[[OLD]] A Handful of Daffodils (Forgotten Series, #7)

Chapter Eight: Part Two

I swallowed against the heavy lump in my throat and looked up at him again, sure I wouldn't break down into tears when I did so. I realized he was far more bruised than I had last seen him. His split lip had healed but he had a heavy bruise on his chin and cheek and his other eyes had a heavy bruise ringing it as well. "Simon." I breathed it out as I came closer, reaching up to touch the bruise on his chin when he grabbed my hand with another smile. It was a tense one, I could see the tightness it had but it was clear he was smiling for my benefit and nothing else.

"Don't worry about it, fluff for brains. Just some minor disagreements between father and I again that the ranks keep getting involved in." His hold on my hand was gentle but his entire body was stiff with lines of tension that let me know he was half a second from snapping. I pinched my mouth together, wanting to call him out on it but also not wanting to ruin having him around again, even if it was just for a minute or two. "What are you doing out here?" He reached out and chucked my chin as he let my hand go to point at the pile of stuff I had organized.

"Oh." I clasped my hands together as I looked at it. "The male ordered me to clean out the office and that I was to toss everything out. So I cleared out the room and set everything I could here because I can't take it to the dumpsters without an escort." I glanced up at Simon and he ran a hand through his hair, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at the piles I had made.

"It looks like you've been obsessively sorting it." He glanced at me, a single eyebrow rising and I looked away quickly, staring at the deck boards as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. "His name is Brochan, by the way." Simon gave a flippant gesture with his hand. "I figure no one had actually said anything and that asshole hasn't introduced himself. I doubt he will." He muttered the last words out but I did my best to ignore it.

"Oh, okay. Thank you." I turned back to where the three boxes and several bags of my things sat. "Thank you for bringing my things." I said it gently, reaching out and squeezing his arm in thanks. I truly did appreciate him bringing them for me. I hadn't been sure what I would do for clothing and I hadn't wished to ask the large male, Brochan, for help.

"All that bulshit aside, how is he treating you?" Simon asked it low and I glance dup at him.

"This is a difficult situation for him and he is treating me as well as to be expected." I said it carefully and evenly. I truly believed that he was dong the best with what he hand and with how he was feeling. I was a burden to him, another mouth to feed when he didn't want or expect it. I was his burden the Alpha ordered him to bear.

"That doesn't give me a lot of confidence in what he is doing to you, Menza." There was an edge of warning to his voice and I swallowed, clasping my hands tighter together.

"He doesn't hit me, he allowed me to sleep inside, and he had not treated me as the Delta would have." I said it firmly. He was treating me far better than the Delta would have and for that I was more than thankful.

"That's the bare fucking minimum, Menza." Simon's voice was clipped and he let out a heavy sigh.

"He is doing the best he can, Simon." I said it softly and he gave a snort of derision for my words.

"He has you hiding outside obsessively sorting through his shit." The words were hard and angry and I straightened my back, lifting my chin slightly.

"It needed to be sorted." I didn't want to have to argue with Simon but he had already made up his mind about Brochan and I didn't wish to make it even worse by whining about what was going on. The large male was treating me far better than I expected for how he felt about me. That had to count for something

"Bullshit, Menza." It came out of him snapped off and I pinched my lips together. "Why are you actually out here?" Simon shifted so he stood in front of me. He lifted my chin and gave me a look that dared me to lie to him and I pinched my lips tighter together.