45. Chapter Fifty-Five
I’m anxious about seeing her again. As the company car arrives at the airport, and we exit, a sudden thought crosses my mind - what if she’s changed her mind? Honestly, I wouldn”t even care if she did. Then I wouldn”t have to keep feeling guilty about what I did to her back then.
After a sleepless night, I come up with a plan to move on. I”m gonna brush her off and pretend she doesn”t matter. I”ll just treat her like any other chick. That”s the only way I can stop my heart from shattering.
The car door opens, and we all step out. I”m on edge, scanning the tarmac for any signs of her.
“She’s still coming,” Theo says. “I heard Reg saying to Ace she’ll be here soon.”
“I don’t fucking care,” I say, shrugging like I couldn’t care less, but the asshole Theo just smirks at me.
Movement out of the corner of my eye has me turning my head. A sleek black town car pulls up next to ours, and Poppy steps out. Seeing her in that short skirt gets me all hot and bothered. Is she intentionally messing with me, knowing I had a thing for her when she wore those fucking short skirts? I always had the urge to slide my hands under them, curious to see if she was wet for me. Fuck, she’s just arrived and I”m already feeling all these crazy emotions. Seriously, how can I handle the next eight weeks with a constant boner?
Out of nowhere, a light breeze comes along and lifts her skirt, showing off her black thong. Without delay, she hastily pushes it down.
I let out a frustrated sigh, knowing this girl is gonna be the death of me. I can see it now. The words on my tombstone: “Xander Williams. Died from a raging boner”.
”Damn,” Theo says next to me.
I shoot him a fiery glare. He looks at me for a second, then smirks. I swear the asshole thrives on riling me up. If I give the prick a good punch, he”ll quickly get the message.
He laughs out loudand starts making his way to the plane.
Ace rushes off towards her, and I curse myself for not being the one to help with her damn suitcase. I should be the one helping her, not him. If he thinks he’s having some fun with her, he’s in for a fucking surprise. I”d rather cut his dick off than let that happen.
I keep a watchful eye on Poppy as Ace approaches. When she hears his voice, she turns and gives him that smile. The same smile she used to give me. The same smile I yearn to see directed at me again, but deep down, I know it’s never going to happen. She fucking hates me for what I did to her. Little does she know, I hate myself even more for my actions.
As they approach, she glances up and the second our eyes meet, my heart races. My palms become sweaty. Why does she make me so fucking nervous?
Because she’s Poppy Reeves, you idiot - a little voice in my head reminds me. The only girl you’ve ever been in love with. The only girl who doesn’t hang onto your every word. The only girl who dares to challenge you. The one who truly knows you, faults and all. And the one person in this world who will always have your heart.
Ace says something to her, and she bursts into laughter. My fists, tightly clenched at my sides, reflect the intense urge I feel to punch him. It should be me making her laugh, not him.
“Come on man,” Nate says, as if reading my thoughts. “Let’s get on the plane.”
Pissed off, I turn away from the asshole hitting on my girl and join Nate as we board the plane.
Upon entering, I notice Reg already sitting in his usual spot, leisurely sipping his drink with his laptop open on the table before him. Nate walks over to Theo who’s busy flirting with the hostess. The way she giggles and flirts, it”s obvious she”s totally into Theo. Very few women can resist his smooth talk.
I bet by the middle of the flight, Nate and Theo will be banging her, just like all the other hostesses the label hired. I mean, who the fuck hires these groupies?
I’m anxious. I can feel the tension building in my body. I just need a damn drink to numb these fucking emotions.
“Hey, before you start sucking their dicks, grab me a bourbon?” I cut in when the hostess laughs at Theo’s joke.
The hostess shoots me a disapproving glare, then heads to the next room to fetch me a drink.
I hear Ace’s voice as he boards the plane, with Poppy by his side.
“So, how did he handle the news about you being away for the next eight weeks?” Ace asks.
WTF? Don”t tell me she”s taken, or even worse, married or engaged. I quickly glance at her hands, praying there”s no ring. I feel at ease when I notice she”s not wearing any rings. Can”t spare a dime, you jerk. If she was mine, she”d be rocking rings on all her fingers.
“He didn’t even seem upset when I left. I was expecting him to cry, but he didn’t,” Poppy says, coming to a stop next to Ace.
Cry. What a fucking pussy? I mean, I cried for months after I left her, but that was different. But this dickhead sounds like a loser. I would have thought my Princess would be with someone who challenges her, not some weak fuck who cries when his girl is gone for less than two months.
Ace passes her bag off to one of the staff members.
“Hey there, spitfire,” Theo says, coming forward now, reaching out to take her hand. “I’m Theo, the bass guitarist.” He lifts her hand to his lips, planting a kiss on the back of it, before flashing me a shit-eating grin.
Can’t the idiot see I’m two seconds away from punching him in the fucking face?
“Spitfire?” Poppy questions, her brows furrowing as she drops his hand.
Nate steps forward and shakes her hand. “Hi,” he says, introducing himself. “I’m Nate, the drummer.”
Poppy gives him a big, dazzling smile. Normally I”d be annoyed, but Nate is too shy and serious to make a move. It’s always Theo who is the biggest flirt.
“And you know Xander of course,’’ Ace says.
“Sure,” she says, giving me a quick look before flashing a smile at the group. Her eyes dart from face to face.
It bugs me that when her gaze returns to me, her smile fades.
“Looking for a cock, Princess,” I say, clearly annoyed.
A look of annoyance manifests on her face. “No, but it looks like I found a dick.”
I hear Theo”s hearty chuckle, but he swiftly puts his hand over his mouth to stifle it. The fucking asshole.
“Which way should I go?” Poppy asks, turning to Ace.
Ace points to the left. “Through that door over there. Your room is the second door on the right.”
”Thanks,” Poppy says, heading for the door.
Nate, Theo, and Ace’s eyes are glued to her as they shamelessly check her out.
Don’t they know I’ll rip their fucking eyeballs out if they keep pulling that shit?
“Damn,” Theo mutters.
Once he’s had his fill, he locks eyes with me. “If you’re not going to make a move, mind if we share her?” That smart-ass grin returns like he”s fucking with me all over again.
“You better fucking listen. No one touches her,” I tell them. “If anyone lays a fucking finger on her-”
Theo’s laughter cuts me off mid-sentence. “Just kidding, man,” he chuckles. “Man, your totally fucked up.”
“Leave him alone,” Nate says, slapping me on the shoulder.
“Chill, man, I’ll be busy keeping the hostess entertained,” Theo says. “Where is she, by the way?” He heads over to the door she went through earlier. ”You coming to have fun?” he says to Nate.
Nate moves forward as Theo opens the door.
“Tell her I’m still waiting for my fucking drink!” I yell out to them before Nate closes the door.
“Xander, can we talk?” Ace says.
I shoot him a glare, still pissed he didn’t keep me in the loop about Poppy.
“Please, brother,” he says. “It’s about Poppy.”
“I don’t want to hear it,” I add, moving over to sit in a chair.
“Cut Poppy some slack. She”s a mom now.”
Those words hit me hard, cutting deep with the news. A kid. She”s got a fucking kid. She left me behind and moved on. She”s made a family with that weak-ass pussy of a man. I can”t help but rub my chest where the pain”s been stuck for the last five years. I’m a fucking idiot. I gave up on the only good thing in my life.
”Seriously, she has a kid?” I confirm just to make sure I got it right.
“A son,” Ace informs me.
I get up out of the seat and head for the door that Nate and Theo had exited just moments ago.
“Where are you going, Xander,” Ace calls out after me.
“Nate and Theo won”t be getting any action until I get my fucking drink.”