Chapter 3
Three
Poppy
“Get in the truck,” Patrick said as he tossed the shovel into the bed.
“That’s not necessary. I can walk back to the inn.”
After Patrick found out that I had driven Dale’s car, he suggested that we put Dale back in the driver’s seat and push the car into the river to make it look like he lost control and died that way.
I knew that if they did an autopsy, it would show blunt force trauma to the head instead, but I didn’t have time to worry about all of that.
Hopefully, it would be days, if not weeks, before the car surfaced and anyone found his body.
He had been a good sport and didn’t complain about the physical work, while I struggled not to compliment him on his killer body when he took his hoodie off and tossed it to the side when he got too hot.
We were there for a reason, and that reason did not include checking out my cousin’s best friend.
“The last thing you need is your footprints leading from the grave to the inn. Get in the truck, and I’ll drive you into town. We’ll make it look like I picked you up from the airport or something.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because you need an alibi. It’s already daylight, so you can’t sneak around without someone noticing you and asking questions. Has anyone in town seen you yet?”
“No,” I answered quickly with a shake of my head. “I got in super early this morning and came directly here.”
“Well, at least we don’t have to worry about the car,” he said as he looked off in the distance, where we had pushed it into the river. “Good thinking with wearing gloves and not touching anything. Even if it’s his car, you don’t want your fingerprints to be the ones they pull first.”
“Thanks. I guess old habits die hard,” I replied softly, feeling his eyes as he studied me.
It wasn’t a surprise that I spent a lot of my teen years and early twenties getting into trouble.
It was one of the reasons my family didn’t want me around.
I brought more trouble than it was worth, and they got tired of cleaning up my messes.
If they could only see me now and the mess I had gotten myself into.
“You’re not the same reckless teenager with a bad attitude that you used to be,” he said sternly, giving me a look.
“Really? Cause this doesn’t seem like something a mature, responsible adult would get themselves into.” I pointed out the window to where the car was, hopefully sinking in the river.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?” I lifted my hands in front of me. “Speak the truth? I fucked up, Pat. Big time. Anyone can see that, and now you’re caught up in the mess I created.”
“I’m not caught up in anything, Poppy. You didn’t fuck up—your husband did the second he laid his hands on you. He deserved what happened to him.”
“How can you say that so easily?” I asked as I stared at him, wondering what had made him so cold and calloused.
“Any man who puts his hands on a woman doesn’t deserve to take another fucking breath. Do I make myself clear on where I stand on this?” He pinned me with a look that sent a shiver down my spine.
I nodded and looked out the window as he put the truck in drive and started going slowly in circles.
“What are you doing?”
“Erasing our footsteps and making it less obvious that any dirt was dug up. This will look like someone went off-roading and got turned around. If we’re lucky, the car will float far away from here, so no one will bother looking in this area to begin with.
But I’d rather not leave that to chance and don’t want anyone to question the fresh shovel marks. ”
“Do you think that will work?”
“It’s the best option we have right now.”
I let out a long, slow exhale and leaned against the seat, noticing how everything around me smelled like him.
********
Thirty minutes later, Patrick was pulling into the diner on Main Street and helping me out of the truck.
“I know you want to put on a show and give me an alibi, but you don’t have to do all of this,” I whispered through clenched teeth as his hands wrapped around my waist while he helped me out of the truck.
My whole body trembled as my teeth chattered, but the warmth of his hands on me sent heat straight through me.
“I’m not putting on a show. I’m taking you to breakfast.”
“But you don’t have to. I can seriously walk to the inn, say hi to Gage, and get the hell out of here.” I forced a smile at an older woman as she walked past us on the sidewalk while we stood by his truck.
A gust of cold air whipped past us, making me shiver harder than before.
When I packed Dale into the car and left last night, it was unexpected.
There hadn’t been time to grab anything that I might have needed—like a winter jacket.
I had a hoodie and leggings on, which was practically the same as wearing a bikini, given how warm they kept me.
I remembered it being cold in Silver Falls this time of year, but never this cold.
“When was the last time you ate?” he asked, standing in front of me with his legs spread and arms folded over his chest as he waited for the answer, blocking me in so I couldn’t get past him.
I closed my eyes, trying to force the memories of last night out of my brain.
“You don’t say no to me,” Dale snarled, slapping me across the face, the pain of it leaving an immediate sting. “You will do as I say, when I say it.”
“No.” I jutted my chin out and stared him down, making sure he knew I had enough. We had just finished dinner, and I was still cleaning up when he came in and demanded sex.
“No? No? I’ll teach you some fucking manners.
” He raised his fist and slammed it toward my face, but I jumped out of the way, forcing him to lose his balance and stumble into the wall.
The smell of whiskey permeated the air as he growled and cursed me under his breath as he stared at his hand that had scraped the wall.
I knew that I had to act now or I wouldn’t have a chance later. I grabbed the frying pan from the counter that I hadn’t put away and clenched the handle tightly in my fist. As soon as he turned to face me, I swung full force, a sickening thud as the pan collided with his cheekbone.
His face turned red as he held a hand to the spot that I hit.
“You stupid bitch. You’re going to pay for that.”
I swung again, knowing that I had to make it count.
But he was stronger and faster than I was, stopping the pan before it could hit him.
He pulled the pan out of my grip and tossed it to the floor before storming toward me with fire raging in his eyes.
His hand shot out, grabbing my throat as he slammed me against the wall, pinning me in place with his body.
I felt a rush of air escape as I tried to stay conscious. His grip on my throat got tighter as I clawed at his skin to try to get free. I was able to move just slightly, giving me the opportunity to hit him where it counted.
I brought my knee up hard and fast, watching as his face morphed into pain as he let go of me and bent over. There was no doubt in my mind that he would kill me tonight. He’d already made that clear.
While he was bent over, I grabbed the cast-iron pan from the stove and whacked him on the back of the head.
His body fell forward from the impact, but I didn’t trust that it was a fatal blow.
I rolled him over and hit him again, this time aiming for the side of the head.
Once I was sure he was knocked out, I pressed the pan down hard against his throat with all of the strength I had until a few minutes had passed.
I stepped back and stared at his lifeless body on the floor as nausea washed over me.
I just killed my husband.
“Poppy?” Patrick asked, his brows furrowed as he stared at me.
“I’m sorry, I totally missed that. What did you say?”
“I asked when the last time you ate was. But given that you’re suddenly as pale as a ghost, I’m going to say you need to eat.” He nodded toward the diner and stepped onto the sidewalk, waiting for me to follow. “I’m not asking, Poppy.”
I tilted my head to the side and studied his features as I stood in front of him. He was taller than I remembered as I lifted my hand to shield my eyes from the sun as I stared up at him.
“You’re not the boss of me,” I said, pulling my shoulders back. “You can’t just demand that I go inside and eat.”
He chuckled and worked his jaw back and forth before moving so quickly that I didn’t have time to process what was happening until I was pressed against his truck while his body towered over mine. He leaned down and pushed my hair out of the way as he whispered in my ear.
“I may not be the boss of you, but as long as you refuse to take care of yourself, I will step in and make sure it gets done. Do I make myself clear?”
His breath was hot against my neck, sending tingles across my skin and creating a slight ache between my thighs.
I knew Patrick would never cross any boundaries that I set, but I couldn’t help but feel a thrill at how turned on I was by his commanding attitude.
It was also so incredibly strange how different it felt to have him in my space compared to how it felt when Dale would get too close.
I hadn’t seen Patrick in years, yet I felt safer with him than I had ever felt with anyone.
I sucked in a breath and held it as I made the stupid mistake of looking up and into his emerald green eyes.
“Now, Poppy.” He licked his lips, his eyes locked on mine, never wavering as he extended his hand and pulled me off the truck.
My legs felt wobbly as I made my way into the diner, ignoring the heat that continued to blossom inside the longer his hand stayed planted on my lower back.