“Yeah? Maybe you should start by listening to her and letting her have autonomy over her life, instead of pulling this overbearing bullshit from the 1500s. Poppy is a grown-ass woman and can make her own choices,” Sammie grunts.
My mouth drops open in shock. No one has ever stood up for me like this. I mean, my cousins would. Alice would. But Sammie is a stranger. He barely knows me.
Jaxson’s jaw ticks. His face hardens. I know my cousin, and one thing he doesn’t like is being told what to do. By anyone. “Poppy, we’re leaving,” Jaxson says.
“No, I’m not. You are,” I tell my cousin. “Seriously, Jaxson, don’t do this.”
“You really think I’m going to walk away and leave you sitting here with some suit from the city?” he grumbles.
Sammie chuckles. “Youreallydon’t have a choice. Neither one of us is going anywhere. We came for dinner. We’re going to eat dinner.”
Jaxson stands.
“Shit.” I shake my head. This is the train wreck that I knew would happen when I came in here.
Within seconds, Jaxson has Sammie’s jacket fisted in his hand and is dragging him out of the seat. Three men, all dressed in similar suits, appear right behind Jaxson.
Sammie holds up a hand to them. “Not this one,” he tells them. “He’sfamily. We don’t kill family.”
Jaxson’s fist swings out and connects with Sammie’s jaw.
“We do, however, hit back.” Sammie smirks, not at all bothered by the blow. And then, they’re both throwing punches at each other. Neither seeming to get a leg up.
“Stop!” I scream and reach for Jaxson, trying to pull him away from Sammie. Suddenly, arms are wrapped around me and I’m being tugged backwards. This gets Sammie’s attention.
“Get your fucking hands off her before I remove them from your body,” he growls.
Jaxson stops and looks from me to Sammie and then he fucking smiles. “Let her go, Gary.”
I shove an elbow into Gary’s stomach, turn around, and bring my knee up right into his balls. “Touch me like that again, and I’ll make sure Jaxson’s burying another friend in the middle of the ranch.”
Gary bends over and clutches his balls. “Fuck, Poppy, I was trying to help you.”
“I taught her that,” Jaxson says proudly.
“Good,” Sammie replies.
I stare at the two men who were just beating on each other seconds ago, now standing here talking like they’re old buddies. What the hell is happening?
“Bring him to the main house on Thursday, Poppy. Enjoy your dinner,” Jaxson says before he walks off. I watch his back all the way to the door.
“What the hell was that?” I ask.
Jessie is standing right next to me. “I think this one just got that Kestral approval no man has ever been able to get before.”
Chapter Nine
“You okay?” I ask Poppy, looking her up and down. I’m not a possessive, jealous asshole. Never have been, but when I saw that fucker holding her, I wanted to tear his arms from his body. That’s not something I’m going to look into too much right now, though.
“Me? Are you?” Poppy reaches up, taking my chin between her fingers and tilting my head from side to side while inspectingmy face. No doubt there are fresh bruises forming. Her cousin has one hell of a right hook on him. “Jessie, can you get me a towel and some ice, please?”
“Sure thing. I’ll grab those beers for y’all too,” Jessie says.
“I’ll understand if you want to leave.” Poppy lets go of my face.
“Why do you need ice? Are you hurt?” I can’t see any marks on her, but that fucker grabbed her around her waist, which is covered by her dress.
“It’s for you, not me,” she says.
