Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 68936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Riggs thinks about it. “Let’s go and discuss it further. Eve, you girls stay in here. Keep the doors locked, do no go outside until we’re certain it’s safe. I’ve got men doing a perimeter check now.”
Eve nods.
The guys all disappear.
Poppy exhales and puts her face in her hands.
“How bad is this guy you’re married to?” I ask her.
She looks at me and for the first time, she looks drained. “He’s not a good man. At the time, he offered me an escape, and so I took it. I thought I was making the right choice, but the second I stepped into his world, I realized it was not the right choice. It was a very, very bad choice. I knew I had to get away from him. I didn’t have to steal his money, of course, but it is what it is.”
“Do you think he’ll back off if they tell him they gave you the flick?” Eve asks.
Poppy shakes her head. “No, he’ll back off the club, but he’ll keep looking for me. He thinks I’m his property. It’s not just about the money. He’s a god damned prick. But, let me tell you, he’s the best-looking prick you’ll ever see in your life. Very deceiving.”
“Oh, one of those,” I say. “Was he ever good to you?”
Poppy rolls her eyes. “It depends on what you define as good. The man could fuck like a warrior, and he made my body do things that I didn’t know it could do, but when it came to being a jealous, overbearing prick? No, he wasn’t good to me. He runs a pretty tight ship and he’s a very dangerous man, but I never fit into that world, and I defied him every chance I could.”
“That doesn’t sound like you?” I laugh.
She laughs, too. “I know, right? I wasn’t the sort of wife he needed. As time went on, things got worse, and I just needed to get out of there.”
“Did he ever hurt you?” I ask.
Poppy shakes her head. “I mean, not in a violent way. He was rough, dominant, and overpowering, but he didn’t hurt me as such. We got into some pretty hectic fights, and he has pinned me against the wall a few times, but mostly that led to wild sex and...yeah. It wasn’t healthy.”
“Did you love him?” Eve asks.
Poppy shakes her head. “No, I didn’t. I thought maybe I could when he offered a way out, but I was wrong.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re out of it now. Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of it,” Eve smiles.
I hope she’s right.
It seems like a messy situation.
“YOU CAN’T PLAY HOT and cold like that, Doris,” I scoff. “That’s not nice.”
Doris waves her phone at me. “I’ve had five missed calls this morning already. You absolutely can play hot and cold, dear. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t.”
Jesus, Doris.
“You said he was a nice man!”
She smiles. “He’s a lovely man, but he can’t see that I think that. You’ve got to pull on the strings a bit, get them working. It’s the only way you’ll get what you want.”
God.
Savage.
She’s a savage.
“You’re terrible,” I say, shaking my head. “Terrible, Doris.”
A little laugh comes from her evil mouth.
But I love her.
“Tell me about your love life, dear? Is that man following you around like a lost puppy? If he’s not, then you’re not doing it right.”
“He is,” I nod happily. “He can’t get enough of me.”
“You know,” she says, narrowing her eyes, “you need to make sure you have a headache sometimes. You can’t always be throwing the muffin around because eventually, he’ll get bored of it. Mark my words, if they can’t have it, they want it.”
Muffin.
I gasp through a laugh.
“Doris, are you tormenting Ramona again?” Eve asks, placing a coffee down in front of her.
“I’m just giving her my wisdom, dear,” Doris shrugs.
“I’m trying to study,” I laugh. “And she’s walking around using words like muffin.”
Eve grins. “Do I want to know what that refers to?”
“I think you know.”
Eve chuckles as she turns and walks away.
“Tell me about this nice man you’re destroying, Doris?” I ask her, even though I should be studying.
“Oh, him,” Doris answers casually. “Well, he stills works, which is quite something for his age. He’s handsome enough, though he could use with a few laps around the block.”
Oh god.
Doris.
Sweet, horrible, Doris.
“He’s old, Doris. Give him a break. Not even I want to do laps around the block.”
She wiggles a finger at me. “If I can go for a daily walk to keep in shape, then so can you. Got to take care of what the good lord gave you, dear.”
She’s right.
But, ugh.
Who wants to exercise? Not me.
No, thank you.
“I think I’m good,” I smile at her.
She shakes her head. “You let me down, dear.”
I stand. “And you’re distracting me from my study. I have to go. I’ll see you soon, Doris.”