Free Operation Revenge by kate hopkins

dryly.
     
    "Yes, but I'd rather not say it out loud."
     
    Haley grinned. "That bad, is it?"
     
    "You have no-"
     
    "I want to dance with Haley," Chad suddenly snarled, bumping into Simon.
     
    Before he could stop himself, Simon went forward, banging his forehead against Haley's. She let out a moan. "I'm sorry." He touched her forehead. "Are you all right?"
     
    "Y-yes."
     
    "Did you hear me?" Chad shoved Simon. "I said-"
     
    "Stop it!" Haley snapped. She laid her hand on Simon's arm. "Are you okay?"
     
    "Never been better." He fixed Chad with a stare that Marian Wilcox would have been proud of. "You're not dancing with her. Now get lost."
     
    "This is a family gathering," Chad said coolly. "You're not family. So why don't you get lost?"
     
    "I leave and I'm taking her with me."
     
    "Sweetheart." Chad moved toward Haley, his arm outstretched. "Please-"
     
    "Now you know better." Simon knocked his hand away. "No touching. I don't-"
     
    Chad lunged at Simon, throwing a punch that landed solidly on his jaw. Simon flew backwards, hitting the floor with enough force to knock the wind out of him. Gasping with horror, Haley knelt beside him and helped him sit up. A crowd of people, hoping to witness a fight, gathered around and watched them as though they were there for their entertainment.
     
    "Don't you people have better things to do?" Haley growled at them. "There's not going to be a fight, so stop gawking at us." She lowered her head and stared at Simon. "Did he hurt anything?"
     
    "Yeah, my pride," he answered, rubbing his jaw. "Can I hit him back?"
     
    "No." She caressed his cheek. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
     
    "It's not your fault," he assured her. "Help me up."
     
    Haley helped him stand. "Do you want to leave?"
     
    "Hell, no," Simon said. "They haven't served the cake yet." He sneered at Chad. "You might have won this round, but the next one is mine."
     
    Chad smirked at him. "You going to let her tell you what to do? Who's wearing the pants in the relationship? You or-"
     
    Anger welling up inside of her, Haley gave into it and punched him in the nose.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 1 1
     
    The tension in the car was almost more than Haley could stand. She glanced over at Simon. His jaw was swollen. Guilt tore at her and she swallowed hard past the lump in her throat. He got hurt because of her. It was all her fault. She lowered her head and studied her scraped, swollen knuckles. Every movement of her hand was agony. She deserved to suffer. Taking a deep shaky breath, she turned her attention to the passing scenery.
     
    A few minutes later, Simon pulled into the driveway and parked behind Haley's car. He killed the engine and they sat there in the tense silence. There was so much Haley wanted to say to him, but she didn't know where to start. She released her seatbelt and shifted in her sear. "I-"
     
    "We'll talk inside," he said abruptly. He opened the door and got out of the car.
     
    Grabbing her purse, Haley got out and followed him to the door. She retrieved her keys from her purse, unlocked the door, and led the way inside. She switched on the light, flooding the foyer in a warm glow, and set her purse and keys on the table. "Simon, I-"
     
    "You should put some ice on that hand," he interrupted coolly.
     
    "I deserve to be in pain." Haley turned and made her way to the living room.
     
    "Would you care to explain that to me?" Simon said, following her. "Why do you deserve to be in pain?"
     
    "Because I'm the reason why Chad punched you." She held up her hand when he started to speak. "There's no point in trying to tell me otherwise. It's my fault. If you hadn't tried to keep him away from me, you wouldn't have gotten hit." She shrugged out of her jacket and laid it over the back of the couch. "Like I said earlier tonight. I never should have involved you in my problems. This plan we concocted needs to end. Provoking Chad is a bad idea. I don't want you to get hurt again. It's best