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“Andrew and his dad are getting arrested tomorrow. Theo told me before I left. Poppy’s name won’t be in the documents. They found enough evidence without involving her,” Julian blurts out, the urgency in his voice cutting through the air.
I blink, the news hitting me like a wave—relief floods in, mingling with a tinge of frustration. I had envisioned a more... personal form of justice for Andrew and his father.“The Obsidian Order doesn’t do things publicly,” I counter, trying to hide my mixed emotions.
Julian’s gaze is steadfast.“I asked Theo to wrap this up for Poppy. I want this all to end so Poppy and I can move on with our lives.”
“You could dismantle the Sinclairs in ways that don’t involve the justice system,” I argue, not ready to let go of the vendetta just yet.
“I thought of Poppy,” he insists, his voice softer now.“She takes everything and turns it into guilt.”
He’s spot on. It’s a flaw of hers, one I’ve been wrestling with for years.
Julian continues.“She can’t twist this into guilt, though. It’s not a quick death; it’s not even death. It’s a lifetime locked away.”
“Can Theo guarantee that?” The skepticism in my voice barely masks the hope burgeoning within me.
Julian nods.“The Obsidian Order can. This... it’s just a public spectacle to humble the Sinclairs. They’re not getting out. No bail, just a life sentence.”
Oh, fuck. Julian’s the good guy here. He just proved it beyond doubt.
I would have dragged the Sinclairs to some unmarked grave, ensuring their torment lasted years. That would have haunted Poppy had she found out.
“Thank you,” escapes me.
He shakes his head, a rueful smile touching his lips.“Don’t thank me. I did it for Poppy.”
We lapse into silence, the gravity of his words sinking in.
Julian clears his throat. "You’re not shocked I’m here."
“I’ve been tracking you,”I reply, looking at him.“You’re not shocked.” I parrot his words back to him.
“I’d be shocked if you weren’t,” he says, his smile slowly unfurling, softening the rugged contours of his face.“Why’d you let me come? Why not run again?”
I stretch, arms reaching for the sky in an exaggerated yawn.“Poppy’s more of a‘staycation’than a‘sprint across borders’kind of girl. I figured if we stayed put, it would corner you into spilling the beans. Plus, it gave me extra time to play detective.”
“Did you uncover anything?”
“Bits and pieces.” My gaze sharpens, slicing through the space between us.“Care to fill in the gaps?”
“Yeah.” Julian nods, a determined glint in his eye as it drifts toward the front door.“Poppy’s inside?”
Confirming with a nod, I watch his reaction closely.
“You slept in the car.”
I shrug. Ouch, that hurts; my bones feel like the marrow was replaced with cement.
“Why?” His inquiry digs deeper, each word a shovel unearthing more than I'm willing to share.
I scrutinize him with a skeptical squint. He’s digging too much. The Sterling men have that issue. You see, the Sterling men are good old Texans; they think if they keep digging, they will eventually hit oil. The handsome fools that they are don't understand that sometimes you hit the devil instead. A.K.A. me pissed off.
“Because I can,” I bite.“What is this, twenty-one questions?”
Julian looks down at me over his shoulder. I glance back at the house, at the white picket fence surrounding it. Birds chirping in the trees, the faint hint of jasmine blossoms in the air. Behind the house is a detached garage, and inside is another thing I have from Peter’s. Something I haven’t touched in years but suddenly feel the need to.
“The house,” Julian states.
“It’s my safe house.”
