Chapter 30: Chapter 30
"There is nothing to tell. If you want your money back, find Claudia and find my father."
Roman just glared at her. "Stubborn woman. Anyway, I have a question to ask you."
"Yeah," she said, as she enjoyed her soup.
"Did you mean what you said about helping me find who killed Beau?"
As she sipped on her soup, Poppy's eyes veered to him, cautious about how to answer that. "Well, yes. If I could."
"I want you to attend the wedding reception. You'll be under our watch and wearing a wire."
Poppy's eyes went wide as she placed the tray on the bedside table and wiped her mouth. "You want me to spy on Luke?"
"More than that. I want you to get intel. He knows something and I want to know what. If you say he didn't do it, prove it. Ask him what he knows, and I'll consider letting you go once I get all the taken care of."
Poppy pulled the blankets up tight around her. "You promise you won't hurt him?"
"If he has nothing to hide, I have no reason to."
Thinking for a moment, she realized everything depended on her right now. She could help Roman find his brother's murderer and maybe save Luke, too. "I'll do it if you do something for me."
"You're not exactly in the position to be making demands, sweetheart."
"Find my father. Send someone to find my dad and prove I am who I say I am."
"I'm not wasting my time and resources to be pulled into your delusions. I'll have my doctors come see you. If you are sick, I'll promise to get you the best care. That's it."
As a tear trailed down her cheek, Poppy almost was starting to believe maybe she was mentally ill. Maybe she had made all this up in her head and she was actually Claudia. "You think I'm crazy?"
"I think you're ill." Sitting on the edge of the bed, Roman ran the back of his hand down her cheek, wiping away a tear. "I'll take care of you. I may be a monster in your eyes, but I won't let a woman fall to the likes of Luke Gambino if he's done something to you."
Lulling her eyes closed as Roman caressed her cheek, Poppy asked, "Why don't you trust him?"
"He's a drug dealer. They can't be trusted."
Feeling sick again, the pain hit her in that moment like someone punched her in the stomach. Reeling in pain, Poppy fell into Roman's arms, crying.
"What can I do?"
"It hurts. My stomach hurts so bad. Can I please just go to sleep? I'll do whatever you want. Just let me rest."
Taking a slow breath, Roman was equally annoyed and saddened. He wanted answers, but he also didn't want to see her so helpless and hurting. Tucking her into bed, Roman kneed next to her, softly brushing her hair from her face. Kissing her temple, he said, "Sleep. We'll tell you the plans tomorrow."
Slowly Poppy drifted off to sleep in the warmth of the billowing comfort he had provided her as Roman held her hand. He wasn't going to get answers if she was sick mentally and physically. He'd have to wait until his doctors could assess her situation.
Hearing a sudden rustling at the door, he turned to find Anton shaking his head in disapproval. "You can't keep your hands off that viper, can you? Roman, you are treading into dangerous waters here. You know you can't trust her."
Standing, he walked to the door, hushing his friend. "Shh… she's sleeping. Listen. Check into this Poppy thing. She said something about a place called Bean Blossom where this girl lives. I think Claudia is running a new hustle. She says there is a man there by the name of Fields. And old farmer."
Anton let out a chuckle. Dude, do you hear yourself? A farmer with the last name Fields. You're joking, right?"
"No, I'm not. If I can prove she's lying, maybe she will give up this ruse. Here's the truth. If she's lying to me and Luke's trying to set us up, there will be no white wedding. I'll kill them both."
Anton looked at the woman lying in the bed and back at Roman. "You'd kill her? I know I threatened but dang, I wouldn't actually kill the bitch. She just annoys the shit out of me."
Looking over his shoulder, back and who he believed to be Claudia, he nodded. "My brothers dead, Anton. If Luke is involved, everyone he knows is as good as dead. If he's not, we need to find out who really did this."
"The Eye of the Serpent connection. I feel it, Roman. Luke knows more about them than he's letting on. Remi even thinks so."
"Get on finding out who Poppy Fields is, or if she exists. That's our only leverage right now."
"On it." Nodding toward the bed. "And her? Are you going to be able to keep your dick in your pants long enough to find out the truth behind all this?"
Roman grabbed his friend by the shirt collar, shoving him out the door and softly closing it behind him. "Would you shut the fuck up? Yeah, she's hot, but I'm not a deviant. I can control myself."
Anton just chuckled as he pulled himself from the floor. "And that's why you were watching her shower? Bro, next time you're jerking off while watching the chick in your office monitors, make sure you turn off the cameras before you leave to seduce her. I saw the whole thing."
Roman tried not to laugh. "I fucking hate you, you know that."
"Nah, you love me. Don't blame me because you're a dirty pervert. Hell, you're sporting wood right now from just being in the room with that girl."
Roman looked down, and sure enough, his dress slacks were tented and completely obvious. "Shit…"
Anton started laughing so hard he couldn't breathe. Shoving him down the hall, Roman just ignored his taunting. He knew he couldn't resist this woman. Whatever changes Claudia was making in herself, it had him more turned on than he'd ever been before.
As Anton walked down the hall, Roman stopped, resting against the wall as he looked back at the door. Taking a glace to see if his friend was watching, he snuck back to the room. Cracking the door open, he could hear Poppy's cries and it almost ripped his heart out.
"Please, God, find my dad. Don't let them kill me."
Slowly closing the door, his head rested on the frame. He hated this life. Most of all, he hated what he would have to do if she were involved. Nothing seemed clear now and all he wanted to do was have one day to go back and change everything. Starting with the day he ever let Claudia Ricci in his life.
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