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"You don't want to go there." Theo cautions.
"But it's okay for you to fuck around with my life?"
"You asked for my help."
"You forced my hand. I should have just trusted Uncle Dan."
"It's my job as the oldest brother to take all the burdens. That's what I'm doing, and that's what I'll continue to do, Julian. I know you're pissed. That's fine. One day, you'll thank me.” With a determined swirl, he turns on his heel and slams the apartment door shut with such force that it seems to echo the turmoil churning inside both of us.
“Well, that went well,” Kent observes with a smirk that doesn't quite reach his eyes. Sneaky bastard, he pops up like the goddamn devil holding a contract to steal my soul.
I turn to see him uncross his legs and push away from the wall, standing tall. "Do you hate me as much as I hate him sometimes?” I ask.
Kent's response is swift, his voice steady.“No.” He admits.
"But I joined the army and left you, just as he left us."
Kent shrugs, the movement carrying a nonchalance that doesn’t quite mask the anger he once showed me.“I did hate you. I hated Theo, too, but the love I had for you both was stronger. We all have to grow up. You both moved on; it was your time. I was younger. I get it. I was pissed, but I get it.”
I snort, disbelief coloring my tone.“The day you sound like the voice of reason means the apocalypse is coming.”
Kent's laugh is genuine.
“How can you laugh when your woman is gone?” I question.
Kent strolls to the fridge. He grabs two beers and pops them open. Handing one to me, he muses,“Women are,” he pauses, taking a sip,“crazy, fucked up, incredibly amazing creatures. You can’t cage that. Theo is right, Jules; let them run wild and free. Don’t chase them, don’t cage them, learn to run beside them.” He raises his brow, "If they are worth it, that is."
Our bottles clink together in a salute to his words.“Poppy is gonna come back to you. Don’t worry. Just give her time. You did lie. You fucked up, but compared to Andrew, your crimes are weightless. Poppy will see that. She’s scared, and fear backs you into a corner. Instead of trapping her further, offer her a helping hand.”
Taking a long swig of my beer, the carbonation sharp against my throat, I eye him warily.“You’re scaring the shit out of me right now. You’re talking, making sense, and sounding wise. Where are the sex jokes?”
Kent's grin is back, as wide and lecherous as ever.“Oh, they're there, brother. Once I get Harper back, I’m going to fuck her so hard she’s going to forget how to sing the ABC’s. All she’ll be singing is‘more, give me more, Kent,’” he jokes, punctuating his words with a lewd thrust of his hips.
I smack the back of his head in mock irritation.“There he is. I was worried Theo and I actually raised a decent human.” The laughter that follows doesn't erase the challenges we face, but it lightens the load, even if just for a moment.
Chapter 31
Poppy
"It doesn’t feel right," I blurt out, the unease twisting in my stomach, prompting me to clutch it tighter. The small rent-a-car seems to shrink further with my growing anxiety, the confines too close as we speed away from the "Welcome to Arkansas" sign blurring past us.
"The burger and fries?” Harper questions, her eyes darting to me briefly before fixing back on the road. "Don't tell me you're gearing up for another impromptu purge. Do we need to have a chat about the joys of bulimia? Your pearly whites will get a firsthand experience with stomach acid, Poppy. Not to mention, if you shed any more body mass, be it height or weight, gravity's going to give up on you. I'll have to tether anchors to your ankles and parade you around as my personal helium balloon."
"I'm not bulimic," I retort, rolling my eyes while fighting back a smirk at the thought of me floating away like a lost party decoration.
The car lurches, "Are you preggers?"
"What?" I shriek, my hands slapping the dashboard. "No! I'm in cahoots with Bonnie and Clyde over here," I narrow my eyes at her. "A complete lunatic who's convinced me to ditch a man I love—who, by the way, is trying to help me but could also be lying through his teeth. We've assaulted CIA agents, hijacked a car, and now we're gallivanting in another vehicle registered to a phantom ID. So, yeah, it's a real head-scratcher why my stomach's churning a knot the size of the Grand Canyon, Harper."
My hands slide from the dashboard and find solace in gripping my seatbelt instead. "The only baby in my stomach is one of shock and confusion, courtesy of you," I joke.
"Immaculate conception," Harper quips back, "I'll add that to my résumé."
"I need to call Julian," I declare with sudden resolve, pivoting towards her. The car hits a bump, sending us both jostling against our seatbelts.
"Where is my tax money going? A dirt road would be smoother." Harper grunts.
We’re driving to the place I once clung to, to a place of nightmares and lost dreams, to a location I ran from.
