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I didn’t want to tell Poppy she didn’t need to be strong anymore, at least not that strong, but I knew she would tell me to shut up or just not believe me.
She wouldn’t need to be anymore, though. She wasn’t going to have to wonder where her next meal was coming from or not pay a bill to make sure she had food.
I was going to make sure of it.
Poppy had been through enough in her life, and I was going to make sure she never had to worry about where her next meal was coming from or selling water on the streets again.
Poppy
The end credits rolled on the screen, casting a soft glow in the dimly lit room. Yarder had been sleeping soundly for the past hour, his light snores filling the air around me as I watched him from the edge of the bed.
I wasn’t tired at all. All the sleeping I had done when I first arrived here had caught up to me, and now, even though it was past eleven, sleep eluded me. Quietly, I slipped out of bed and tiptoed over to where Yarder lay on the couch.
Taking in his handsome features, even in sleep, I couldn’t help but marvel at how unfair it was for someone to be that good-looking and also be one of the nicest people in the world. Despite his rugged appearance, Yarder possessed a kindness that was rare to find. Surrounded by bad people for most of my life, it had taken me no time at all to recognize Yarder as one of the good ones. I felt fortunate to have found him when I needed help the most.
There weren’t many garages that offered payment plans and provided free transportation to and from work for their customers. Yarder did that as his way of extending kindness and generosity to those in need.
“What did I do to find you?” I whispered softly to him, my heart swelling with gratitude. “And how long am I going to have you for?”
I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Yarder hadn’t shared much else with me about the guys who were after me and the threats to the club. I hoped that no news was good news, but I wasn’t naïve enough to believe that everything was fine. They had made their intentions clear by carving threats into the countertop of my apartment, promising to come after me again. It was only a matter of time.
But I knew Yarder would be ready when that time came. He would stand between me and any danger, ready to protect me with everything he had.
Kneeling beside him on the couch, I rested my head on my arms, leaning against the edge of the couch. I wished we could stay like this forever.
Well, with Yarder awake, but you got the point. I just wanted to stay in his room, in our safe bubble, shielded from the chaos of the outside world. So much was happening beyond these walls, and all I wanted was to hold onto this moment of peace with Yarder by my side.
Chapter Thirteen
Yarder
I woke up in the middle of the night, feeling the weight of Poppy’s presence next to me. She was kneeling on the floor by the couch, her head resting on the cushion beside me. The soft glow of the moonlight illuminated her features, and I couldn’t help but admire the peaceful expression on her face as she slept.
I brushed a strand of her brown hair away from her face and whispered her name softly, “Poppy, babe.”
She stirred and slowly lifted her head, a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. “Uh, oh,” she whispered back.
“Are you okay? Why are you on the floor?” I asked, confusion tingeing my voice. I must have drifted off before I even realized it, but what puzzled me more was why Poppy was down on the floor.
“I, uh, well, I couldn’t sleep, so I just came over here to put the blanket over you, and I may have fallen asleep?” she explained, her words trailing off with uncertainty. “That sounds really lame, huh?”
A chuckle escaped my lips. “Seeing as I don’t have a blanket on me, yeah, you might need to rethink your story.”
With a playful squint, she closed one eye and glanced at me. “Can I just feign sleepwalking and go back to the bed?”
I reached out and gently brushed her hair aside. “Negative, babe. Just tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.” There was no point in skirting around whatever was happening between us.
“I just wanted to be closer to you,” she admitted simply. “I don’t understand why or what is making me feel this way. I’ve been alone for so long and am comfortable not needing anyone, but it’s different with you.”
Her words struck a chord within me. I knew exactly what she meant. Despite the camaraderie of the club, I had always been guarded, wary of letting anyone too close. But with Poppy, it was different.
“Oh gosh,” she sighed, sounding almost defeated. “And now you’re not even talking to me. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Instinctively, I reached out, catching her arm as she made to stand up. “Don’t go,” I barely whispered.
In her eyes, I saw a reflection of my own struggles. The years spent fending for myself had left me with a deep-seated mistrust of others. It was a feeling I recognized in Poppy.
