28. Vacation’s Over
Two Weeks Later
A fter all they had been through, Poppy had never expected them to make it home to Ireland without further complications.
She’d half-expected their flight to be delayed, the airport to go on strike, or a natural disaster to prevent her from leaving.
The last thing she’d anticipated was boarding their flight on time without a paparazzi ready to interrogate them about the Midas incident, a harrowing experience that had left them all scarred.
Yet all that had occurred on the Midas and afterwards had been swiftly dealt with, and the case closed with Sophia’s demise.
The guests and owner of the ship were not keen on a lengthy investigation that could damage their reputation, and with no killer to charge, the incident could be kept out of the media.
Poppy felt that enough in her life had been covered up, but she didn’t want Mina, Isaiah, or Phoebe smeared across the papers.
One day it would probably come out and someone would go snooping, but as she lay in the Irish hospital, today wasn’t the day.
“How are you feeling?” Isaiah asked, bringing her the strawberry milkshake she’d requested because having to fast for surgery had sucked. Sophia hadn’t ruined them for her completely.
“Groggy, but pleasantly numb,” Poppy said, not even attempting to move her right arm until the physio came by.
She might have survived Sophia’s attempt to drown her, but her shoulder had suffered significant trauma.
Once the hospital in Italy had given her the all-clear to travel, she’d been ordered to return home and have surgery to repair the damage.
Despite the physical and emotional toll, Poppy was determined to heal and move forward.
“You did great, and the surgeon doesn’t think you’ll need another. With physio and time, you should heal up nicely,” Isaiah said, kissing her forehead. “The nurse should be back soon to check on you.”
He was always so careful not to hurt her.
When they had flown home to Dublin, she hadn’t thought he would survive constantly checking on her and Mina.
Mina liked being obsessed over less than she did, and when Eckells had threatened to send a private plane for them, she’d threatened to quit.
It hadn’t stopped him. He’d even been waiting for them at the airport, so Poppy had finally got to put a stern face to the name.
She’d thought he’d be furious about the chaos she had brought down on his ship, but to her surprise, all he cared about was their well-being.
“I love my nurse,” she answered Isaiah, still fuzzy from the anaesthetic.
“Should I be jealous of her?” he teased.
“Maybe– she has the good painkillers,” Poppy said, sipping her shake slowly. She was so hungry, she’d take a bite out of Isaiah soon. The cold shake helped soothe her dry throat for now.
“Can’t argue with you there,” Isaiah said, sitting in the armchair beside her.
“How’s Mina?” Poppy asked, disappointed she wasn’t with him but understanding that Mina needed all the rest she could get.
Mina had probably texted, but Poppy’s phone was still in the cupboard with her clothes, and she didn’t have the strength yet to get out of bed and check it.
They could FaceTime when she got home; video calls had become a must during their recovery.
They had even binge-watched a couple of series to help with their boredom.
Two people who usually lived with packed schedules didn’t do well on bed rest.
“She’s going stir-crazy at home. Eckells insisted she move into his penthouse above the club, since she has a long recovery ahead of her and refused to stay in the hospital,” Isaiah said. Poppy was sure the next time she saw the duo that they would have either killed each other or got married.
“At least we can book physio appointments together. Friends who recover from attempted murder stay together!”
“You wouldn’t be talking about me, would you?” Mina asked coming through the door with her purple, bejewelled walking stick.
“Only when it’s behind your back! You didn’t have to come. I’ll be home tomorrow,” Poppy said, as Eckells followed close behind and helped Mina sit at the end of Poppy’s bed.
“You’d come if it was me. Besides, coming here was the only way he’d let me out of the house,” Mina said, talking about Eckells as though he wasn’t in the room.
“Doc said that unless it’s for physio, you should be resting.
Don’t blame me for following their post-op instructions,” Eckells said, looking at Mina like this wasn’t the first time they had discussed it.
“I’m just looking out for my employee. The last time I let you out of my sight, you nearly ended up dead. ”
Poppy glanced at Isaiah and tried to conceal her smile.
They knew he cared about her far more than any boss they had ever known.
If Poppy had met Eckells out and about, she would have been intimidated by him.
Yet with Mina he was utterly smitten, starkly contrasting to the ruthless businessman she had heard about.
“Are you going to hold this over me forever? I think I learned my lesson,” Mina groaned, gesturing to her legs.
“No, but until you’ve recovered, I’m going to make sure you get the help you need, whether you like it or not.” Eckells was probably the only person who could make looking after someone sound like a threat.
“Don’t be too hard on him. He’s only trying to help.” Poppy winked at Mina, and she rolled her eyes. Eckells almost smiled, though it looked like the gesture might cause him pain.
“You’re looking rough,” he said briskly, ever the charmer.
“Thanks. Hospital gowns and hair nets aren’t exactly flattering,” Poppy said, looking at her gown and compression socks.
“I was talking about your boyfriend.” Eckells smirked, jabbing at Isaiah.
Poppy had noted how exhausted Isaiah looked too.
His captain at work hadn’t been all that thrilled about his involvement in the case in Italy.
Still, thankfully, he hadn’t been fired– only suspended for disobeying orders.
His partner Michael had come by to tell him he was lucky to only receive a slap on the wrist. Since Duggery had been found in his office, and Sophia was seen leaving his office on the cameras across the street, Captain Roberts had admitted that he was right to investigate the murders.
As Sophia had followed Poppy to every scene without taking as much caution as she should, she’d ended up taking the blame for Poppy’s crimes.
Sophia’s potential imprisonment had she lived, had forced Poppy to ask herself whether she deserved to suffer the same fate.
They had both killed, and both believed they were justified in their actions.
Unlike Sophia, though, Poppy knew she would never kill again now that she and those she cared for were safe.
Even if she felt like justice had been done, she still felt the weight of the lives she had taken, the chain of events she had triggered, and she accepted that she would carry the consequences for the rest of her life.
“Is the security necessary?” she asked, looking at the door where two bodyguards were waiting.
“Better to be safe than sorry. I wanted you to have peace of mind while you’re recovering,” Eckells said, looking at Isaiah as though they had already discussed the matter.
“Don’t bother trying to reason with him. You can’t,” Mina said, glancing at Eckells, who winked at her.
“I love the walking stick. The jewels make it pop,” Poppy said, liking the new modifications. Davide had damaged the ball and socket joint in her right hip.
“Did it myself. I had to do something, since I’m under house arrest,” Mina said, folding the walking stick to fit in her tote bag.
“Only Mina would consider a penthouse suite a jail cell,” Eckells grumbled, putting his hand in his pockets.
“It’s more the warden who likes to hover.” Mina smiled. Eckells rolled his eyes.
“Do you two want the room? We can give you some privacy if you want to continue flirting,” Isaiah put in. Mina blushed, while Eckells suddenly found the heart monitor fascinating.
“How’s the shoulder?” Mina asked innocently.
“How’s your leg?” Poppy countered, and they both erupted into laughter. Poppy groaned as the movement jarred her shoulder.
Isaiah and Eckells looked at the pair like they had lost their minds.
A nurse came in and looked at the crowd around Poppy’s bed. “Plenty of visitors, I see. Don’t worry, everyone. She is in great hands and should be out of here soon. How’s the pain?” the nurse asked as Isaiah gave her space to work.
“About a five,” Poppy said, and Mina held her good hand.
“Let’s help you with that,” the nurse said, adjusting her pain meds. Relief washed over her body, making her sleepy. “Time to leave, everyone; she needs to get her rest.”
The last thing Poppy wanted was to be alone. “Can’t they stay a little longer?” she pleaded, and the nurse caved with a heavy sigh.
“Ten more minutes.”
Poppy would leave some gifts for the nurses when she left.
“I’ll come by tomorrow when you’re home,” Mina promised, squeezing her hand reassuringly.
Poppy despised all that Mina had been through because of their friendship, but she wouldn’t have changed anything, because it had brought a true friend into her life.
Two friends, considering Phoebe hadn’t stopped checking in since they left Italy.
She owed Phoebe her life; without her interference, Sophia would have killed them both.
“We’ll see how you are after physio. You’re always wrecked after and shouldn’t be pushing your luck,” Eckells said, like a real mother hen.
“Told you, a warden.” Mina took out her walking stick and smacked Eckells gently in the shin. He grumbled and rubbed it. Then he clenched his jaw and, before she could protest, scooped Mina into his arms and off Poppy’s bed.
“Put me down!” Mina insisted, but Eckells ignored her.
“See you tomorrow, Poppy,” he called over his shoulder as he carried her out of the room. They could be heard arguing all the way down the hall.
“Who’s going to tell them about their feelings for each other?” Poppy yawned, enjoying their theatrics.
“They’ll figure it out eventually,” Isaiah chuckled.
“You don’t have to leave, right?”
He shook his head, and she moved over so he could lie beside her.
“Just rest; I’m going to be right here beside you,” Isaiah said, brushing her hair behind her ear as she started to doze off. “The more you sleep, the sooner we can get you home.”
“Home sounds pretty great,” Poppy yawned, settling into his arms as he held her. Isaiah pressed his lips to hers.
Without anything left to fear, a new future waited for her – for them. Finally safe, Poppy drifted to sleep in his arms, a home away from home.