Jack (The Family Simon Book 2) Read Free Page B

and if you think that any of us are going to let you get your claws into him again, you’re delusional. That’s never going to happen. He’s got a good thing going. He’s running for a congressional senate seat and he’s got this one locked up. Jack’s our golden boy, and you’re no good for him, Donovan. You never were.”
    She blinked rapidly and exhaled, because there was no way in hell she would cry in front of Cooper Simon.
    The thing of it was…she knew that Cooper spoke the truth. As much as that was a bitter pill to swallow, she’d always known. How else had she ended up in that mess five years ago? A mess that cost her the only man she’d ever loved.
    “If I so much as catch a whiff of you and him…of the idea of you and him getting back together, I’ll show him the tape and then I’ll release it to the press.”
    “You wouldn’t.” Horrified, her eyes flew to Cooper’s. “It was destroyed,” she said hoarsely. “He said he would…Derek told me that as long as I stayed away he’d destroy it.”
    Cooper shook his head and stepped back from her. “The guy might be a brilliant political mind, but he’s an asshole. I’m sure he watched it over and over just to get his rocks off. I wish Jack could see through his bullshit. Not that it matters anymore, since I’ve got the thumb drive.”
    Words couldn’t describe what she was feeling just then. In fact there were none.
    She wanted to die, knowing that Cooper had seen her and Derek…that he’d seen her naked and vulnerable and doing things that no one else should ever see. If Jack ever saw it…
    “You can’t show it to him,” she said finally. She had nothing else. What was there to say?
    “Trust me darlin’, the last thing that I want is for Jack to see that. I’ve just drawn a line and if you cross it, I’ll make sure he sees every goddamn minute. Got it?”
    “How could you...that could destroy his bid for senator. The press would have a field day.”
    “Maybe. But on the upside, he’d bounce back. He’s a Simon. And as a bonus, he’d finally see what a slimy bastard Derek is. That guy has always wanted what belonged to Jack, and you made it so goddamn easy.”
    Donovan’s throat was tight, and those damn tears poked at the corner of her eyes. Easy? He had no idea.
    Cooper paused, his voice low. “Either way it would keep Jack away from you, and in the long run that’s what’s best for him, don’t you think?”
    She couldn’t argue that kind of logic.
    “If you ever had any real feelings for him, you’ll walk away and never look back. Just forget all about Jack Simon and go find yourself someone else to play with.”
    “Why are you doing this?” It’s not as if she’d ever done anything bad to Cooper.
    “It’s nothing personal, Donovan. I just see something in you that I recognize, because the same thing lives inside of me. We’ll never be good enough for people like Jack or my brother Maverick, because there’s a fatal flaw inside us. Some quirk with our chromosomes, I guess.”
    God, he sounded as if they were discussing the weather.
    “The least I can do is make sure that Jack has a chance with someone who deserves him. Someone who hasn’t fucked a guy he considers his best friend. He sure as hell doesn’t deserve to know about what you did, because as much as he’s over you, it will hurt him.” He shrugged and smiled that cold, steely smile. “But he will if you cross that line.”
    Cooper disappeared just as a wave of laugher from inside rolled over the patio. Donovan was trembling. Her legs were like limp spaghetti, and she was having a hard time breathing.
    In less than five minutes, all the walls she’d built up over the last five years came crashing down, and she bent over the fragrant hydrangea bushes alongside the patio and vomited. Chest heaving, she pushed back a tangle of blond hair and stared dully into the night. She could hear Jack speaking now, his rich voice carrying on the breeze as he