Chapter 28 – Poppy
Iclutched the towel to my chest. I came out here to continue things with Ivan. The water was already deep, and I figured I might as well enjoy the swim. There was a small part of me, a powerful, driving force, that wanted to close the distance with him.
And there, at the door, was a knight in shining armor. Not that a tan, pressed pants, and a brown uniform were equivalent to a gorget, greaves, and gauntlets.
“Poppy?” Kevin started forward but was stopped by the half-naked barbarian.
“What are you doing here?” I squeaked, brushing a drop of water that trickled down my forehead to the side.
The deputy looked between Ivan and me. He saw how things stood.
This was the kind of man I was sleeping with—not that I was.
Yet. Just over a year ago, I turned Kevin down.
I told him that we were going to stay friends.
After three wholesome dates and one lackluster kiss, I halted any further intentions on his part.
“This guy?” Kevin spat. “Seriously, Pops? Him?”
I set my shoulders straight. “My personal choices aren’t your business, Kev. Now, answer the question. What are you doing here?”
Kevin braced his chin on his hand. “You sure know how to pick ‘em.”
The stance was mocking. The words dripped with condescension.
“Get the fuck off my porch,” Ivan barked.
He’s going to kill him.
That was a body we didn’t need to figure out how to bury.
“I’m here to do a welfare check,” Kevin sniffed, trying to glare down at the Bulgarian. Since Ivan towered over him by a good three inches, it didn’t have the same effect.
“Her welfare is fine.”
“Seriously, Kevin? You drove out here to check on us?” I snapped. “I messaged everyone that I was fine. That my plans changed.”
“You were silent for weeks. Your aunt was out of her mind with worry,” Kevin accused.
Guilt swelled inside me. “I lost my phone. I didn’t mean to worry everyone.”
“Sheriff Forge placed me in charge of your…situation.” Kevin shot an assessing gaze around the living room.
“Her situation?” Ivan growled.
Oh, crap. At this point, the truth was better than any attempt to smooth the situation. “When I left Detroit, I blackmailed the mob,” I explained. “The local sheriff in North Dakota took me under his protection, and if anything happened to me, he was charged with exposing my father.”
Ivan signaled me with a look. A slow, lazy smile tipped his lips. Appreciation flared in his eyes.
I warmed under the look. I enjoyed being the center of his attention, feeling the pride wafting off him. I should have told him the rest of the story in the shower. He would have…he would have….
Dang, we could have been having sex right now.
“And from what I hear, you’re back in hot water.” Kevin just had to go open his big mouth.
“Kevin, thanks. Thanks for stopping by, for doing your duty, and making sure I was okay. I am okay,” I stated firmly.
“We just found Brady’s biological family by accident, and we’re spending time getting him reacquainted with his heritage.
I’ll call Aunt Rosa tomorrow. That’s all. No need to worry.”
“Pops,” he said softly.
Ivan heard the hurt note in his voice too. “This guy?”
I groaned. Men were like dogs. It was highly probably they could smell each other’s piss, even if they didn’t lift legs to mark territory.
“No, not this guy,” I snapped. “He’s a friend. And because he’s a friend, you’ll say goodnight and close that door.”
“I’m not done—”
“Kevin! Garh! For once in your life, do the smart thing and leave,” I hissed.
Something I said must have gotten through to both of them. They backed off; the door was closed. But not before they shared a silent conversation about territory and more male macho crap.
I sank onto the couch, suddenly deflated.
Of all the people to come charging into this mess, Kevin was probably the worst. A stickler for rules, he was everything the mob wasn’t.
While it would be hard to pinpoint Ivan as a mob boss just from a look, he could easily be profiled as a criminal.
Definitely as a man who was up to no good.
Kevin saw it. And now…now I didn’t know what.
“You like pretty boys in fancy suits?”
My eyes snapped open. “Whoa, bucko, you’re out of line.”
The jealousy in his eyes was intoxicating. He was insane, maddened! Over me. Little old me. I watched him, trying not to smile and deflate the moment with a laugh. Sue me. I liked his focused, predatorial attention.
Ivan crossed his arms, legs taking a wide stance.
The muscles on his arms popped. Thick and strong, but they were also capable.
He didn’t work out for show. There was a brutal force built into the fibers of his body.
And his pecs? Saints above, those hard, chiseled muscles of his chest made me melt.
My mouth watered, and I wondered what he would do if I ran my tongue over them.
Hunger stirred deep in my belly, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
But his words helped cool the heat. “Is that the type you like to fuck?”
I sat up straight. “I’m only going to dignify that disgusting comment with a reply so you stop being such an ass!
No. I went on two dates with him—three if you count the church potluck, where we sat together.
We kissed once. It was dull. For the last year and half, we’ve been civil, friendly.
We go to church together, and it’s a small town, so having the ex-drama isn’t an option.
I ended things before it got to that point. ”
I paused to take a deep breath.
Ivan’s jaw worked back and forth as he stared down at me.
“I sure as hell never masturbated to him in the tub!” I shot to my feet. “Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Mr. Big Bad Mob Boss.”
Ivan’s gaze slid down my body. Scorch marks cut over my skin—my bare skin.
I ripped the loosened towel back around my body. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”
I made it three steps, barely crossing the threshold into the kitchen, before Ivan grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. I crashed into his body. His strong hands gripped my face. They had the power to crush bone. To snap my neck. Instead, they held me tight as he bent over me.
“You do not get to walk away from me,” he snarled and kissed me.
The contact was thunderous. Lightning shot through my veins, burning me from the inside out. I flicked his tongue, forcing my own to swipe a taste. He was darkness and sin, mint and male. My nails scored his chest, driving up to find purchase on his skin.
The kiss was hot and full of fury. But just as I was about to surrender, right before I climbed into his arms, the door down the back hall cracked.
“Mama, the bears are chasing me,” Brady’s voice was full of panic.
I jumped back, creating space between Ivan and me.
“Bears? What bears dare to chase you?” Ivan was faster than me. He moved around my body, bending to one knee and opening his arms.
Brady rushed into his father’s embrace. He jabbered about the grizzly bears eating all the food in Montana and coming to North Dakota to find fresh campers to devour.
I brushed my fingers over Ivan’s bare shoulders in thanks as I passed.
Hurrying to the bedroom, I closed the door, dropped the towel, and put on the first thing I found, since my jammies were still in the bathroom.
Saints above, a small house was cozy and nice, but there was no privacy.
I tugged the sweatshirt over my arms. Brady nearly caught me kissing his dad.
The brief kiss at the ice cream parlor I wrote off by explaining I was scared and Ivan was comforting me.
The depraved mouth-fucking just now? Not only should a five-year-old not witness that, but there was no explanation my frazzled brain could give right now.
I wasn’t ready to explore what that meant, and I sure as hell didn’t want to explain it to the little fellow who would ask a billion questions.
Ivan gently pushed the door open a moment later and peeked inside. When he saw I was dressed, he handed Brady back to me.
“Sleep now, you’re safe,” he promised.
Brady’s arms wrapped tight around my neck. “Can’t you stay too, tatko?”
I shared a look with Ivan. This was how it was meant to be, a child with two people who adored him. Nothing else should matter. The circumstances were for us adults to deal with.
“I don’t think we’ll fit in the bed.” Ivan gave me a way out.
“We can fit,” I offered and went to lay down, pressing my back against the wall. Brady snuggled close, and after a moment, Ivan lowered himself on the other end of the twin mattress.
Squished in close, Brady soon fell asleep. Ivan and I stared at one another in silence for what seemed like hours. We didn’t speak, but we didn’t have to. This was what Ivan was asking for when he proposed. A place at our table. It was in my power to give it.
But I stayed quiet, knowing it wasn’t just the man who wanted to join, but the beast that ruled the dark corners of Chicago who would always be there, no matter how much we liked his alter ego named dad.
Ivan was gone when we woke up. Brady was a bit more sluggish than usual, and he grew frustrated with the puzzle we tried to work on at the coffee table.
“Mama, we never walk anymore,” he pouted.
I sighed. “I know, bud. But there just aren’t places in the city to go walking like back home.”
Brady scrunched up his nose. “I miss Mary, Laura, and Carrie.”
Pulling up my phone, I showed him a snapchat from my cousin. “Theo’s been taking really good care of them.”
“But he’s not a cat wrangler!” Brady protested.
It’s time to go home.
Except, Carrington was no longer our home. How did I tell my little guy that the fields we rambled over, the cows we bottle-fed, and the cats we cuddled with weren’t part of our lives anymore?
“Want to go to the store and get the steaks for dinner?” I offered.
Brady grimaced again. “Sure, but why do we only go to that store?”
I shrugged to avoid answering.