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“When you betrayed Poppy, you lost the ability to beg,” I say as I uncross my arms.
“Don’t be an ass. I was protecting her.”
I shake his hold off and point my finger at him like it’s a dagger.“Well, you did a shit job. You failed.” I grab his shirt,“Hefailed. Tell him that. Watching people from afar only gets you so far. If he truly cared about Poppy, then he would be honest and come back into her life. He’s a fucking weak ass excuse for a man.” I shout.
Shit! I lost it, and now Theo’s got enough ammunition to start assembling the puzzle.
Is this whyheasked Theo to watch her? Did he know how dangerous Andrew was? Shit. How do I find out without betraying Poppy's trust?
You tell her, you idiot.
I do need to tell her. I'm just worried I'll lose her.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Theo says.
I pat down his shirt.“I’m asking you,” I look directly into his worried eyes.“As your brother by blood, don't look further into this. Don’t betray her privacy more than it has been. Your new friend wanted Poppy to be protected. Let me protect her.” I hold his stare, waiting and hoping he will cave.
I hear the alert on my phone that the meeting should be starting.“Theo,” I press.
He licks his lips,“If you need me,” he begins,“I’m here. You’re my brother; you always will be. You come first.”
I nod.“Thank you.” As I turn my back to him and begin to walk into the conference room, a heavy feeling settles in my gut. Theo's need to keep me safe, I fear, will ultimately only end up harming Poppy.
***
"As you can see from the schematics, we've made significant advancements in the propulsion system," Mark explains, gesturing to the presentation displayed on the large screen behind him.
I feel like an ass as I nod and act as if I'm listening. I glance at Theo, who I know has covered all of this. I don't need to be here, but showing my face seems to calm everyone's nerves.
My dad's comments echo in my mind. I could leave this job.
What would I do? My first thought is to join some of my friends who have retired from Delta Force and work as private contractors. The money they make is insane; however, none of them do it for the money; it's more the adrenaline rush, and as a contractor, we don't have to adhere to strict protocol.
That would have been a dream job before I met Poppy. There is no way I could leave her for weeks at a time. Not only that but putting my life on the line would just wreck her. I can't risk myself after everything she has lost.
So what the hell would I do?
I pinch the bridge of my nose as Mark continues to flip through slides. When I look up, Theo is watching me. I roll my eyes, still pissed as fuck at the situation he's put me in. Another issue I have yet to confront.
I'm still lying to Poppy, and I have no idea when to come clean about what Theo did and how he orchestrated her new apartment and job all so he could surveil her. They all want to watch her. She's mine!
I can't shake off this suffocating weight on my chest. It's Poppy. Always Poppy. Her situation's eating away at me like a relentless itch I can't scratch. Every word Mark says about propulsion systems feels like a distant echo in my head.
My body is tense, coiled like a spring, ready to snap. I can feel the stress radiating from my muscles, and my jaw is clenched so tight that it's a wonder I can still breathe.
Harper's voice echoes in my mind, frustration dripping from every word as she struggles to pin Andrew down with enough evidence to lock him away for good. The bastard's like a ghost; none of the evidence we found is pointing to him regarding the cameras. Everything is linked to others, allowing him to get away scot-free if caught.
I rub my temples, trying to ease the pounding headache that's set up camp there. The weight of it all's like a lead vest pressing down on my chest.
My phone buzzes again, jolting me out of my thoughts. I quickly slip it out of my pocket, and my heart drops as I read the message from my uncle.
Uncle Dan: Kimberly Prescott's plane went down over the Bahamas. Her father and mother were on board with her. The Coast Guard is searching for the wreck and survivors.
I stare at the screen, my mind struggling to process the words. What the fuck! Without a word to anyone, I'm on my feet, leaving the meeting behind without so much as a goodbye. My phone is pressed to my ear as I dial my uncle's number, my heart pounding in my chest.
"You're in a meeting," Uncle says as soon as he picks up the phone. His calm tone only adds to my sense of urgency.
"It's not an accident," I state, the words tumbling out in a rush. It can't be. Please don't let it be. This could be our saving grace, a fresh crime to nail Andrew and his father for good.
