Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
I’m anxious to get back to Texas. Something I never thought I’d be thinking. Of all the fucking places Poppy could be from, she had to be from fucking Texas.
“Thanks.” I take my bag from the driver and walk up the jet stairs.
I’ve arranged for three of our soldiers to already be onboard waiting for me. When I step through, it’s not them I see waiting, though.
“What the fuck are you all doing here?” I ask, looking from Emilio and Frankie to my sister Imogen.
“We’re hitching a ride,” Emilio says. “These two want to go to Frankie’s ranch and I go where she goes.” He points to his wife. Still fucking weird to think of them as married.
“Why are you going to the ranch?” I direct this to my sister. I don’t give a fuck what the other two do.
“I want to get away for the weekend,” she says.
I look to Emilio. “The ranch is a two-hour drive from where I’m headed. You planning on driving there?”
“I have people who will be waiting to take us,” he says.
“Do Mom and Dad know you’re going?” I ask Imogen.
“They will. I’ll call Mom once I get there.” She shrugs.
I laugh. That’s because if she called our father, he’d fly out there and drag her back to Vegas. I don’t love the idea of her going off to some fucking ranch with those two delinquents, though. Frankie and Emilio are trouble when they’re alone. Together, they’re even worse.
“Mr. Russo, we’re ready for takeoff.” The pilot steps out of the cockpit.
“Right. Let’s go.”
A stewardess takes my bag, and I sit down in the chair next to Imogen. My sister isn’t the biggest fan of flying, so the fact she’s willingly gotten on this plane to leave town for a weekend trip tells me something is wrong. Her hand grips mine as we take off, linking our fingers together.
“You know I’d never let you fly on this plane if I thought it wasn’t safe,” I tell her.
“I know. But accidents are never planned, Sammie J. That’s why they’re accidents,” she says.
“I guess.”
As soon as we’re in the air, I stand. “I need to talk to you in the bedroom,” I tell Imogen. I know whatever is going on with her, she’s not going to tell me in front of anyone else. When Imogen follows me into the small bedroom, I shut the door. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me. Why are you going with those two to some fucking ranch?”
“I want to ride the horses.”
“You’ve never wanted to ride horses in your life. Why now?” I ask her.
“You’ve never chased a woman across the country before. Why are you doing that now?” Imogen throws back at me.
“I like her. She’s different.”
“Obviously, you’re spending a weekend in Texas for her.” Imogen smirks at me. “You hate Texas.”
“I like her enough to put up with the small-town, country-ass bullshit.” I shrug. “If you want to ride horses, come with me. Poppy lives on a ranch. They have horses.” I have no idea if that’s true, but what kind of ranch wouldn’t have them?
“I’m not being the third wheel on your dirty weekend, Sammie J.” My sister’s nose scrunches up.
“You are my favorite person in the whole world, Imogen. You’re never the third wheel.”
“Aw, that’s sweet. But I think I’m about to become number two.”
“Are you upset that I like someone?” It’s not like my sister to get jealous over girls I’ve dated. Then again, I’ve never actually dated anyone. This is new territory for all of us.
“No.” She snorts. “I want you to fall madly and sickeningly in love. I don’t want to hang out with you all weekend while you’re doing it, though. There are some things a sister does not need to hear.”
“Got ya. I’ve rented a house and I’ll hardly be there. You won’t hear anything that isn’t PG. Promise. Spend the weekend with me. Besides, Poppy will be working tomorrow. You can keep me company.”
“What about Frankie? I told her I was going to spend the weekend with her.”
“She’s got Emilio. Do you really want to be the third wheel to those two kissing cousins?” I laugh.
“They’re married. Everyone needs to drop the kissing cousins thing. They’re not actually cousins.” Imogen rolls her eyes.
“It pisses Emilio off so I’m not stopping it. Are you actually going to tell me what’s bothering you?”
“Eventually, but not yet. I’m not ready.” Imogen sits on the end of the bed. Her face drops. Something is really wrong if she can’t even look at me.
Kneeling down in front of her, I pick up her hands. “Okay. It’s okay. Whatever it is, it will be okay. You know you can tell me anything and I won’t tell a single soul.”
“I know, but this isn’t something you should have to deal with. I’ll tell you. Just give me time,” she says.
“Okay, you’re not in trouble, though, right? You don’t have some crazy psychopath after you or anything?”
“No.” Imogen laughs. “No one would be crazy enough to try to come after me.”
“Good. You strapped?” My parents made sure both Imogen and I had the skills to protect ourselves. Imogen has a natural talent, though. Just like our mother. Her mark would never see her coming.
“Always.” She smiles.
“Good. Come on. Let’s get back out there before the kissing cousins have sex on our jet,” I grumble.
I left my sister at the house I rented and am sitting in the waiting room of Poppy’s spa. She’s with a client, or so I was told by the other woman who works here. The same woman who has been eyeing me suspiciously since I said I’d wait.
“I’m Kellie, by the way,” she finally says.
“Sammie,” I tell her.
“I know.” She returns to looking at the computer screen in front of her. “Whatever you’re doing with Poppy, it’s going to take more than showing up in a fancy suit to win her over.”
“Yeah? Like what?” I ask.
“I don’t know, but those walls around her heart are solid and for good reason. She doesn’t need to be hurt any more than she already has been. So don’t fuck with her.”
My back straightens. “What do you mean she’s been hurt?” I try to keep my tone neutral. Not sure it’s worked judging by the look Kellie’s giving me.
“Just don’t fuck with her,” she repeats as the door to Poppy’s room opens and a man walks out. I stand.
What the fuck is she doing back there with some fucking guy?
“Thanks, Poppy. I’ll see you at the wedding. Save a dance for me?” the asshole says. And now I’m definitely going to this fucking wedding.
“Sure. See you Saturday.” Poppy smiles, and as the guy turns around to leave, I step in front of the exit.
“Her dance card is full,” I tell him.
“Sammie, seriously?” Poppy growls. “Ignore him, Fred. He clearly has manner issues.” She maneuvers around Fred to stand in front of me. “Why are you here?”
“We have dinner plans with Jaxson, remember?” Leaning forward, I press my lips against hers. My palm cups the back of her head as I deepen the kiss. Poppy melts into my touch and I do nothing to keep it PG. When I do pull away, her cheeks are flushed and her lips are kiss swollen.
“You good here, Poppy? I take it you know this guy?” Fred asks her.
“Yeah, I know him. I’m good. Thanks, Fred. I’ll see you Saturday.” Poppy smiles, and he moves around me and walks out of the building. “What the hell was that?” She pushes at my chest.
“What?”
“That. What you just did. Why on earth do you feel the need to claim me? Are you that insecure?” Her voice gets louder with each word, and fuck me, is she hotter the angrier she gets.
“I’m not insecure. I just want to make it clear that you and me, we’re fucking exclusive, Poppy. I told you I don’t share and that includes dancing.”
“Yeah, you can kiss your exclusive bullshit and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. You and I had sex twice. Get over it and stop being this weird fucking stage-five clinger.”
“It was more than twice. But sure, let’s say I am a stage-five clinger. I can always step that up to a stage ten. I can always get way clingier,” I warn. “And we are exclusive.”
“No, we are fun. That’s it. Fun.”
“Sure, exclusive fun,” I counter.
“Kellie, order me a dictionary from . This idiot needs one so he can look up the definition of no and dreaming, because he’s dreaming right now,” Poppy calls out.
“I’m staying out of this.” Kellie puts her hands in the air and walks backwards down a hallway.
“Argh, you are impossible. You’re a spoiled child, aren’t you? I bet your parents never said no to you.”
“My parents always gave me whatever I wanted.” I smirk.