Poppy doesn’t back up, just squares her shoulders and tells him, “I don’t have it.”
Sully scoffs. “Funny how this keeps happening.”
“It’s not going to keep happening,” she says. “I took a job at the high school. There’s benefits and it’s solid for Owen.”
His face darkens. “Like hell you are. You owe me!”
“What are you gonna do?” she asks, waving at the shop. “You already took our house. You want this too?”
He steps closer. Too close.
Owen presses into her side.
My vision goes red and I sidle up beside her, knowing damn well if I step in front of her, it weakens her and I know she needs to do this. We both know Sully’s not going to do anything to her. But the other bikers? I don’t know what they’ll do. But they’ll have to get through me to get to them.
“Call Jack,” I whisper in Owen’s ear and he nods. I see Owen pull his phone out of his coat pocket and push a few buttons at his side.
I know Jack is in town and he’ll get here quick. Plus, this gives Owen something to focus on if this goes south and I have to lay these fuckers out.
Sully sneers. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? You’d better watch it.”
She doesn’t move. “What are you gonna do, Dad? Hurt me? Go ahead and try. Spoiler alert, you can’t hurt me anymore. I’m a grown adult who is not taking your crap anymore.”
“I will get my money,” he says in a scary voice. “Or how about Owen comes with me?”
“I’m not going with you.” Owen scoffs.
Every biker behind him stiffens and stands up. A few of them look at each other confused as to how they’re going to handle this. This looks like more than they signed up for. Worry pulses through me on how this is all going to go down.
“I’ll bury you,” she says calmly. “All of you. You have no idea who you’re messing with. He may not give a shit about his family, but I do. And I will ruin every single one of you if you even remotely try to come for either Owen or me.”
She reaches behind the door and pulls out a tire iron. I recognize it instantly. Welded spikes and studs. Weighted. Built with intention. She made that as a weapon. And I hate that she felt like she had to do that. She turns and glares at all of them who look surprised. “A monster fucking raised me. Better rethink what I’m capable of.”
One of the bikers steps forward like he’s going to do something, and she stares into him with the scariest look I’ve ever seen on her face. If I didn’t know Poppy from the inside out, I’d be literally pissing my pants right now.
Silence.
Owen’s eyes are wide. Not scared. Awed. He stares at me and back down at his phone where I can see him recording this.I hope to God Jack’s on his way. I might need backup here. I have no idea what Sully is going to do.
Sully spits on the floor and laughs like he hasn’t just lost control. He knows he’s got nothing anymore and he’s grasping at straws.
“We’ll be back,” he mutters, then turns and says, “Better keep that firefighter handy. You never know when things will burn down.”
She’s shaking when I reach her and put my arm around her.
“That’s not okay,” I say. “He’s crazy, Poppy.”
She exhales hard. “I know.”
“We have to get you out from under him.”
“I’m figuring something out.”
“Stay away from him,” I say. “And his friends. He should be paying you, not the other way around.”
She swallows. “If I push too hard, he could try to take Owen. I don’t have legal guardianship.”
That stops me cold. Like hell he will. No one is taking Owen.
