Simon's Daughter

Chapter 28

Simon’s POV

 

I stormed down the stairs after hearing the cries of, “Louis, are you okay?” and “What happened?” from the voices of four of the boys I considered my sons. I swung around the last railing and saw Harry and Liam helping Louis stand up with Niall and Zayn standing nearby, ready to help. Louis had his right arm around Harry’s shoulders to support himself and his left hand was on his stomach. Liam held onto his left elbow with his right hand and his left was on Louis’ back, ready to catch Louis and Harry if they toppled over.

“What happened?” I demanded as Louis grimaced in pain once he was upright.

“It’s nothing, Uncle Si, I’m fine,” he grunted. “Let’s just get me to the couch.”

“You’re most obviously not fine,” I retorted, coming to his aid. He winced with every step we took.

After what seemed like forever, we got to the couch. By now, I had Justine fetching ice packs and heated gel packs to alternate on his stomach, and Jerry had gotten pillows to make him comfortable.

“Tell me what happened,” I growled.

“I fell,” he responded easily.

“You’re lying.”

“You’re right, but I’m not going to tell you what happened. I’m fine, and that’s all that matters.” He looked at me and I could see the determination in his eyes.

“Why won’t you just tell me?” I sighed. “What, are you embarrassed? Protecting someone?”

His eyes flickered away from my face. “That’s it, you’re protecting someone,” I said firmly. I watched his posture slump. “Who?” I demanded.

“Nobody, Uncle Si. I’m fine. Calm down. I’ll still be able to perform whenever,” he groaned.

I rapped his injured stomach with the back of my hand. He let out a strangled yell and I raised one eyebrow. “I can see you’re in such good condition,” I said dryly. “I just want to know who hurt you, it’s not like I’m going to find them and murder them.”

“You better not,” he grumbled, shifting to get more comfortable. “I’d have to kill you then.”

Niall took the ice packs from Justine and gently began to arrange them on Louis’ abdomen. “Lou, just tell us,” he sighed. “Seriously, what are we going to do?”

“Just… leave her alone, okay? I don’t want this to get any worse than it already is, I was pretty mean to her.”

“Abriella,” Emily piped in. “It was Abriella, wasn’t it?”

Niall must have detected the slight waver in her voice as well, because he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, laying a kiss on her temple. “Well, she’s gone now,” he whispered soothingly in her ear.