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Enough is enough. I won’t allow this to continue.
I look at Liv when I say, “Because Sterling is Mr. Knight…our boss.”
Chapter Nineteen
Asher
I slam my laptop closed, not caring if I crack the screen. I lean back in my chair and scrub my hands down my face. There’s no fucking way I can concentrate on work right now. I’ve got too much on my mind at the moment. Namely, the woman that’s had me tied in knots for the past year. Since the moment I saw her, I haven’t gone this long without seeing her. I knew it would be hard, but fuck, this is so much worse. My hands shake and my head pounds. My heart hasn’t beat properly since I left her at her house two days ago. I feel like I’m going through fucking withdrawals. Can you go through withdrawals from not seeing the one person that gives your life meaning? I have no damn clue, but if I don’t see her soon, I’m going to go mad and rip my fucking hair out. That may make me sound like a pussy, but I’d be the happiest fucking pussy in the world. If I could ever get Poppy back, that is.
Rex called me yesterday to inform me that Olivia and her fiancé, Tony, came by Poppy’s house. They were inside for about thirty minutes before all three left with Tony carrying a bag in one arm and what looked like flowers in the other. Poppy looked upset. The guys he had on Poppy stayed behind to watch over her house while she was gone, waiting on her to come back, but she never did. After getting Olivia’s address from the company database, Rex had another guy ride by and sure enough, Poppy was holed up there. Although it makes me feel better knowing that she isn’t alone, I still hate being left in the dark. Rex’s man is currently at Olivia’s house now, still keeping an eye on Poppy.
I get up from my chair and walk over to the tall windows facing the city. I stuff my hands in my pocket and stare out at the early morning traffic. I kept my promise to myself and didn’t watch the live feed of Poppy once I dropped her off. I didn’t come by her place to watch her through her window. I wanted to, fuck if I wasn’t tempted to, but by sheer force of will, I didn’t. The moment I got off the phone with Wyatt with instructions to remove and the locations of the cameras in Poppy’s house and the tracking device, my hand reached for my phone to pull up the feed one last time, but I didn’t look. My need to prove to Poppy that she can trust me is the only thing that stopped me from calling Wyatt back and telling him to leave just one camera. Poppy would never forgive me for that. Instead, I drank myself stupid. Before I got too drunk, I texted Poppy, telling her I missed her. No truer words have ever been spoken, or in this case, typed.
There’s a knock on my door and I bark, “Go away.” I’m being an asshole, but I don’t give one goddamn fuck at the moment. The person on the other side of that door is lucky I don’t rip it open and shred them for bothering me.
I hear the click of the door opening, but then silence. Pissed at the audacity that someone thinks they can just walk into my office without my say, I turn around to ream their ass, but my anger dissolves when I see Olivia standing there. From the look in her eyes, Poppy’s told her about me. She looks curious, weary, and angry all at once. I wonder which emotion is more dominant.
I walk around my desk and lean against the edge, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Olivia, what can I do for you?” I question, trying to keep my voice neutral. Olivia’s been acting as my assistant the past few days since Poppy hasn’t been here.
“You’re eleven o’clock just arrived,” she says, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“I told you to cancel the rest of my appointments for today.”
“No, sir, you did not.”
“I assure you…” I trail off when I remember the email I was going to send out to Olivia to cancel my appointments is still sitting in my draft folder.
Fuck!
I was drafting it when my mind wandered for the thousandth time to Poppy. I never sent it. I need to pull my head out of my ass and get my mind back to work. No, what I need is to get Poppy back. She’s the only thing that will pull me out of this funk.
I
incline my head. “I apologize. I got sidetracked when I was drafting the email with my request. Please inform Mr. Ballard that I need to reschedule.”
She gives me a short nod, but doesn’t move from her spot. She just stands there and watches me. I hold her gaze, not about to back down. She may be Poppy’s best friend, and with that has my respect, but I won’t allow her to try to intimidate me.
“Why?” she asks, tipping her head to the side inquisitively.
I know what she’s referring to, but I still ask, “Why what?”
“You know damn well what?”
I lift the corner of mouth in a smirk and her eyes narrow further. I drop the ruse and drop my arms from my chest and grip the sides of my desk.
“I won’t discuss that with you, Olivia. Poppy deserves to be the first to hear it.”
She nods, a hint of respect replacing some of the irritation. “I can understand that.”
She still makes no move to leave. I can see the questions swirling in her eyes, so I wait her out. I’ll answer the questions I can to alleviate her worry for her friend, but that’s it. I don’t owe her anything, but I know if I can earn back some trust from Olivia, it will help my case with Poppy.
“Do you love her?” she asks quietly, her eyes intently watching for even the minimalist of reactions from me.
My answer comes immediately, and without hesitation.
“With every beat of my heart and every breath I take,” I tell her with conviction.
