liked what they saw. Although, since meeting Ella, he hadn’t been intimate with anyone else.
She’d changed all that. Neither of them had made a formal declaration of monogamy, but Simon no longer desired other women. She fulfilled every need he had in a companion without it feeling all domestic and full of rules. They curled up together naked and actually talked.
Talked!
Simon was a sexual man, and yet no woman had ever wanted to stimulate his intellect as well as his cock. They played games, watched movies, and for the first time in his life, he felt a genuine connection to a woman on a level he hadn’t thought possible. They’d hit the brakes on their relationship and just let whatever existed between them develop naturally. No expectations. No promises. They kissed, flirted, trained long hours together, laughed until their sides hurt, and…
Why the bloody hell had he left her alone on Christmas?
Because he was a sodding bastard, that’s why. Deep down, Simon could never be the hero—the guy every woman fantasizes about settling down with as a permanent companion. Ella was young and would soon discover how many men would do anything to please a woman like her. Defects like deafness weren’t an issue with everyone, and she had overcome many obstacles by learning how to read lips.
His phone vibrated. When he glanced at the screen, he typed out a reply to the message.
Ella:I need your help.
Simon:First you lift the lid, then you put the dirty clothes in.
Ella:I’m trapped.
Simon:What??
Ella:My cab driver abandoned me. The snow is heavy, and I don’t know where I am.
Simon:What street?
Ella:Do you know where Tony’s Pizza is? I’m across the street. No one is open. I’m freezing. No heat.
Simon:I’m coming for you.
He leapt off the sofa and shucked out of his long johns.Adam will get an eyeful if he wakes up,Simon mused.
He yanked up his leathers, threw on his shirt, and searched the room for his socks and boots. The snow was probably piling up. The city trucks and plows didn’t clear all the roads, and she’d never make it here without help from him. Ella had only visited Silver’s house a few times, and this wasn’t a side of town she was familiar with. Tony’s Pizza was in the Breed district where a lot of juicers hung out.
That made him haul ass just a little bit faster as he put on his jacket and rushed out the door.
* * *
When Simon turned righton Parker Lane, he discovered the streets were impassable. His car wasn’t going to push through three feet of snow, so he pulled over and got out. Sleet pelted his cheeks as he turned around, the street visible due to the lights reflecting off the snow.
None of the roads that led to the pizza place were clear, so he had no choice but to walk. The snow was packed, so at least his feet didn’t sink to the bottom in all places. He cursed under his breath as he trudged through the snow. Some spots weren’t bad, while others had snowdrifts that piled on top of the cars. Simon was blessed to be tall enough that it only came up to his thighs, but his arse was still freezing.
After thirty minutes of marching through snow, his face was flushed, his legs sore, and his throat parched. Had there been a pub nearby, he might have broken the windows and sat down for a pint.
He neared an intersection and noticed a yellow cab on the left side of the road, facing the wrong way. The snow surrounding it had been stamped down, and the windows were fogged over. Simon rapped his knuckles on the glass.
Ella opened the door and gripped his hand.Get in!she said in thought through the connection they shared.
He scooted into the backseat and felt his body collapse with exhaustion. “It smells like old cheese in here. Why didn’t you use your gift?”
This time Ella spoke aloud. “Where should I jump? On top of a building? A lot of good that does if I don’t know where I’m going. Everything’s closed, and all the streets look the same with the snow. I’m not even sure how to get back home.”
She unzipped a small bag and pulled out a shirt. Instead of putting it on, she used it to dry his hair, soaking up the wetness on the ends as she scowled at him.
Her reproachful look amused him immensely. Even though they spent a lot of time together, she still lived in a separate apartment on the same floor, enjoying the freedom of her newfound independence. Everyone needed to experience that feeling. Before he’d left, Ella had remarked he wasn’t dressed appropriately for the weather and he needed something warmer than leather pants. But Simon preferred making an impression. Real men didn’t wear puffy jackets and earmuffs.
